"LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6" is limited to 738 decanters worldwide.

The unveiling of "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6" took place in Udaipur, a beautiful city known as the Venice of the East, located about an hour and a half by plane from New Delhi, the capital of India. A gala dinner was held for one night at Jag Mandir Island Palace, a palace situated on an island in Lake Pichola, set against the backdrop of the Aravalli hills.

As OPENERS readers are well aware, LOUIS XIII is a cognac crafted exclusively from grapes harvested in the Grande Champagne region, one of France's most exquisite wine-producing areas. Each bottle of LOUIS XIII is a blend of approximately 1,200 different eaux-de-vie, aged for 40 to 50, or even 100 years, meticulously balanced by the Cellar Master. It is hailed as the "King of Cognacs" due to its exceptional terroir, a century of time, the blend of 1,200 eaux-de-vie, and the legacy of four generations of Cellar Masters since its inception in 1874.

The "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6" announced in India is the second release, following the highly acclaimed "Rare Cask 43.8," which was launched with great fanfare in Guilin, China, in 2009. The Rare Cask 43.8, with its limited production of 786 bottles worldwide and a price tag of 1.4 million yen, sold out instantly due to its rarity. Naturally, expectations are high for the "Rare Cask 42.6."

A Miraculous Coincidence and Discovery Gifted by Nature

Even as the second release, rare casks cannot be intentionally created by humans.The current Cellar Master, Pierrette Trichet, whom we interviewed last autumn during her visit to Japan for OPENERS,explains: "LOUIS XIII is the result of the work of generations of grape growers, vineyard managers, winemakers, coopers, cellar operators, and blenders. However, it is all born from the battle with nature and human ingenuity. Nature plays its part, and humans fulfill theirs. LOUIS XIII is made from what nature has given us."

Madame Trichet continues, "Cognac is a living thing, and no one can predict it with absolute certainty. Each cask (tierçon—a barrel made from 150-year-old oak used for aging cognac) reaches its peak maturity after a unique period of aging. For four generations, from Cellar Masters André Renaud, André Giraud, Georges Clot, to myself, we have tasted and selected from the 1,200 types of eaux-de-vie that bear the name LOUIS XIII, aging and blending them over many years."

However, nature's miracles do occur. "When I discover a distinctive cask during tasting, I mark it with chalk. But at that time, none of the marked casks had yet reached their perfect balance in terms of maturity. Then, in September 2009, I tasted one cask. I was so moved that I clapped my hands together. I still vividly remember the excitement of discovering the first Rare Cask, and then, what a joy! I have truly been fortunate to encounter another Rare Cask."

From that "discovery" until 2013, Madame Trichet, along with Assistant Cellar Master Baptiste Loiseau, continued to watch over a single cask. "After discovering it, we tasted it two to three times a year to monitor its changes. It was a task that required us to let nature and time take their course, much like watching a child grow. Determining the optimal moment for consumption, considering factors like alcohol content and aromatic balance, became our crucial task. And then, the day came to inscribe a new page in the history of LOUIS XIII."

A Miraculous Coincidence and Discovery Gifted by Nature—Let us now savor "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6," a magical creation born from the collaboration between the Cellar Master and nature.

A "Powerful Drop" Crafted by the Fantasy of Time

—The gala dinner was a magnificent presentation. Your joy in discovering the Rare Cask was palpable. When exactly did you think, "This is it!"?

The morning after encountering a cask (tierçon) with an extraordinary character, I was walking along a country road in the Cognac region. As I walked along a peaceful September path through the fields, I detected a scent within the cask that I had been searching for. It was a powerful aroma of autumn nuts and fruits, filling the air with the fragrance of nuts and autumn fruits, the very answer I sought. The scent of autumn was precisely what I sensed from that tierçon. I had finally found the answer.

—Your excitement is contagious. Compared to the LOUIS XIII we tasted together in Japan last year, "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6" has a very distinct aroma. I felt a greater intensity.

Thank you. I remember our time in Tokyo very well. The "time for dialogue with LOUIS XIII" begins by closing your eyes, bringing the glass closer, and lifting it to your nose. First, take just a single drop into your mouth. With just one drop, you can perceive an aroma that envelops your entire palate. You will first sense a delicate, soft wave, as if to soften the alcohol's attack. "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6" immediately presents a strong aroma of nuts and walnuts. This is followed by an aroma reminiscent of prune pits. Within its warmth and sweetness, you will experience a universe created by the scent of gingerbread and various dried fruits. Finally, for just a fleeting moment, you will detect a striking aroma of tobacco and smoke.

—Compared to LOUIS XIII, it has a complexity and strength, and the taste also has a substantial depth.

The astonishingly rich aroma, a universe of fruit, is truly worthy of the name "Rare Cask."

As I've said many times, we can only watch.

—The higher alcohol content compared to LOUIS XIII is also a characteristic of "Rare Cask," isn't it?

Yes, it is. The unprecedented alcohol level and the rich, concentrated aroma are exceptional. Since discovering the previous "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 43.8," I have paid particular attention to the natural wonders that might be hidden within the cellars.

—So, will there be a "next Rare Cask" discovery?

Well, perhaps (laughs). During the process of creating LOUIS XIII, I taste each cask and check for potential ones. I do mark them in my own way (laughs). However, since I cannot intervene, as I've said many times, I can only watch.

—The "Baccarat Black Crystal Decanter" for this special bottle is also magnificent.

Just as "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6" and its launch venue, Udaipur, are linked, I believe the contents of the Rare Cask
and the black crystal decanter share a commonality in requiring perfect craftsmanship and timing to create, making them difficult to produce. I visited the Baccarat manufacturing site; it's truly like a jewel box of a decanter.

—I hope to have the opportunity to experience it again in Japan.

You can experience the world of LOUIS XIII at the flagship bar "Maison Louis XIII" within the bar "MADURO" on the 4th floor of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, and at the Tokyo Baycourt Club in Odaiba, among other locations. The "LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.6" announced this time is a new child for LOUIS XIII. We hope you will welcome it warmly.


Pierrette Trichet
Cellar Master at Rémy Martin. Born February 15, 1953, in Midi-Pyrénées, France. Raised in Saint-Christie-d'Armagnac, an Armagnac-producing region, by her father, a winemaker, and her mother, a teacher, she grew up surrounded by eaux-de-vie and studied biochemistry at the University of Toulouse.
Upon graduating from university in 1976, she began working with cognac at Rémy Martin, dedicating herself to the world of distilled spirits. She honed her skills through research into the chemical analysis, tasting, and quality of cognac. In 2000, she became Assistant Cellar Master.
In 2003, she became the first female Cellar Master among cognac producers. She bears the significant responsibility of preserving the style inherited by Rémy Martin.