COGNAC-TON

Martell Bottle Catalog PART 1: standard range bottles and vintages

(1049 standard bottles and vintages; but still not complete. Last updated: Aug 6, 2020)

 

 

Introduction:

Martell is the oldest of the ‘Big Four’ (Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Courvoisier and Martell) but also the smallest. Established in 1715. They are not independant anymore since Seagram took over in 1988. And as of 2001 they are part of the Pernod-Ricard group. The Firino-family (family to the Martell’s by marriage) are still in control.
Their embleme is the little swallow, but that has not always been their embleme. It used to be a shield with three mallets, which later on got the swallow added on top. The mallets are derived from the French word ‘marteau’ and the swallow is chosen because the French word ‘martinet’ means swallow, which is as close to Martell as they could get to find an animal to represent their brand (although technically a martinet is a swift, which is not really the same as a swallow!). A little more on this topic you can find here.

Martell is famous for its Cordon Bleu cognac, which has set a standard for the industry.

Contents:

1. Stars, Dry Pale, Stars-VS and VS

– 1a. Cognaçaises
– 1b. Three stars flasks and Dry Pale flasks
– 1c. ‘Bat’-labels (stars, stars-vs, vs and flasks)
– 1d. Paillarde type bottles (stars, stars-vs and vs)
– 1e. Paillarde type bottles with modern swift

2. 20YO, VO, VOP, VSO, VSP and VVESOP

3. VSOP, Médaillon and VSOP-Médaillon

– 3a. VSOP with old white and blue VOP label
– 3b. VSOP white label
– 3c. Médaillon and VSEP-Médaillon
– 3d. VSOP-Médaillon white labels
—– 3d1. VSOP-Médaillon just white label
—– 3d2. VSOP-Médaillon Liqueur Brandy, white label
—– 3d3. VSOP-Médaillon Fine Champagne, white label
—– 3d4. VSOP-Médallion Liqueur Brandy Fine Champagne, white label
– 3e. VSOP-Médaillon black and gold label, broad bottle
—– 3e1. VSOP-Médaillon black and gold label, broad bottle no further qualification
—– 3e2. VSOP-Médaillon Liqueur Brandy and Liqueur Cognac, black and gold label, broad bottle
– 3f. VSOP-Médaillon black and gold label, paillarde bottle
—– 3f1. VSOP-Médaillon black and gold label, paillarde bottle
—– 3f2. VSOP-Médaillon Liqueur Cognac, black and gold label, paillarde bottle
—– 3f3. VSOP-Médaillon Special Réserve, black and gold label, paillarde bottle
– 3g. VSOP-Médaillon red label
—– 3g1. VSOP-Médaillon red label and red cap
—– 3g2. VSOP-Médaillon red label and blue cap
—– 3g3. VSOP-Médaillon green label
– 3h. VSOP and VSOP-Médaillon, flasks

4. Noblige and Cordon Rubis

5. Napoléon Cordon Noir and Napoléon Special Reserve

6. Cordon Bleu

– 6a. Cordon Bleu, old models
– 6b. Cordon Bleu, white split-up labels with rounded corners
– 6c. Cordon Bleu, white split-up labels with sharp angled corners
– 6d. Cordon Bleu, ecru labels, cordon blue in blue letters
– 6e. Cordon Bleu, ecru labels, cordon blue in golden letters on a blue rectangle
– 6f. Cordon Bleu, tapered bottles, dark label
– 6g. Cordon Bleu, tapered bottles, cream coloured label
– 6h. Cordon Bleu, white label and Martell in white on a blue band
– 6i. Cordon Bleu, white label with a straight upper edge and Martell in white on a blue band

7. Cordon Supreme and XO Cordon Supreme

8. XO Supreme

9. XO

10. Cordon Argent

11. Extra and Extra Cordon Argent

12. Vintages

>> 13. Limited editions and specials (on a separate page)

>> 14. Miniatures, half bottles and magnums (on a separate page)

1. Stars, Dry Pale, stars-VS and VS

Some features to determine the age of the three star bottles:
– label with Martell name above the main label appeared from 1928 on.
– before 1933: corks with foil cap.
– spring caps from 1933 – 1967; it seems that corks with foil caps were also used around 1940-1945.
– after 1966: bi-coloured screw caps.
– shorter, wider bottles with ‘bat’-emblem from 1968.
– tapered bottles from 1980.

