Update 4
I got it. See my post Limited Edition Remy Martin Cognac in my Possession/.
Update 3
Yesterday I got a call from the owner of a liquor store: he is getting a limited amount of Special Edition Remy Martin and will hold a couple of bottles for me.Update 2According to my sources, Chicago will be getting some of Special Edition Rémy Martin. No, I don’t know which stores.
Update 1
My visit to the same neighborhood liquor store revealed the following: no distribution of Special Edition Rémy Martin to CA is planned. I’ve contacted my friends in other states to see what can be done about purchasing a few bottles of this cognac. Then, of course, I’ll have to devise a way to receive it, because mailing of liquor by UPS is against the law.
How it all started:
About 15 years ago (or more) I walked into a nice liquor store in the neighbourhood to buy a bottle of cognac for a friend who, I knew, would appreciate it. Among many bottles on a shelf I choose one I liked: a somewhat pear-shaped decanter with an unusually designed label, which seemed to be painted on the front of the bottle and was vaguely familiar (all I remember now: small clusters of tiny blue flowers).
The price, displayed underneath this decanter by little plastic digits, attached to the edge of the shelf, showed 499.I figured, while zero at the end of $49.90 is missing and the price range is a bit over my limit, the bottle is definitely intriguing and unusual, absolutely worth it, and I’ll buy it. At that moment the proprietor of the store came over to help me. I pointed to the ornamented glass bottle, said I intended to buy it, and handed him $60. He looked at me questionably, and said something along this line: “The price of this fine cognac is $499.00″.
I will omit the details of my reaction to this piece of information, except to say, that I was blushing and thought feverishly of the graceful ways to disquise my ignorance on this subject. Then he proceeded to explain me, that said cognac was a collectible item, from the Courvoisier Collection created by Erte and ingraved with his work, and that in a couple of years the value of this decanter and its content will be estimated in thousands of dollars. After the lesson, which I really appreciated, I bought a bottle of reasonably (for my needs) priced cognac and left.
Read about Courvoisier’s history and spirits.
See some of the available Courvoisier’s Erte Collection items at Bottleshop.
All 7 decanters of Courvoisier’s Erte Collection Cognac are pictured at Luxury Reporter.
According to the research I’ve done for this article, the decanter from the 1st Courvoisier Erte Collection can be obtained today for $7,500.00. That fateful visit was my first introduction to the collectible wines and spirits.
Why am I writing about it today?
The reason is, Remy Martin introducing “its first-ever limited-edition VSOP bottle by David LaChapelle.” Remy Martin VSOP cognac is the best-selling in the U.S. and David LaChapelle, who worked with Andy Warhol, directed Elton’s John show and Madonna’s video, who has 4 books of celebrities’ portraits published, seemed a logical choice for promoting company’s new product.
The artist’s vibrant and intense style epitomizes the taste and vigor of the Remy Martin cognac. The design on the bottle, inspired by Paris cabaret’s scene in 1927, depicts a women dancing in a jungle and a graceful movement of a leopard in the jump, both projecting a energy and sensuality in their lithe bodies motion.
“No more than 150,000 of the Rémy Martin VSOP… will be available at spirits retailers nationwide beginning in June. Suggested retail price is $50.00 for a 750ml bottle…” Only time will tell, if this venture by Remy Martin be as succsessful as Courvoisier’s Erte Collection, but I am going to buy a couple of bottles of this cognac anyway, because I like it in its present state just fine, and holding on to it for a couple of years to see the result of this offering may be fun, too.
Read about and see work by David LaChapelle at Design Boom.
(Images contained in the article may not be suitable for viewing at work).
Source article and the Picture of the new bottle at: Cocktail Times.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:23 am
do you know who will sell the limited edition bottle of remy w/ the David LaChappelle artwork? I’ve inquired about it in NY, and no one seems to know anything.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Jackie, thanks for the comment. Now I have a feeling, that it may not be available in USA. If I find out anything, I’ll post an update.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
[...] on my quest in search of the Limited Edition Remy Martin Cognac. The original post on May 2, 2008 Remy Martin VSOP Limited Edition outlined the progress of discovery and search of this particular issue of Remy [...]