Nothing revitalises the soul more than the spirit of adventure. And Louis XIII takes you on that exhilarating journey through L’Odyssée D’un Roi (Journey of a King), its masterpiece creation that takes inspiration from the era of luxury travels in the 19th century.
“This project is very dear to our hearts because it represents who we are, and what we want to be,” said Vincent J Géré, Louis XIII Asia Pacific Director and Chief Representative, at the Singapore unveiling of L’Odyssée D’un Roi.
While the decadent blend itself was enriched by Cellar Master Baptiste Loiseau using a selection of the oldest eaux de vie from the Louis XIII cellars (reportedly chosen from landmark years in the history of travel), L’Odyssée D’un Roi is also the result of an artistic collaboration between the cognac house and three other iconic French luxury houses: Hermès, Saint-Louis and Puiforcat.
“They are the only ones with true craftsman and the recognised skills acquired from many years to create L’Odyssée D’un Roi,” Géré said, elaborating on the three partners, which like Louis XIII can each trace their brand history back well over a century. (Glass maker Saint-Louis was in fact founded in the 18th century.)
Achieving the perfect tribute to global travel and exploration was not something that was taken lightly. In fact, it took a meticulous process of over 1,000 hours by more than 50 artisans to produce only three bespoke creations. Each of Loiseau’s century-aged blends comes with a hand-stitched trunk by Hermès, a white gold pipette forged by Art Deco silversmith Puiforcat, as well as a crystal decanter and four serving glasses from Saint-Louis.
The same way it requires foresight to produce a perfectly aged bottle of cognac, Louis XIII recognises the importance of enriching future generations in the arts. Therefore, the three creations will be auctioned by Sotheby’s — in New York (September), Hong Kong (October) and London (November) — in aid of The Film Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving cinematic heritage.
“What happens to these three unique sets now? Who they will return home with, will they eventually be savoured and how so; now that is what’s interesting to know and for us to anticipate,” said Géré.
