$28,000 Cognac Comes With Its Own Chilling Cellar: Louis XIII Unveils New Black Pearl

Louis XIII has unveiled a new version of its legendary Black Pearl — an ultra-luxury cognac that comes with its own personal “chilling cellar.” Essentially, it is a sleek, high-tech mini refrigerator designed to keep the cognac at precisely 13°C — the temperature said to prevail in one of the cellars at Rémy Martin, according to Robb Report.

Only 398 sets will be produced, with each priced at $28,000.

Produced by the Rémy Martin cognac house, Louis XIII has long been regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious spirits. It is presented in distinctive decorative decanters, while the blend features exceptionally old eaux-de-vie made from grapes grown in Grande Champagne, the most prestigious cru in the Cognac region.

Louis XIII bottles do not carry an age statement. Here, the art of selecting and blending the eaux-de-vie is considered far more important than a specific number indicating their age.

The Black Pearl edition first appeared in 2007 and was reportedly made with eaux-de-vie ranging from 40 to 100 years old. The new Black Pearl: Tribute to the Birthplace of Louis XIII was created by cellar master Baptiste Loiseau. His goal was to recreate the unique aging conditions of the Le Grollet cellar, where the cognac rested in a separate oak cask known as a tierçon before being bottled.

According to the brand, the foundation of the new blend is an eau-de-vie selected by Loiseau from a specific demijohn. It was originally created by his predecessor, cellar master Pierrette Trichet.

Work on the new Black Pearl took four years. According to Loiseau, the team spent that time searching for precisely the right eaux-de-vie to capture the character of classic Louis XIII at a specific temperature while adding new dimensions to its flavor profile.

The release’s most distinctive feature is its unusual presentation. Each of the 398 decanters is housed in its own “chilling cellar” — essentially an elegant mini refrigerator with built-in lighting that keeps the cognac at exactly 13°C.

According to Louis XIII, this is the temperature characteristic of the Le Grollet cellar.

“Every tasting at Le Grollet is a deeply moving sensory experience,” Baptiste Loiseau said. According to the cellar master, the atmosphere of the cellar — its humidity, coolness and soft, subdued light — allows the aromas of the spirit to unfold in a new way and reveals hidden nuances.

The first sip of Black Pearl is noticeably cooler than a conventional cognac, yet the spirit retains an exceptionally vivid floral character, with notes of rose and lavender. Tannins, spices, fruit, leather and cigar nuances are also present.

But the experience does not end there. In Loiseau’s vision, an essential part of the tasting is observing how the cognac gradually warms in the glass and changes with the temperature. The cellar master describes it as a “journey through different temperatures,” during which the spirit’s flavors gradually unfold.

Black Pearl: Tribute to the Birthplace of Louis XIII will be available by the glass at select luxury venues in Paris, London, New York, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur.