Martell Cognac: VS, VSOP & Cordon Bleu

In 1715, a 21 year old Englishman named Jean Martell left the island of Jersey and settled in the town of Cognac, making Martell the oldest of the four great cognac houses still producing today, ahead of Hennessy, Rémy Martin and Courvoisier.

That head start shows in the details. Martell leans on grapes from Borderies, the smallest and most prestigious of the region's growing areas, known for a softer, floral character, and ages its spirit in Tronçais oak rather than the Limousin oak most cognac houses use, which brings out spice and vanilla instead of heavier tannins.

At Threshers, the entry point is VS, sold as a straight 70cl bottle or in a gift box, alongside a VSOP paired with two glasses in a gift set. Further up the range sits Cordon Bleu, created in 1912 and still one of the most recognised names in cognac, and Blue Swift, which finishes the spirit in bourbon casks rather than more cognac barrels, a first for the category when Martell introduced it.