SINGAPORE. Rémy Cointreau Global Travel Retail (GTR), in partnership with DFS, has officially launched the new Rémy Martin Diamant at Singapore Changi Airport.
Hailed as “a jewel of the Rémy Martin collection”, Diamant (French for diamond) is a top-end Cognac created exclusively for travel retail.
Making its on-shelf debut on 1 October at Changi Airport, Rémy Martin Diamant is available exclusively in DFS stores in celebration of the leading travel retailer’s 50th anniversary. After this initial launch period, the rollout continues on 1 December at other key airports and travel retail outlets worldwide.
The night before its Changi debut, Rémy Martin Diamant made a glittering appearance at a special dinner hosted by Rémy Cointreau GTR and DFS in the brand new five-star The Fullerton Bay Hotel.
Approximately 60 guests were invited to be among the first in the world to witness the historic unveiling. These include key representatives from Changi Airport Group, such as Lim Peck Hoon, Executive Vice President Commercial; Chandra Mahtani, Head (Airside Planning & Leasing); and Tan Lye Teck, Executive Vice President Corporate; top customers of DFS; as well as senior management of Rémy Cointreau GTR and DFS, such as Rémy Cointreau GTR Managing Director Peter Sant, Rémy Cointreau GTR Regional Director Asia Pacific Joel Lafon, and DFS Managing Director South East Asia and the Middle East Craig McKenna. Members of the press – including The Moodie Report – were also on hand to document the event.
Against a stunning backdrop overlooking the Marina Bay Waterfront, Director of Rémy Martin Cognacs and Estates Vincent Gere explained the inspiration behind Diamant and its making – before the product made its much awaited appearance in the hands of three graceful ambassadors.
Following the official unveiling, Gere led the tasting session where guests got their first sip of the S$1,380 (US$1,000) Cognac.
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Illuminated by 10-metre high floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sparkling waters of the Marina Bay Waterfront, the new Clifford restaurant at The Fullerton Bay Hotel creates a classy setting for the official unveiling of Rémy Martin Diamant |
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| Left to right: Rémy Cointreau Global Travel Retail Regional Director Asia Pacific Joel Lafon, DFS Managing Director South East Asia and the Middle East Craig McKenna, and Rémy Cointreau Global Travel Retail Managing Director Peter Sant extend a warm welcome to their 60-plus guests, including Changi Airport Group representatives and key DFS customers | ||
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Rémy Martin Diamant gets the red carpet treatment from Director of Rémy Martin Cognacs and Estates Vincent Gere |
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Gere (left) leads the tasting session as Rémy Cointreau GTR Managing Director Peter Sant (right) savours the Cognac | |
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Left to right: Changi Airport Group Head (Airside Planning & Leasing) Chandra Mahtani, DFS Changi Airport General Manager Keith Tam, Rémy Cointreau Global Travel Retail Regional Director Asia Pacific Joel Lafon, and Changi Airport Group Executive Vice President Commercial Lim Peck Hoon take their first sips of Rémy Martin Diamant |
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Diamonds are a girl’s best friend: The Moodie Report Asia Bureau Chief Melody Ng with the glittering new product |
The making of Rémy Martin Diamant
Inspired by a faceted diamond nestling in a jewellery box, Diamant Fine Champagne Cognac was created by Rémy Martin Cellar Master Pierrette Trichet, the first-ever woman to hold the position of Cellar Master in Cognac, and only the fourth Cellar Master at the venerable Cognac house in the past 100 years.
“To create Rémy Martin Diamant, I have selected the rarest eaux-de-vie from the heart of Cognac – from among the top 10% that are the most prized – and polished them like a precious stone,” Trichet explained, referring to the House’s “˜Heart of Cognac’ marketing tagline.
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Marketed as “˜a jewel from the heart’, Rémy Martin Diamant is designed to evoke a faceted diamond |
As reported, Rémy Martin Diamant Fine Champagne Cognac contains very rare grapes and boasts traditional distillation methods, long maturation in Limousin oak casks and the Cellar Master’s expertise.
Fine Champagne Cognac blends between 300 and 400 eaux-de-vie made exclusively with grapes from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne regions. Thanks to a long-standing relationship with local winegrowers and distillers, Rémy Martin selects each year eaux-de-vie from Petite and Grande Champagne, from among the local distillers’ best production.
The most promising eaux-de-vie are prized by the Cellar Master, through various criteria which evaluate their aroma and ageing potential. These “˜jewels’ are then aged in the oldest Rémy Martin cellars, where they remain for many years until they achieve an optimal aromatic intensity.
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A diamond and its four Cs
Like a diamond-cutter, the Cellar Master personally assesses and hand-picks the finest eaux-de-vie. Fittingly, the product is inspired by a diamond and its four Cs:
Carat: To create Rémy Martin Diamant, Pierrette Trichet has selected the rarest and most priceless eaux-de-vie from the reserves – among the top 10% that are the most prized, requiring enormous expertise according to Rémy Martin.
Cut: The brilliance of a “˜round cut’ stone is revealed when the facets are perfectly polished to reflect the white light in a coloured prism. Similarly, Rémy Martin Diamant is a blend of 300 to 400 prized eaux-de-vie; each of them is a facet, requiring perfect maturation and blended in the right proportion to enhance the other eaux-de-vie’s personalities.
On the nose, Rémy Martin Diamant has delicate floral notes of honeysuckle and iris, followed by an aromatic heart of late summer fruits such as plum and fig. After that come notes of grated hazelnuts, candied orange and saffron, ending with a subtle touch of jasmine. On the palate, there are “a myriad aromas, just like the facets of a diamond”, the house said.
Colour: Rare coloured diamonds are much prized by connoisseurs, particularly the Cognac shade. The intense mahogany colour of Rémy Martin Diamant aims to evoke its long maturation. Only a blend of rare eaux-de-vie can offer these vibrant hues and these copper reflections when light plays on its texture, said Rémy Martin.
Clarity: Inspired by the purity of a diamond, this “flawless” Cognac signifies harmony, opulence and length. Containing 90% of Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, Rémy Martin Diamant is marketed by the company as a “˜Jewel from the Heart’.
Glittering decanter and jewellery box presentation
A chiselled, glittering decanter seeks to underline the jewel-like nature of Rémy Martin Diamant, evoking a perfectly cut diamond. With its cabochon stopper, it blends pure lines and precise facets, to show off the mahogany-coloured liquid inside.
The presentation coffret was designed to open out like a jewellery box. The bevelled case, in a silvery metallic colour, was developed to reflect its exclusive contents.
Note: The creation of Diamant is featured in The Moodie Report Print Edition for October, out at TFWA World Exhibition.
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