Martell is the oldest of the big four cognac producers, which include Hennessy, Courvoisier and Remy Martin. The brand was founded in 1715. Today it is owned by the French beverage giant Pernod Ricard. Martell produces approximately 14 million liters of cognac annually and is the second largest producer after Hennessy. Martel’s products are well available in Baltic state stores. In terms of price, it is roughly on the same level as other big producers. A 35 cl bottle cost €14.95.

The nose of Martell VS is fresh and fruity. Smooth, slightly spicy and in the background has a little aroma of wood. The taste is velvety smooth and slightly sweet at the beginning. Fruity and spicy aromas come out well. Martell VS is not as sweet as several cheaper cognacs, which probably have a sugar added to soften the taste. Martell VS has a rich and thick mouthfeel. However, due to the young age of the distillate, it has also a fairly strong alcohol kick. The taste is rich and nuanced, and the wood and leather aromas of the barrel maturation are not yet noticeable. Martell VS is nicely sipped neat as it is and has no need to further mix it with a mixer or dilute with ice cubes. High-quality and very pleasant VS, clearly better than a few euros cheaper competitors.

85/100