Honoring the Reserves: Grand Marnier Unveils Exceptional Cuvées Range Quintessence offers the highest expression of Grand Marnier encased in a brilliant, bespoke Baccarat Decanter
CONTENT: Yiew Kai Jie
Grand Marnier announces that the debut of its Exceptional Range, starting with the launch of one of two rare Grand Cuvees: Quintessence is available in Singapore.
This exquisite spirit pays homage to the liqueur’s exalted history and showcases the highest expressions of the iconic French Maison, demonstrating how the most complex flavors can be derived from seemingly the simplest of combinations: cognac, orange essence, wood, and time.
Quintessence is a tribute to the origins of Grand Marnier, a masterpiece elevating the assemblage of cognac and bigaradia orange to its ultimate expression. It showcases the rarest and oldest family reserves, hors d’âge Cognacs, aged up to 70 years exclusive from Grande Champagne. The blend comes from only 11 selected barrels, among which 2 are from 1947, and 3 demijohns from Paradis, which are believed to be even older from the personal reserves of the Marnier Lapostolle family cellar.
Raguenaud then added the finest Bigaradia orange peels, double-distilled to ensure an intensity of flavors, drawing upon instincts honed from his nearly two decades at the house. This painstaking double- distillation and careful work yields a rich, smooth vintage liquid, with dry fruits facets of apricot and walnut, underlined by a warm dark vanilla base.
Inspired by luxury and distinction, Grand Marnier was founded in 1880, when Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle began stirring Citrus Bigaradia, the bitter aromatic orange – a rare treasure in Europe with refined French cognac. By blending the cognac with the essence of citrus, he established a way to preserve a captivating yet fleeting fragrance that gave permanence to a passing sensory impression.
Citrus Bigaradia continues to enchant and inspire Grand Marnier’s makers today, including Historic Master Blender Patrick Raguenaud who looked to the Maison’s archives for the creation of Quintessence.
There, he found an old recipe where the Bigaradia orange was macerated in Cognac and used it to create Quintessence.
Grand Cuvée Quintessence is the essence of the exceptional. Complementing the quality of the liquid is a decanter handmade by Baccarat, inspired by the iconic original bottle of Grand Marnier made centuries ago. Like the completion of a perfect circle, the two historic brand houses have come together once more to reignite their timeless passion for French excellence.
Made by Baccarat’s masterful artisans, each decanter is unique and mouthblown at 1450 degrees. It features a hypnotic, never-ending twist that plunges into the unrivalled elegance of the rarest cognac adorned with a hand-made stopper. Packaged in a unique presentation box with crystal handles, the box opens outwards to reveal the pearl within for an elegant display. All purchases also come with four Grande Marnier Quintessence branded tasting glasses that can be personalized for an exquisite gift to Collectors.
The Exceptional Grand Cuvée Quintessence: A Refined Tribute to Heritage and Distinction
Grand Marnier, the venerable French Maison has introduced its Exceptional Range, commencing with the release of the Grand Cuvée Quintessence— is only one of two extraordinary Grand Cuvees accessible to collectors in Singapore. This refined spirit pays tribute to the liqueur’s rich heritage and the origins of Grand Marnie by meticulously blending cognac from the rarest family reserves, including Cognacs aged up to 70 years from Grande Champagne. The blend comes from only 11 selected barrels, among which 2 are from 1947, and three demijohns from Paradis, which are believed to be even older from the personal reserves of the Marnier Lapostolle family cellar.
The inspiration for Quintessence was deeply rooted in the Maison’s history, with Grand Marnier’s Master Blender Patrick Raguenaud referencing an old recipe found in the brand’s extensive archives. The Bigaradia orange macerated in Cognac from this recipe became the foundation for creating Quintessence. By blending double-distilled Bigaradia orange peels to the blend, it resulted in a vintage liquid with rich, smooth notes of apricot and walnut, complemented by a warm dark vanilla base. The laborious and meticulous process created a spirit that encapsulates the essence of luxury and distinction that defines Grand Marnier since its founding in 1880.
As a testament to its exceptional quality, the Grand Cuvée Quintessence is presented in bespoke Baccarat Decanters, handcrafted with precision and inspired by the Maison’s original bottle. Each decanter is a unique work of art, mouthblown at 1450 degrees, featuring a mesmerizing twist and adorned with a hand-made stopper. The package includes a bespoke-crafted presentation box with crystal handles, unveiling the exquisite decanter within. To enhance the collector’s experience, every purchase comes with four Grande Marnier Quintessence-branded tasting glasses that can be personalized to each collector.
This exclusive collection, limited to 500 bottles worldwide, will be available only at select fine retailers in chosen markets. In Singapore, only 48 bottles are available for purchase at S$3,888 exclusively through Campari Group’s RARE Division by contacting sales representative, Cathy Sun via Cathy.Sun@campari.com.