A century ago, the Louis XIII cognac celebrated its 45th anniversary in 1919.
Already renowned for innovation back then, the house of Louis XIII is pushing boundaries again a century later with The DROP, which you can view at the pop-up happening now at Design Orchard. It’s a radical idea that we can assume was motivated by a simple question: how do we attract the younger generation?
Founder Paul-Emile Rémy Martin faced similar conundrums. He was a maverick for his time. After he assumed control of his family business in the cognac region, he broke tradition by bottling the liquid instead of selling them by the barrel, thanks to better technology. This led to increased sales.
Today, the legendary decanters are mouth-blown by some of the most skilled master craftsmen for generations. The Louis XIII cognac features exceptional aromas evoking myrrh, honey, dried roses, plum, honeysuckle, cigar box, leather, figs and passion fruit.
Now, the house has found an answer to the question about youth.
The solution, it seems, is changing the size of the bottle once again. Over a century after Paul-Emile broke tradition, the maison is releasing an even smaller capsule containing 1cl (10ml) of the Louis XIII cognac blend. It fits in your pocket and can be brought with you anywhere, reflecting the spontaneity and nomadic lifestyle of today’s generation.
The DROP bottle also comes with a lanyard. There are different colours to choose from to reflect your mood — Loud, Glow, Bold, Smooth and Bright.
In keeping with the ethos of breaking traditions, Louis XIII is presenting its first-ever immersive retail experience in Singapore at the heart of Orchard Road. For the month of December, Design Orchard will turn into the aforementioned Louis XIII The DROP universe.
The pop-up features three rooms. The first is the Immersive Room, which guides visitors through the essence and universe of The DROP. Next features an area dedicated to the five different collections and accessories. You can find a gifting table, interactive augmented reality experiences, personalised crafting stations featuring engraving and leather embossing services, and more.
The final room is a Louis XIII shopping paradise, featuring the whole range — from a 700ml decanter to the incredibly rare 6L Mathusalem. For the first time in South-east Asia, the team has also brought in service items such as the crystal glass, service tray and spear to help you draw cognac from the decanter and refill The DROP.
Those who’d like to taste the magic of Louis XIII can head to the Louis XIII room for an exclusive tasting experience of the cognac before bringing home The DROP. It’s priced at $238 for 1cl and $476 for 2cl.
There is also a virtual reality corner that lets you navigate the Louis XIII universe, from le Domaine du Grollet to the cellars.
Keeping in line with The DROP’s nomadic aspirations, Louis XIII commissioned street artist Tobyato to paint a large mural that will remain there for the entirety of the pop-up. On 9 and 16 December, local dance duo ScRach MarcS will also present performances.
It’s your chance to taste one of the world’s finest cognacs. While Louis XII redesigned the bottle for a younger crowd, it did not touch its contents. The world has radically transformed in a century, but we’re glad some things (and tastes) remained unchanged.
We hate to waste a good pun, but you should definitely DROP by to discover why the Louis XIII cognac remains unparalleled.