1a. Cognaçaise bottles

1a1. One or two stars or swallows on neck:

 

1a2. Three stars, no additional text box on bottom of label:

  

1a3. Three stars, blue caps. Under the main label is just one band with the standard text in French (after 1909):

             

1a4. Three stars, blue caps. Under the main label is just one band with the standard text in English:

1a5. Three stars, blue caps. Not just the standard text under the main label:

            

1a6. Bi-coloured screw caps (from 1966):

 

1b. Three stars flasks and Dry Pale flasks

1b1. Dry Pale flasks (starting second half of the 1950s):

             

1b2. Three star flasks:

         

  

1c. ‘Bat’- labels (stars, vs-stars and vs)

1c1. Three stars in the middle of the neck blob (starting 1968, most have screw caps, some have corked caps):

          

1c2. An emblem in the neck blob with three stars below it (1970s):

    

1c3. Three stars and VS on neck label, broad bottles with a ‘bat’-label (ca. 1970s):

1c4. VS:

1c5. Bottles without an age qualification:

1d. Paillarde type bottles (stars, vs-stars and vs; from ca. 1980)

1d1. Three stars and swift on neck label:

1d2. Three stars and VS on neck label (ca. 1980s):

below volume and ABV or no text:

 

below: grande fine cognac:

 

below: appellation cognac controlée:

 

1 Litre printed on the neck:

1d3. VS on neck label:

1e. Paillarde type bottles with modern swift

1e1. *V*S* in gold on the label:

      

1e2. with emblem on the label and VS fine cognac on the shoulder:

 

1e3. with *V*S* in blue on the label:

   

2. 20 YO, VSO, VSP, VO, VOP and VVESOP on neck label.

 

   

3. VSOP, Médaillon and VSOP Médaillon

VSOP and Médaillon start off end 1950s as two different qualities, Médaillon being superior to VSOP; as of 1962 the two qualities merge into one: VSOP-Médaillon.

3a. VSOP with the old blue and white VOP-label (ca. 1959-1962):

 

     

3b. VSOP white label

   

3c. Médaillon and VSEP Medaillon (1960-1962):

 

 

3d. VSOP-Médaillon, white labels

3d1. VSOP-Médaillon, white labels, no further qualification (1962 till early 1970s):

          

3d2. VSOP-Médaillon Liqueur Brandy, white labels

 

3d3. VSOP-Médaillon Fine Champagne, white labels

    

3d4. VSOP-Médallion Fine Champagne Liqueur Brandy, white labels (notice use of English word ‘medallion’):

3e. VSOP-Médaillon, black with gold labels broad bottles (from ca. 1975 to 1980s)

3e1. VSOP-Médaillon, black with gold labels broad bottles, no further qualification:

       

3e2. VSOP-Médaillon, black with gold labels broad bottles, liqueur brandy and liqueur cognac:

 

 

3f. VSOP-Médaillon, black with gold labels paillarde bottles (from ca. 1980)

3f1. VSOP-Médaillon, black with gold labels paillarde bottles, no further qualification:

      

3f2. VSOP-Médaillon, black with gold labels paillarde bottles, Liqueur Cognac:

     

3f3. VSOP-Médaillon, black with gold labels paillarde bottles, Spécial Réserve:

   

3g. VSOP-Médaillon, red label (late 1980s-1990s)

3g1. VSOP-Médaillon, red label red cap:

Frame with ‘old fine cognac’ attached to the emblem:

