Remy Martin Prices & Buyers’ Guide

Rémy Martin is one of the biggest names in Cognac and produces the world’s top-selling VSOP Cognac. Their products are known for their almost perfume-like aroma, their exceptional quality, and the elegant way they age. While not as ubiquitous as Hennessy in western pop culture, Rémy Martin has sponsorship deals with JeRémy Renner and Robin Thicke and is referenced by musical artists from Fetty Wap to The Who. In popular culture, it is primarily known for its Remy Martin XIII, which costs anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 per bottle.

Remy Martin Price List 2022

Is Remy Martin Worth its Price?

Personally, for cognac, I really like H by Hine. It’s affordable within the category, and it tastes great. The price doesn’t make it prohibitive to mix with either of them. I would recommend this as an alternative to Remy Martin, although nothing is wrong with Remy. To be honest, I often feel that similar quality can be had from smaller name brands, rather than spending big on more famous labels. I also think there is incredible value in Armagnac as well. 

Alternatives to Remy Martin at Comparable Prices

• Hennessy

The largest producer of Cognac on the planet, Hennessy, has been making Cognac since 1765. Hennessy has a greater presence in pop culture than Rémy Martin, and offers VS, VSOP, XO, XXO, and many other high-end Cognac products. Hennessy is part of the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy luxury super brand owned by Christian Dior and Diageo.

• Courvoisier

Owned by Beam Suntory, Courvoisier is a direct competitor of Rémy Martin and, at one time, was the official supplier of Cognac to the royal court of Napoleon III. Courvoisier produces VS, VSOP, Napoleon, and XO bottlings among many others. They were also one of the first Cognac brands to market their product specifically as an ingredient in high-end cocktails, even launching a cocktail recipe app.

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• Martell

Martell is currently owned by Pernod Ricard but was one of the very first Cognac houses in France, established in 1715. Martell is most famous for its Cordon Bleu, or Blue Ribbon, brand of Cognac. Martell offers VS, VSOP, and XO in addition to a range of other bottles.

Reviewed: Remy Martin Product Line

• Rémy Martin VSOP

Sold in a frosted bottle for $44.99, Rémy Martin VSOP is the most widely sold VSOP Cognac in the world. Rémy Martin VSOP is known for its aromatic nose of vanilla, dried fruits, and floral notes. It has a palate of rich fruits with a subtle note of anise and spices. The finish is smooth and round.

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• Rémy Martin XO

Blended from up to 400 different eau de vie by Rémy Martins Master Blender, this bottle has a rich floral nose that some compare to jasmine flowers. The taste of ripe fruits, hazelnuts, and a hint of spice is followed by a long, lingering finish.

• Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal

Flavors of fig, oak, toffee, and vanilla abound in this bottling. Barrelled in toasted oak casks, this is a great bottle for sipping or mixing into a high-end cocktail. It was named for the royal accord granted to Rémy Martin in 1738, approving the planting of new vineyards.

• Louis XIII

The King of Cognacs, this bottle is named for the first French King to legally distinguish Cognac from other eau de vie and brandies.

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The legendary Cognac is a blend of up to 1200 different eau de vie aged in barrels that are 100–150 years old. Beginning the tradition in 1874, each Rémy Martin master distiller has selected and blended the oldest and very best cognacs from the Rémy Martin warehouses for Louis XIII. Louis XIII comes in a distinct crystal decanter whose design is based on a flask recovered from a battle between French Catholics and the Huguenots.

• Rémy Martin V

Rémy Martin V is not actually a cognac at all, but technically a eau de vie de vin. Exclusive to the US market, Rémy Martin V is a clear, unaged spirit. The distilled spirit is cold filtered at 14 degrees Fahrenheit, which contributes to its colorless appearance. Its taste is described as containing subtle notes of pear, melon, and mint. While not technically a Cognac, this product is similar in that it is made from the same grapes and much of the same process, but doesn’t undergo any aging process. The price is comparatively affordable at $36.99-$39.99 for a 750ml bottle.

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Cocktails with Remy Martin

Cognac is traditionally enjoyed neat from a snifter, or perhaps over ice, but it can make for an exquisite cocktail as well. Here are two of the best classic Cognac cocktails.

The Sazerac

Because there is probably no cocktail that’s more “New Orleans” than the Sazerac, there is a lot of debate over the best Sazerac spec. The Sazerac cocktail reflects the melting pot of cultures that New Orleans is known for. French absinthe, Cognac, American Rye, and local and Caribbean bitters combine to create a drink that is unique.

• 75 ml Rémy Martin VSOP Cognac and/or Rye Whiskey
• 10 ml simple syrup
• 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• 10 ml absinthe

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Fill your desired drinking glass with crushed ice and set it to chill. In a separate mixing glass, add the cognac, simple syrup, and bitters and stir with ice. Dump the ice from your chilled drinking glass and add the absinthe, swirling it around the glass to coat the interior. Dump the excess absinthe from your drinking glass and strain your mixed cocktail into the absinthe rinsed glass, then express a lemon twist over the glass. The classic Sazerac is a variation of the old fashioned served in a well-chilled glass with no ice. You can also substitute a sugar cube and ½ tsp of ice cold water for the simple syrup, or adjust the amount of syrup to get your desired sweetness. A small tip from your bartender, split the Cognac base with rye whiskey to add a little more spice to your Sazerac.

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The Sidecar

The most famous Cognac cocktail out there, the Sidecar, is strong, sweet, and sour. While the classic Sidecar is sometimes served with a sugar rim, that will leave you and everything in your home bar sticky and result in inconsistent sweetness throughout the drink. This recipe forgoes the sugar rim in favor of a splash of demerara syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) to add sweetness.

• 60 ml Rémy Martin VSOP or 1738 Accord Royal
• 22.5  ml Dry Curacao
• 22.5 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
• 5 ml Rich Demerara Simple Syrup

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Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an expressed orange twist if you wish. Enjoy!

History of Rémy Martin

The original Rémy Martin was a vintner and winemaker who, in 1724, founded his own trading house to specialize in Cognac and fine wines.

His family business was moderately successful and was carried on by his grandson, also named Rémy Martin. Paul Emile Rémy Martin took over the family business in the 1840s and added the official name and the famous centaur logo. Under his control, Rémy Martin grew into a giant of the Cognac industry. Rémy Martin continued to grow, releasing its first VSOP in 1927.

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In 1991, Rémy Martin merged with Cointreau, becoming Rémy Cointreau, also known as the Rémy Group. In addition to Rémy Martin Cognac and Cointreau, they also manufacture Louis XIII Cognac, The Botanist gin, Metaxa, Octomore, and Bruichladdich scotch whiskies, and Mt. Gay rum.

Production

Rémy Martin Cognac is produced exclusively from grapes grown in the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne Crus of the Cognac region. This grants it the Cognac Fine Champagne appellation. These crus are known for their chalky soil and high limestone content. Their distillation process retains some of the natural sediment present in the ferment, which they distill in copper stills. When finished distilling, the Cognac is aged in Limousin oak barrels and can be rotated through barrels of varying ages and stave grains to create the desired style of Cognac. These Cognacs are then blended and bottled by the Master Distiller at Rémy Martin.

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