Exploring Rémy Martin's Eau-de-VieNearing the end of a long week, I was delighted to accept an invitation to an exclusive Rémy Martin tasting at the new luxury Silo Hotel at the Waterfront on 6 July 2017. A fitting, intimate get-together to ease into the weekend. I decided to take my husband along since he has the better palate between the two of us. Brand ambassador Vusa Zaya was our host for the evening and we were pleased with the warm welcome when we arrived at the Silo Hotel's library, a quiet and elegant section of the hotel where the tasting was being held. Vusa Zaya, Rémy Martin brand ambassador. We were joined by eight other guests, including actor Mzu Ntantiso and surfer-turned-model-and-actress Roxy Louw. Zaya first introduced us to the Rémy Martin 1738 Cognac, which had delicious warm and spicy notes. He helped us identify flavours of apricot, raisin and butterscotch on the tongue, and plum and toffee on the nose. He also gave us some background on the Cognac and told us that 1738 actually refers to the year when King Louis XV of France granted Rémy Martin a royal decree that allowed him to expand and plant more vineyards, where others were forbidden. We took a bit of a break and were treated to some delicious canapes before tackling the next bottle, the Rémy Martin XO Excellence Cognac, also known as ‘le good stuff’ and at an average price tag of R2,500 a bottle, we sincerely hoped we could fully appreciate this exquisite, premium cognac. I must admit, I was a bit overwhelmed by the rich taste at first, which prompted Zaya to explain that this specific cognac contained 85% Grande Champagne Eau-de-Vie (also known as 'water of life'; a clear, colourless fruit brandy that is produced by fermentation and double distillation) which is slowly aged over 37 years to produce a wonderful, smooth Cognac. This cognac has a complex aroma, almost like that of a perfume. We experienced notes of fruit and jasmine flowers on the nose, with lingering flavours of cinnamon, cherries and nuts.
For this Rémy Martin, it's young urban professionals, black diamonds and the individual with an exceptional appreciation for quality and opulent living. Any exciting projects in the pipeline? About Juanita PienaarJuanita is the editor of the marketing & media portal on the Bizcommunity website. She is also a contributing writer.
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