Founded in 1715, Maison Martell stands as the oldest of the four great cognac houses, its legacy of cognac-making passed down through nine generations and some 300 years. It’s said that Martell possesses an impressively well-preserved written archive of notes and recipes tracing back to its founding that if laid down side-by-side would stretch for an astonishing 5 kilometres. One of the most significant documents is a letter penned by the late founder Jean Martell himself from 1720, in which Jean mentions several family-run growers, many of whom, remarkably, continue to supply the house with grapes today, three centuries years later.

Since 2022, Martell has been bring a touch of Asian mythology to its repertoire with the L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition, a limited-release cognac that pays homage to the featured animal of the year in the Chinese Zodiac cycle. We've seen the Tiger in 2022, the Rabbit in 2023, and the mighty Dragon in 2024. And now, the Serpent as we slither into 2025 represented by the L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Serpent.

Before we delve into the this special edition, we should know about the foundation upon which it's built: the ultra-premium L’Or de Jean Martell. This rare cognac is a blend of over 400 eaux-de-vie sourced from the prestigious Grande Champagne and charming Borderies terroirs – both considered the 'premier cru' of Cognac. Some of the eaux-de-vie have been matured for well over a century in Martell’s cellars.

Now, the L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Serpent that we’re discussing is a limited edition of this cuvée that that aims to capture the enigmatic essence of the creature. But exactly would you describe the essence of a serpent?

Cellar Master Christophe Valtaud

To create this expression, Martell’s Cellar Master Christophe Valtaud drew inspiration from Chinese mythology, where the serpent holds a more revered position than in its Western counterpart. Valtaud sought to embody the serpent’s courage, wisdom and its symbolism of transformation drawn from to its ability to shed its skin. The original L’Or de Jean Martell is blended with a curated selection of eaux-de-vie from many past Years of the Snake, resulting in a blend of over 1,400 eaux-de-vie from the Cognac region’s four terroirs. The final blend is to retain the intensity and elegance of the original L’Or de Jean Martell but also amplify specific characteristics that evoke the serpent’s unique character.

We had the chance to attend the Singapore launch of this extraordinary cognac, where we embarked on a captivating tasting journey through a series of premium Martell expressions, including a special component of the Assemblage du Serpent itself.

Martell Cordon Bleu Extra Old Cognac (XO), 40% ABV

The first on our tasting journey was the legendary Martell Cordon Bleu. Literally translating to "blue ribbon", it is an icon not only of Maison Martell but the world of cognac itself. Introduced in 1912 by Edouard Martell, it predates the official XO classification and is widely considered the first mass-market premium cognac.

The Cordon Blue is a blend of over 100 eaux-de-vie, aged between 10 and 25 years. But what sets the Cordon Bleu apart from other XO cognacs is its notably high proportion of the Borderies cru eaux-de-vie compared to many other XO cognacs. The embrace of Borderies leads to more distinctive floral and nutty notes, a signature smoothness and roundness.

Turning to my impressions of the cognac itself, on the nose, I get bright red fruit notes, predominantly raspberries rather than darker berries. The aroma was syrupy, fresh, and sweet, with a distinct roundness and a hint of lilacs – a vibrant red fruit and floral tone that are hallmarks of Borderies eaux-de-vie.

On the palate, it opens soft, with orchard fruits like pear, apricot and peach taking centre stage before giving way to deeper, drier tones of lemon zest and pepper, complemented by almond and hazelnut nuances. A light floral note of jasmine and honeysuckle lingered in the background. The finish is a light, indistinct red fruit sweetness, balanced by a subtle oaky dryness.

Overall, I found the Cordon Bleu very balanced, rounded and approachable, with the oak notes providing a pleasant structure without overpowering the fruit. The emphasis on raspberries, rather than the deeper dried fruits often found in older expressions makes for a more playful and vivaciously vibrant character.

Martell Chanteloup XXO Cognac, 40% ABV

Next, I opted to taste the Martell Chanteloup XXO neat. This premium expression is named after the Château de Chanteloup, the historic Martell family estate near Cognac, and is intended to embody Martell’s long-standing tradition of excellence.

It’s worth noting that the XXO age classification itself is a relative newcomer to the cognac world, and Martell's Chanteloup stands as a pioneer in this category. XO cognac requires a minimum of 10 years of ageing, while XXO designates cognacs aged for at least 14 years. The Chanteloup XXO is said to surpass this minimum by far with an exceptional blend of 450 rare eaux-de-vie, selected from the four major cognac crus – Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois before being crafted in a dedicated cellar on the Chanteloup estate.

