There are moments in travel when time slows down, perception sharpens, and pleasure becomes reflection. For me, this happened in Cognac, during the Martell Discovery Tour: an immersive experience curated to celebrate World Cognac Day and the launch of Indigo Bar. As a guest of Maison Martell, the oldest of the great cognac houses, founded in 1715, I embarked on a bespoke journey blending haute cuisine, visionary mixology, and French heritage.
Three days that reshaped my definition of luxury hospitality and revealed how Martell is quietly yet decisively leading a new chapter in the world of cognac: that of elevated mixology.
A Landscape Suspended Between History and Wonder
Arriving in Cognac felt like stepping into a 19th-century French painting. Lush countryside, vine rows traced like calligraphy, stone mansions cloaked in morning mist, everything spoke of tradition, balance, and time. Our stay at Hotel François Premier was the epitome of refined elegance: polished wood panels, crisp linen sheets, warm lighting, and staff who seemed to intuit your needs before you voiced them. A sanctuary of comfort and discretion.
The first evening culminated with the Signature Dinner at Château de Chanteloup, the historic family estate of Martell. Nestled within expansive grounds, bathed in golden light and profound silence, the setting seemed made for contemplation. Dinner was held in the château’s kitchen itself: a single, beautifully dressed table where Alexandre Mazzia, a three-Michelin-starred chef, composed for us a 20-course gastronomic performance.
Twenty Culinary Gestures, One Liquid Symphony
Each dish was its universe. From chilled infusions of vegetables and smoked citrus to crisp fish ribbons with cashew milk and fermented cabbage textures playing with acidity and umami, the evening unfolded like a sensory ballet. Every course was delivered by the chefs themselves, who shared inspiration, technique, and intuition. This made the experience feel profoundly intimate.
Alongside each plate, a perfectly paired Martell cognac: from the refined VSOP to the bold Blue Swift and the iconic Cordon Bleu. The pairings were at times surprising, reassuring, but always emotional. Cellar Master Christophe Valtaud joined us, offering brief yet powerful toasts: “A cognac should speak like a wine, but sing like a spirit.”
Martell: Timeless Heritage with Daring Innovation
Founded in 1715 by Jean Martell, the Maison is among the oldest in the region, yet its spirit is surprisingly contemporary. Over three centuries of savoir-faire have not kept Martell from innovation. Their signature use of only clear eaux-de-vie (removing lees during distillation) results in an exceptionally fine cognac. Their bottles are modern icons, and the brand actively cultivates dialogue with the world’s leading bartenders.
This balance between classicism and avant-garde was tangible at every turn: in the materials and aesthetics of the château, in the glassware designed for clarity and elegance, and most profoundly, in the philosophy of their Global Master Mixologist, Rémy Savage.
Rémy Savage: The Philosopher of the Contemporary Bar
Savage is not merely a bartender. He is a thinker. Educated in philosophy and raised behind pub counters in Lille, his career is a blend of reflection and service. During his masterclass at Martell’s headquarters, he introduced his view of mixology not as a technique, but as a language.
In Savage’s world, a cocktail is one voice in a larger narrative. The rest is the glass, the lighting, the music, and the posture. Nothing is decorative. Everything must serve a meaning. Even how bartenders walk in their venues is choreographed, not out of rigidity, but coherence.
His partnership with Martell was never a matter of branding. “I’ve always loved this cognac,” he said, “even before I knew its name in blind tastings.” It was a natural evolution of mutual admiration.
Savage dreams of crafting a new cognac with Martell, one made specifically for mixing. Not a compromise, but a product designed from the perspective of the bartender, a liquid conceived for the glass, not the shelf. It’s a bold ambition, but one that could redefine the role of cognac in contemporary cocktail culture.
L’Indigo Bar: Where the Future Is Served with Elegance
The following evening, we attended the grand reopening of L’Indigo Bar, Martell’s rooftop terrace, where Savage is in summer residency. Watching the sun set over Cognac from this vantage point was breathtaking: terracotta roofs glowing, the Charente river shimmering like molten gold, and a gentle breeze carrying the scent of vineyards.
The cocktail menu was a manifesto in liquid form. Each drink was stripped down to essentials: yellow tomato cordial, honey-infused vermouths, artisanal bitters, floral vinegars. Glassware was matte, refined, and minimalist. No garnishes, no distractions. Only substance, thought, and precision.
Each summer, from June to September, L’Indigo Bar by Martell offers curated programming and bold new cocktails with a panoramic view of Cognac. For the 2025 season, Martell Global Master Mixologist Rémy Savage and his team serve up Martell cocktails with a fresh new take on beloved classics.
Since 2020, Remy Savage has been working with Martell cognacs as the House’s global master mixologist.
This year, Remy and his partner Sara Moudoulaud are taking things to the next level by establishing their residence in Cognac for the season. To mark the occasion, they have crafted a collection of creative cocktails that rethink the classics through the lens of cognac. By turning to cognac as the base for beloved recipes, Rémy Savage showcases the smoothness and complexity of the House’s iconic blends, adding a fresh new twist that smashes expectations.
On the menu, some imaginatively revisited recipes and signature serves created by Martell Master Mixologist Rémy Savage: the refreshing Martell Fine à l’Eau, a mix of Martell VS, verjus and sparkling water, is an effervescent surprise.
Amongst revisited cocktails, it will be possible to order a Margarita with Martell Blue Swift, orange liqueur and lime, which makes for a zesty thirst-quencher. Also with a Martell Blue Swift base, a Mojito combining lime, sparkling water and mint. Finally, the Martell Negroni features Martell VSOP with the classic additions of sweet vermouth and a choice of gentian-based bitters. Whatever the drink, Martell cognac is at the heart of the story this summer at L’Indigo.
Coherence as Luxury, Emotion as Purpose
The Martell Discovery Tour was far more than a press trip. It was a rare example of how a brand can use its legacy not to look back, but to narrate the future. A journey of materials, gestures, silences, and ideas. Where every element had intention. Where cognac reclaimed centre stage, not from nostalgia, but from vision.
The oldest of the great cognac houses, Maison Martell prides itself on its enduring audacity, which dates back to its founding in 1715. Always revolutionary in spirit, the House is reclaiming its heritage through initiatives like L’Indigo Bar by Martell, a place where cognac takes the stage, coming alive as a mixology essential rather than a traditional neat spirit. The cognacs of Maison Martell are full of surprises – and the 2025 summer season at L’Indigo provides just a taste of what’s to come from this historic House.
Martell has shown that today, true luxury is coherence. The future of mixology lies not in spectacle, but in care. That is a great spirit, when told with intelligence and elegance, can still astonish. And if the bar of the future is guided by a philosopher, it will be a place we’ll all want to return to – again and again.
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All Images Courtesy of Martell.