     

Liqueur cognac stated:

Frame with ‘old fine cognac’ not attached to the emblem:

       

From 2011:

    

3g2. VSOP-Médaillon, red label blue cap:

 

3g3. VSOP-Médaillon, green label:

    

3h. VSOP and VSOP-Medaillon flasks:

 

  

4. Noblige and Cordon Rubis

Cordon Rubis, old emblem:

   

Cordon Rubis, new emblem:

Noblige, old type bottle:

Noblige, new type bottle, shield with mallets:

   

Noblige, new emblem:

 

5. Napoléon Cordon Noir and Napoléon Special Reserve

Napoleon Cordon Noir (1980-90s):

     

 

Napoleon special Réserve:

   

6. Cordon Bleu

Some features to determine the age of Cordon Bleu bottles:
– Cordon Bleu started in 1922 (prerunners exist since 1912, but they are called ESOP or VVESOP, not Cordon Bleu).
– First CB bottles have white labels.
– Cordon Bleu stated only on crescent till 1929, with an exception of the year 1922. After 1929 Cordon Blue returned to the main label and Martell band appears above the main label.
– Bottle shape changes to short wider model in 1933 with a riveted ribbon.
– spring caps in use from 1933 – 1962 (not in US); from around 1950 till 1959 capped corks were also used.
– Cordon Blue in white on a blue background in the US only.
– ribbons not riveted anymore as of 1960.
– capped cork from 1962 till 1966.
– screw cap from 1966.
– US importers: 1933-1955: Par & Tilford; 1955-1969: Browne Vintners; 1969: Joseph Garneau.
– in green frosted glass with gold and beige labels from 1976 on.
– tapered bottles from 1985 on.
– back to the short, wide bottle with clear glass and white label from 1992.

6a. Old model bottles (1922-1933)

 

6b. White split-up label, rounded corners (1933- ca. 1977)

(These labels with rounded corners seem to have been in use in all countries)

a. with spring caps and the cordon riveted to the foil (1933-1960):

   

b. capped corks and no riveting, liqueur brandy (1960-1978):

  

c. crimped caps and capped corks, no riveting (1960-1978):

                    

6c. White split-up label, sharp angled corners (ca. 1933- ca. 1978)

(These labels with sharp angled corners have only been in use in the UK and the US; in the US they had Cordon Bleu written in white letters on a blue background)

a. UK import, Cordon Bleu printed in blue letters; they all state ‘fine liqueur cognac brandy’:

       
b. US import; Cordon Bleu in white letters on a blue background; they all state ‘fine liqueur cognac brandy):

 

6d. Ecru label, Cordon Bleu in blue letters (around 1978-1985)

        

6e. Ecru label, Cordon Bleu in golden letters on a dark blue rectangle (mostly for US market around 1978-1985 but also seen for Italian, UK and Mexican markets)

     

6f. Tapered bottles, dark labels (ca 1980-1990)

Text in French:

 

Text in English:

 

No text on front:

  

With (old) liqueur cognac stated:

6g. Tapered bottles, cream coloured labels (1980s, predominantly US market)

   

6h. White label, Martell in white letters on a blue band (from early 1990s)

6h-a. ‘old classic cognac’:

              

  

6h-b. ‘grand classic cognac’ (USA) :

6h-c. ‘old liquor cognac’ (Asian):

6h-d. ‘extra old cognac’:

 

6i. White label with straight upper edge; new swift (from 2018)

 

Several different escutcheons used on the labels:

7. Cordon Supreme and XO Cordon Supreme (from 1987 till late 1990s):

 

8. XO Supreme:

      

I am a little bit in doubt here: are these differences in colour real or is it the lighting?

9. XO (from 2005):

        

10. Cordon Argent

            

11. Extra and Cordon Argent Extra

 

Text in black:

  

Tapered bottles, red wax caps:

           

         

12. Vintages: