Grand Marnier Quintessence

Since its introduction in 1880, Grand Marnier has been an icon for French spirits and has been residing happily as a top-shelf liqueur ever since. A blend of true Cognacs and the distilled essence of bitter orange, the possibilities with Grand Marnier are endless.

Today, Grand Marnier has just announced the upcoming release of Grand Marnier Quintessence, their first new expression of Grand Marnier since the release of Cent-Cinquantenaire to mark their 150th anniversary in 1977 and Mutineer Magazine is here to breakdown this new libation. As said, Grand Marnier is a blend of Cognacs and the distilled essence of bitter orange, so let’s start with the Cognac.

The Cognacs used to create Quintessence are sourced from Grand Champagne, the most prestigious cru zone in the Cognac region. The age of these cognacs is from 25 to 100 years and have been carefully selected from the Grand Marnier Paradise. Specifically selecting our 1906 Grande Champagne and the 1955 Grande Champagne for the blend. Paradise is a special cellar where all our extra old cognacs are stored. In order to preserve absolute quality from the vintage, the cognac is actually taken out of the barrel after reaching maturity and put in large glass containers and then transferred to the Paradise Cellar. The oldest of our Paradise cognacs is 1875.

More than 20 lots of different Cognacs are included in the final product. Next, comes the orange perfume of Quintessence.

Grand Marnier has used the same bitter oranges selected for all of the brand’s marques. However, to produce Quintessence, a unique, exacting and time-honored Marnier recipe, called “double parfum,” has been implemented. This perfume is very delicate, subtle, fresh and richer than the traditional perfume. To create the “double parfum,” orange peels are macerated with the perfume of the first distillation. This is followed by a second distillation to further refine the flavor and produce the final result: an amazingly tantalizing and delicious flavor.

And lastly, Grand Marnier Quintessence goes to barrels to rest.

Finally, the Cognacs, “double parfum” of orange and sugar are blended together to create the perfect balance and elicit the most beguiling flavor. This is followed by the “marriage time” as the blend ages in small French oak casks. At the end of this marrying period (12 months), the cognac and the perfume are judged to have reached the perfect harmony.

Quintessence is a limited expression that will be on shelves in September selling for $799.99 a bottle.

Cognac. You know it and love it, and now you can witness Mutineer Editor in Chief Alan Kropf attempt to educate stand-up comedians Ben Morrison (who also happens to be a regular Mutineer contributor and host of the Mutineer Comedy Festival) and Daryl Wright (also a Mutineer Comedy Festival performer) at the world renowned Jon Lovitz Comedy Club at Universal City.

Last fall, Rémy Martin launched a new product in two exclusive markets – San Francisco and Atlanta. After a successful welcoming into those areas, the rest of the country will see the launch of Rémy Martin V on April 1st. Rémy Martin V? Rémy Martin V is a spirit unlike anything else in the Rémy Martin portfolio and it is aimed at the 21-29 year old demographic. Aside from targeting the younger generation of drinkers, Rémy Martin V will challenge vodka as the premium clear spirit used for cocktails at bars and nightclubs around the country.

How is it different? Rémy Martin V is unique because unlike their Cognac, V is clear. Rather than aging V in oak barrels which gives Cognac its color and rich flavor, V is filtered using a bespoke process that chills the spirit to -10 degrees Celsius, ensuring a beautiful, transparent color and unparalleled smooth, fresh, clean taste according to Rémy Martin. Rémy Martin says it’s great over ice, but it was meant to be mixed with drinks such as The Belmondo with Cointreau, Vermouth, and Orange Bitters served up in a martini glass.

Rémy Martin V will be available nationwide staring April 1st and will retail for $40 per 750ml bottle.

From the people who brought you such memorable Cognacs like Louis XIII, the always impressive Rémy Martin is at it again, this time with the release of Diamant, their new super-premium Cognac. This Fine Champagne Cognac is crafted from some of the most sought after grapes in the Champagne region and uses traditional distillation methods and long maturation in Limousin oak casks. Continue Reading »

Typically, when a product fermented from grapes goes “white” (i.e.: white zinfandel), it isn’t a good thing. This is not the case with Rémy Martin V (pronounced “vee”) — the first clear spirit from the House of Rémy Martin.

“The new spirit masterfully blends the savoir faire and the aromatic richness of the Rémy Martin House with the smoothness and mixability of a clear spirit. The finest grapes found in the heart of Rémy Martin’s vineyard are hand-selected and harvested only once a year, at the beginning of each fall. Small batches are slowly distilled in traditional copper pot stills throughout the winter, then ice-cold filtered. The eaux-de-vie is left to rest all spring in order to bring out full aromas and flavors. The finished product, the exclusively crafted Remy Martin V, is not a cognac. Rather than aged in oak barrels – the final step in the cognac making process – the liquid goes through a proprietary 14F (-10C) ice cold filtration process, giving it is brilliant transparent color, unique aroma and subtle taste with hints of pear and fresh mint.” Continue Reading »

David Stewart, Glenfiddich Malt Master, gives a few opening remarks at the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old Auction. (Photo credit: Matt Peyton/Getty Images)

It’s been a very good week for crazy-expensive liquors at auctions. A bottle of Glenfiddich 50 Year Old Single Malt Scotch sold for $38,000 on Monday at a Christie’s auction to raise money for “Friends of Scotland”. This was the only bottle available for private purchase, with there only being three other bottles on the market at the Mardarin Oriental in New York, the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami, and the Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills.

Coincidentally, a bottle of 1788 Vieux Cognac was sold this week at auction in Paris for $36,935.

…And we’re back people! Apologies for the lapse in blog posts the last two days as we descended into the depths of deadline to finish off the most bombastically awesome issue of Mutineer Magazine yet, which is slated to hit newsstands across the nation January 5.

Today, fine beverage finds an unlikely fan in controversial basketballer Ron Artest, who has admitted to drinking Hennessey Cognac during halftime while playing for the Chicago Bulls. Continue Reading »

(L to R) Mark Cornell, CEO MoetHennessy USA, TV personality Kim Kardashian, singer Ciara and Bernard Peillon, President of Hennessy, at the launch event for Hennessy Black, a new highly versatile cognac “done different” that is perfect for being enjoyed UP (as shots) or DOWN (as mixed drinks), where the original song performed by Swizz Beats and original dance by the JabbaWockeeZ showcased a contrast of UP and DOWN style, at 7 World Trade Center in New York City.
Credit Theo Wargo/Wireimage.

There is a new Cognac on the scene, Hennessy Black. This is the first new Cognac for Hennessy in 48 years. “We are thrilled to launch such a spectacular new product from Hennessy, the leading cognac in the world,” said Mark Cornell, CEO Moet Hennessy USA. “Our fast growing consumer base is looking for new and innovative ways to consume cognac and we have the perfect blend to speak to this generation.” Continue Reading »