Baptise Loiseau is Remy Martin’s cellar master. He talk copper and cognac with us.
Copper is omnipresent in cognac, from the metal of the alembics where our brandy is born to the coppery colour of our cognacs, appreciated all over the world.
This colour brings back memories, especially the atmosphere at the time of distillation in the mid-winter. I will never forget the first time I entered a distillery—all our senses are awakened, we can hear the flame under the alembic and listen to the flow of the liquid.
Copper symbolizes these moments of sharing and exchange that can be found in cognac tasting
There, at the foot of the boilers, the experts take it in turns to maintain a constant vigil in this warm atmosphere. Their mastery of their craft is unparalleled and, despite appearances, no two alembics are identical. With each new vat of wine, they never hesitate to question, to assess its potential for storage. They know the wines plot by plot, vintage by vintage and are better qualified than anyone else to regulate the heating curves and identify the perfect moment for cutting “heads” and performing second cuts. They make the most of each wine, enabling it to express its full aromatic potential.
Tasting spirits with the distillers who have made them is a wonderful experience of sharing and discovery where they sometimes share little secrets. Copper symbolizes these moments of sharing and exchange that we also find when tasting cognacs. Cognac brings out strong emotions—feelings we like to share with those around us as they arise.
