Learn more about the different Cognac ages
Learn more about the different Cognac growth areas
This innovative eau-de-vie from Martell is made by finishing their acclaimed VSOP Cognac in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. The Martell Blue Swift VSOP has been described as uniting two worlds; it is simultaneously olde-worlde with its Bourbon cask glass shape, and also new and innovative in the way that it experiments with traditions of Cognac production dating back centuries.
If you’re a fan of a richer, toasted and rounded flavor, then this is the eau-de-vie for you. It cannot be called Cognac, as the latter must be aged in French oak to qualify as so. Instead, it is an “eau-de-vie de vin”, which quite literally translates as a distilled grape wine spirit.
Martell pride themselves upon their impurity-free distillation process, which is signature to the Cognac maison. This makes it all the more ready to absorb aromatic qualities from the bourbon casks.
The Blue Swift VSOP commemorates the fact that Martell was indeed the first Cognac house to ship barrels of spirit to America from 1783.Their reputation as the oldest of the Cognac houses, dating back to 1713, means that Martell work tirelessly to ensure that their stellar reputation as one of the best Cognac producers in the world is constantly challenged, updated and exceeded.
The Martell Blue Swift successfully reinvents the Cognac genre, bringing curiosity and ingenuity to the long-standing craft. It is only fitting that Martell has decided to call this liquor the Blue Swift, after their iconic logo that appears on all of their bottles, and features heavily in a number of their marketing campaigns.
The blue swift represents the spirit of the Cognac house; one that flies freely from continent to continent, traversing oceans and bringing the French art of Cognac to the US and vice versa. With signature notes of plums and candied fruits, it brings a new twist to traditional notes with flavors of toasted oak and vanilla.
We recommend serving it neat, in a classic cocktail or on the rocks. It is highly versatile. The bottle has a delicate “cut glass” detail on the base that makes it seem like it could be a crystal decanter.
Disclaimer: Even when it says "Cognac Age" above, of course it should be "Age" from a legal point of view, because it is not a Cognac.
I started with the V.S. and moved up to the blue swift. I see why it's not called a true congac and even though I usually drink Hine this has become my go to congac. It may be aged in Kentucky barrels but being from N.C. all I can say is it gives it a unique taste I prefer on occasion over hennesay,...
Very good nose pf vanilla and you can actually smell the barrel of Kentucky bourbon it was kept in. Deep caramel smell and very long finish. Put Hennesay and many others to shame. Never judge a congac by the shape or look of the bottle. The V.S. alone beats most V.S.O.P's. Now my go to choice hands...
Martell is the oldest of the Big Four Cognac houses. Similar to Rémy Martin, but a few years older still, not long ago did Martell celebrate its 300-year anniversary. The history of Martell & Co dates back to 1715 when Jean Martell founded the company with the wish to produce only the highest quality in Cognac. With the legendary bottles Martell Cordon Bleu, the cuvée Martell Extra L’Or de Jean Martell and the recent Création Grand Extra from 2007, the company strongly implanted itself in the luxury goods market, and are famous for using large amounts of eaux-de-vie from the Borderies terroir. It belongs to Pernod Ricard and has sales of around 15 million liters every year. The most precious eaux-de-vie, some of which date back to 1830, are stored in a secret location in the cellars of Jean Martell - approximately 1.6 million 9-liter cases!
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