Distilled Elegance

When a journalist asked Jean-Paul Camus what it took to make high quality cognac, he said, “Making a great cognac is easy. All you need is a great-grandfather, a grandfather and a father who have done it before you”. He has now handed the keys to the fifth generation in the person of his son, Cyril, who has just led the company through their milestone celebration at the family seat of Château de Plessis to mark their 150^th anniversary. There’s reason to celebrate for this last stalwart of independent, family-owned cognac houses that saw revenue triple in the last three years and the team grow from 180 to 600 people.

Cognac Moments

Camus concentrates on a small segment of the luxury market. In a talk at the INSEAD business school, Cyril mentioned that there are three main motivations to buy a luxury product: as a corporate gift, to impress or communicate status, and for personal enjoyment. This last segment is the smallest but the most consistent – people who drink cognac for the pleasure of that moment. It is for this discerning clientele that Camus keeps raising the stakes each time, presenting their select line of products not only at their utmost possible level of excellence but also packaging it in stunning Baccarat crystal decanters.

Take their 150^th anniversary issue for example. There are just 1492 units of this limited edition selling at  $13,500 each. This is a price point that makes even diehard aficionados stop, breathe and pay attention. If the price is to be taken as a statement of value, the message here says that this item is special, that this is worth buying mindfully. We come closer to understanding the pricetag when we learn that the cuvée is made up of a precious blend of 37 year old Bons Bois, 22-year-old Fins Bois, 37-year-old Petite Champagne, 22-year-old Borderies and 32-year-old Grande Champagne, again, contained within the handmade Baccarat crystal decanter designed by perfume bottle creator Serge Mansau.

Here is something that cannot be improvised–this is a product that distills five generations of excellence in a bottle. You know people will remember the moment when they opened this one–often it will mark an event related to the finer things in life. It is not necessary, however, to take out a second mortgage to enjoy your Camus. The Elegance line starts at just over 30 euros.

Authenticity

What makes Maison Camus so unique also constituted its cardinal challenge. It is the last of the main cognac companies to remain standing as a family-owned business. The other main houses all belong to a handful of groups that became so efficient at distribution that they made it increasingly hard for smaller outfits to carve and hold on to their niche. Camus chose the road less traveled and embarked on an offensive in China different from the strategies of the larger conglomerates. Cyril explains that instead of approaching the market saying, “this is what you need”, they said, “this is what we are about, quality, excellence, and family, and if our values go well with yours, then we would love to do business with you.” The authenticity of their approach paid off and Asia now accounts for half of their sales volume. They also learned that this market had high expectations when it came to service so, when customers started inquiring after related luxury products, the firm capitalised on the opportunity and now provides wine, coffee, glassware and silver accessories as part of their portfolio.

 

 

 

Five tips to make the most of your cognac moments:

 

• Use a tulip glass
• Don’t warm it too much or you’ll accentuate the alcohol instead of the aromas
• Put your nose to the glass (not in the glass)
• Keep the cognac in your mouth 2-3 seconds before swallowing
• Wait 45 seconds (the full range of aromas comes around 45-90 seconds after sipping)

 

 

With thanks to Maison Camus www.camus.fr