Martingale Cognac makes its highly anticipated debut in the United States. The emblem of a refreshingly new, creative, and unexpected style of Cognac, Martingale is the work of the Thomas family’s fourth-generation founders, Guillaume Thomas (Founder, CEO, veteran Pernod Ricard executive) and Amaury Thomas (Co-Founder, Master Blender). Despite a more than 100-year-old history of producing quality eaux-de-vie for other prestigious houses, their Cognac has, until now, been enjoyed anonymously. Today, the fourth generation of this determined family proudly launches Martingale Cognac, their first ever commercially available product, with Batch 0001 on shelves starting early October.
Martingale Cognac Debuts in the US – A Modern French Luxury Spirit Custom-Made for a New Generation of Cognac Drinkers.Tweet this
With a century of unrivaled credibility, Martingale Cognac is made precisely for today’s palate: fresh, fragrant and refined.
Custom-made for a new generation, Martingale Cognac’s unique style of liquid and bottle are a testament to Raymond Thomas, the grandfather of founders Guillaume and Amaury, whose insatiable entrepreneurial spirit helped build one of the most envied domaines in the region. As Guillaume shares, this spirit lives on in his grandsons, “Our grandfather was an important figure in the history of Cognac having strengthened the status of the appellation through the post-war era. When faced with obstacles, instead of backing down, he doubled down and found his own martingale, his own recipe for success: hard work, genuine relationships, skills, and craft in Cognac making.” He continues, “My grandfather always had a vision to one day have our own Cognac brand and we have been entrusted with this legacy. Through our family’s initial investment and the strength of the business plan, we have garnered the attention of investors from backgrounds as diverse as music and entertainment – with notable names like Derrick ‘DNice’ Jones and Donnie Wahlberg – wine, spirits, finance, and more. For us, Martingale is a fulfillment of a family promise that we feel is original and relevant to the category.”
Amaury, who also embodies his grandfather’s visionary drive, has continued the growth and expansion of the family business by modernizing various areas of production and expanding the family-owned vineyards. As a result, the Thomas family estate includes one of the largest vineyards, spanning more than 600 acres across the top four crus of the Cognac denominated area, a distillery that seamlessly blends century-old know-how with cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art warehouses ideal for aging. After years of ensuring the right assets were in place, Amaury says, “Our process for making Martingale spans grape to glass, making Maison Thomas rare among Cognac producers. Having complete control of the entire process from the vineyards to the final liquid is a unique asset. It means we don’t need to standardize the liquid with additives like boisé.”
The result is a Cognac for a new generation – fresh, fragrant, and refined, made precisely for today’s palate. Amaury continues, “My grandfather and my father always liked very old wines. My tastes are different; I like wines that have life and vitality to them. The old way of thinking about Cognac was all about the robustness of Grande Champagne. Yes, that has a role to play, but I see no reason to be bound by codes I have inherited. Give me the floral characteristics of Borderies any day. Palates change, and that’s just a fact.”
Andrew Weir, Co-Founder, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer who was brought on for his expertise in general brand management and US luxury spirits marketing (in particular within the Single Malt Scotch category) comments, “The nuanced flavors of a great whisky meets the fragrant aroma of a fine wine, which all come together in the unique blend of eaux-de-vie from our finest crus. Having worked for many years within the Single Malt Scotch category, I’m excited to debut this Cognac, which takes a different flavor style. I know it will energize the industry and consumers alike.”
While the 2023 release of Martingale Cognac contains notable Borderies content, each crus plays a distinct role in the ultimate taste. Grande Champagne offers strength and complexity; Petite Champagne delivers balanced fruit, flowers, and spice notes; Fins Bois provides a very supple and well-structured balance; and Borderies deliver delicate, fresh floral notes.
The liquid is a bright, precious amber with deep golden and honeyed reflections. On the nose, there are elegant and refined notes of spring flowers and acacia, light vanilla, almonds, and French madeleine. One sip reveals a well-rounded spirit with an abundance of freshness, hints of oak and tannins balanced perfectly with subtle floral and fruity notes. The finish is soft, long and lingering with notes of elegant sandalwood, a sign of maturity and elegance.
A premium Cognac deserves to be showcased as elegantly as its rich history and heritage. The bottle takes inspiration from the Chateau d’Ars, an enchanting property built in the 17th century and located a few short miles to the southwest of Cognac. This idyllic Chateau has been the home of the Thomas family for three generations and serves as the spiritual home of Martingale Cognac. There are several stand out design elements from the Chateau that inspired the bottle and branding. The outline of the bottle, with a taller shape with a shorter neck, is inspired by the structure of the facade. The luxurious beveled etching on the glass is a more refined interpretation of the large stone walls surrounding the Chateau. And the Martingale “M” emblem and magical green color were pulled from the original stained-glass window perched high above the front entrance.
“Our goal is to give this generation the opportunity to share our same passion for this amazing spirit, which historically has underserved a segment that falls generally between VSOP and XO. Premium spirits in the US – in particular whisk(e)y and tequila categories – have been incredibly innovative in a way that Cognac has not kept up with, so we believe that in the US spirits market and within our price point, there is a large opportunity to have extremely high-quality products to meet the needs of curious consumers. For some consumers Martingale Cognac’s heritage, legacy, fresh taste, and sophisticated style will open a whole new category that was likely not considered previously. For others, those same characteristics will bring them back to a spirit that they outgrew because this type of Cognac didn’t exist. With the liquid, the bottle, and the heritage, I believe Martingale will uphold the long-standing reputation for the quality, consistency, and legacy that my grandfather, Raymond, attentively built,” says Guillaume.
The Thomas family heritage and the 2023 release of Martingale Cognac delivers a beautiful paradox vis-a-vis a luxury spirit that intertwines legacy and modernity. The luxury Cognac can be found in select US markets at fine spirits retailers (SRP: $120 / 700mL | ABV 40%) as well as at high-end restaurants and bars. For more information on our heritage and the liquid, visit www.martingalecognac.com.