On the nose, I found the Chanteloup XXO a rich, heady mix of dried fruit and florals. Luscious red fruits intertwined with a profusion of deep dried fruit notes of apricots, figs and plums – particularly prominent are the plums. A touch of floral freshness from the subtle honeysuckle notes, while toasted almonds, hazelnuts, cinnamon and cloves contribute to some depth. A hint of quince added a fruity lusciousness, and a touch of herbal jelly provided a subtle herbaceous edge, before turning to a chewy, luscious quality reminiscent of dried haw flakes and candied orange peel.

On the palate, it’s dynamic, evolving and very engaging with a cascade of spiced robustness and revealing layers of oaky depth. Complex bitter oak notes emerge alongside candied orange peel and dates, followed by a crescendo of black pepper and ginger spice. The finish was warm and spiced, with a lingering ginger heat, yet it retained a fruity sweetness reminiscent of barley, seemingly a testament to the quality of the underlying eaux-de-vie spirit.

My overall impression of the Chanteloup XXO was one of layered complexity and dignified elegance. It’s got a dense and concentrated fruit character while the years of ageing imparted a pronounced spice, yet this was carefully balanced by a persistent jammy lusciousness that carried through from the nose to the finish. An outstanding XXO cognac – robust and full of European oak depths, yet retaining a captivating fruit vibrancy.

Component eaux-de-vie of L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Serpent

Now, for a really special experience, we were granted a taste of a key component of the Assemblage du Serpent. To be clear, we weren't tasting the final blend itself, but rather a selection of eaux-de-vie from past Years of the Snake that contribute to the expression’s final character. As we discussed earlier, the Assemblage du Serpent is built upon a foundation of the original L'Or de Jean Martell, which is then blended with specially selected eaux-de-vie to amplify the very essence of the serpent's mystique, as interpreted by Martell's Cellar Master.

On the nose, tons of freshness and vivacity, with primary aromas that retained the vibrancy of the grapes themselves. With gentle swirls, secondary and tertiary aromas began to emerge, shifting towards ripe peaches and apricots. A luscious honeyed note intertwined with warm cinnamon and sarsaparilla. Evocative violets and other floral notes add a touch of elegance, while vanilla and toffee provided a subtle sweetness. There’s a powdery note of dried heather in the background. The aroma continues to evolve, revealing subtle nuttiness with further swirling.

On the palate, the initial sensation was a surprising bite, almost like a snake's quick strike, but it quickly subsides into a wave of heady florals. The spice and ginger sweep across the tongue quickly, balanced by a core of rich fruitiness, again reminiscent of sarsaparilla, rounded and syrupy fruit notes with an interplay of spice and fruit. Some subtle herbaceous notes leading into a long and memorable finish, with the powdery dried heather returning alongside the fresh violets.

We aren’t tasting the actual Assemblage du Serpent but this representative selection of eaux-de-vie was nonetheless a very remarkable experience. It was incredibly luscious, with pronounced fruit and honey notes, yet it retained a dignified aged elegance throughout with heady floral notes on the nose leading through to beautiful fresh florals in the finish.

Then there’s of course that dynamism that keeps you engaged – a memorable underlying spice and initial "bite" that calls to mind a snake’s quick strike. It’s a cognac that keeps giving!

Final Thoughts

This journey through time with Martell’s premium cognacs was nothing short of illuminating. Martell's mastery lies not only in preserving tradition but also in its ability to evolve, innovate and speak to a modern drinker, which is quite evident in tasting this lineup.

Whereas the Cordon Bleu XO delights with the vibrancy of its relative youth and its Borderies cru origin – showcasing bright red fruits, fresh orchard fruits and soft floral – the older expressions of the Chanteloup XXO and the Assemblage du Serpent component reveal much more depth and dignified character. We transition from orchard fruits to luscious dried fruits, and from fresh florals to deeper, more concentrated notes of potpourri. The Assemblage du Serpent component showcases particularly impressive depths with elegant spices and the subtle embrace of oak tannins.

The new L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Serpent is limited to 500 individually numbered bottles worldwide, presented in a crystal decanter designed by French cristallerie, Baccarat.

As with its predecessors, the Assemblage du Serpent is set for release just in time for Chinese New Year celebrations this month. In Singapore, a limited allocation of decanters will be made available for sale with prices available upon request exclusively via Le Cercle, Pernod Ricard’s private clientele platform.

@CharsiuCharlie