Single Cru Level 1

Founded in 1715 by Jean Martell, the house made one defining technical commitment that no rival has replicated: distilling exclusively from clear, lees-free wine — a deliberate stripping of the base distillate so that every aromatic dimension must be earned in wood rather than carried from the fermentation vessel.

That choice makes the terroir source non-negotiable. The Borderies cru — the smallest of Cognac's six crus, planted on silica-clay soils — is where Martell concentrates its identity, purchasing 50–60% of the entire cru's annual output. Those silica-clay soils yield eaux-de-vie with a distinctively floral, candied-fruit register that chalk-dominant Grande Champagne cannot replicate.

Distillation runs through copper alambic Charentais pot stills at the Gallienne Distillery — the largest première chauffe stills in Cognac at ~130 hectolitres — with gas pressure adjusted hourly along the proprietary 'Martell Curve' and tails cut made deliberately early for a clean, neutral heart.

Aging proceeds exclusively in fine-grained cecillus (Tronçais-style) French oak, lightly toasted at minimum 17–20 minutes bousinage, in a rotation of new and older 'red' barrels. The special feature here is structural: Martell's lees-free distillation protocol is unique among the major houses, producing a lighter spirit whose character is almost entirely a function of oak and cru rather than distillate weight.

As an entry-level expression, this draws on the Borderies signature at its most accessible — floral and fruit-forward, with cecillus oak lending vanilla and gentle spice without obscuring the cru's candied character.