The Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal - Rémy Cointreau bets on rich barrel ageing

Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac catches the eye before the first sip, its amber surface picking up the dim light of a bar backboard like polished copper. The aroma of dried figs and toasted oak rises as cellar master Baptiste Loiseau gently tilts the tasting glass.

Positioned between VSOP and XO

Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal sits deliberately between the house’s VSOP and XO lines, with the blend built exclusively from eaux-de-vie sourced in the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne crus of Cognac. These so-called fine Champagne origins anchor the profile in chalky soils and long-ripened Ugni Blanc grapes.

The key technical point: the 1738 blend leans on extended ageing in French oak barrels that have been heavily toasted, a detail Rémy Martin underlines in its product notes. That heavier toast pushes forward flavours of baked pastry, caramel and spice, adding weight compared with classic VSOP. The official description talks about an average ageing above the typical VSOP range, though the house does not disclose a single age statement, preferring a style-led narrative.

Flavour profile and serving style

On the nose, 1738 Accord Royal is described by Rémy Martin as offering notes of plum, fig jam and toasted brioche, framed by subtle vanilla and cinnamon tones. Specialist retailers echo that profile, often mentioning a rounded sweetness that makes the Cognac approachable for neat sipping or over a large ice sphere. In tasting notes shared by Loiseau and his team, texture is a recurring theme: they highlight a creamy, almost velvety mid-palate balanced by gentle oak tannins.

On the palate, bartenders talk about caramel, toffee, baking spices and a hint of mocha that emerges as the spirit sits in the glass. The finish, according to Rémy Martin’s own material, carries lingering notes of hazelnut and roasted coffee beans, giving the Cognac a satisfying, slightly warming tail. That combination is one reason why mixologists in cocktail bars from Paris to New York reach for 1738 as a base for spirit-forward drinks such as the Sidecar or Old Fashioned riffs, where the barrel-driven sweetness can stand up to citrus or bitters.

Packaging and gifting appeal

Visually, 1738 Accord Royal sets itself apart from neighbouring Rémy Martin bottles with a shorter, rounded shape and a deep copper-gold label that mirrors the Cognac’s colour. The embossed "1738" on the glass references the royal ordinance given to Rémy Martin by King Louis XV, allowing the house to plant vines beyond usual limits. That historical nod is part of why brand director Anne-Laure Mignot often frames 1738 in interviews as a Cognac that connects heritage and contemporary drinking occasions.

The bottle usually ships in a matching presentation box, textured to feel slightly coarse under the fingertips, with raised print that catches light on a retail shelf. Retailers position the product as a candidate for gifting in the €50 to €70 range in European markets, where it sits above mainstream VSOPs but below many XO offerings. In the United States, price listings at major chains typically cluster around 60 to 70 dollars for a 750 ml bottle, depending on local taxes and promotions.

Distribution and market footprint

Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal is part of Rémy Cointreau’s global Cognac portfolio and is widely distributed in Europe, North America and selected Asian markets via the group’s spirits network. Official product pages list availability across key countries, and large retailers in France, the United Kingdom and Germany carry the bottle both online and in stores. In the US, listings on major wine and spirits platforms confirm broad availability, often highlighting awards won at tasting competitions.

In recent years, 1738 Accord Royal has been a recurring feature in brand partnerships with bars and restaurants, including limited-time cocktail menus and Cognac flights. Rémy Martin’s collaboration with bartenders around the world—such as New York-based mixologist Ivy Mix, who has spoken publicly about using 1738 in stirred drinks—helps keep the Cognac visible beyond traditional after-dinner service. These collaborations form part of Rémy Cointreau’s wider strategy to push premium spirits in cocktail culture rather than relying only on neat consumption.

Cask management and production discipline

From a production standpoint, 1738 Accord Royal reflects Rémy Martin’s focus on cask management and long-term ageing decisions in its Cognac warehouses near Cognac town. The house emphasises its use of Limousin oak, with barrels selected and toasted to bring out specific flavour compounds such as vanillin and lactones which translate into vanilla and coconut tones. Baptiste Loiseau often describes his role as orchestrating the maturation of dozens of eaux-de-vie lots, blending barrels at different ages to reach the consistent 1738 profile from year to year.

Rémy Martin underlines that only Ugni Blanc grapes from fine Champagne vineyards feed into the 1738 blend, with double distillation on the lees in traditional copper pot stills. That method is standard for the house but carries a cost in time and energy; the payoff is a richer, more textured spirit that supports the heavier toast of the barrels used for 1738. Production volumes are not disclosed in detail, yet Rémy Cointreau’s segment reporting suggests that fine Champagne Cognacs remain core to its Cognac earnings.

Competitive landscape and positioning

In the broader Cognac market, 1738 Accord Royal competes with mid-tier prestige bottlings such as Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège and Courvoisier XO, but it is positioned at a price point slightly below many XO offerings while offering a more intense barrel-led profile than typical VSOPs. Trade press comments often point out that 1738 speaks to drinkers looking to move beyond entry-level Cognac without committing to the higher prices of XO expressions. Rémy Martin’s focus on storytelling around the 1738 royal ordinance also differentiates the bottle on crowded shelves, where historical narratives can influence gifting decisions.

For bartenders, the combination of rich sweetness and moderate price makes 1738 a working tool rather than a museum piece. Cocktail publications have recommended it in Cognac-based twists on classics like the Sazerac or the Manhattan, where its deeper caramel and spice notes can substitute for aged whiskey. That versatility aligns with Rémy Cointreau’s broader strategy: increasing volumes in the on-trade channel, where spirits pass through in cocktails rather than only as neat pours.

Role in Rémy Cointreau’s portfolio and stock context

Rémy Cointreau S.A. groups Rémy Martin within its Cognac division, a key earnings engine alongside its liqueurs and single malt whiskies. In recent annual and interim reports, management has repeatedly highlighted the resilience of premium Cognac sales, especially in the United States and China, although demand can be sensitive to inventory adjustments in distribution channels. Products like 1738 Accord Royal, positioned between volume-driven VSOP and high-margin XO, help smooth that profile by offering both brand elevation and relatively robust throughput.

On the stock market, Rémy Cointreau S.A. is listed in Paris, where the Rémy Cointreau S.A. share trades in euros and reflects investor expectations for premium spirits demand and pricing power. The Rémy Cointreau S.A. stock (ISIN FR0000130395) remains closely watched by analysts who parse Cognac segment performance, including the contribution from fine Champagne lines such as Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal.