A STORY OF A RENAISSANCE
A LEGACY OF OVER 145 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
INTRODUCTION
Edmond Audry & Cie was founded in Cognac in 1878 by Auguste Edmond AUDRY. He was determined to produce the best quality cognac possible. The company quickly made a name for itself thanks to its mastery of double distillation and the meticulousness of its blends. Its reputation spread beyond France's borders. In 1905, the second generation of AUDRYs decided to set up their own cellar and laboratory to support the company's development.
It was Henri, the founder's grandson, who would navigate the troubled period of the interwar years and the Second World War. At that time, the town of Cognac was in the occupied zone. When he died in 1955, his son Bernard was too young to take over the family business and the precious reserve of eaux-de-vie was left to rest.
In 1984, Bernard relaunched the company and revived this collection. Time is a luxury, and in almost 30 years, these eaux-de-vie have become an exceptional and invaluable treasure. With his wife Michelle, they brought the aromatic complexity of Maison AUDRY cognacs to fine tables in France and abroad. The precision of their cognac blends and their quality have won over the most demanding sommeliers, who now offer them in their restaurants. These cognacs have become a much-appreciated reference for epicureans.
REVIVAL AND TRANSMISSION
The involvement of Anne and Renaud, members of the fifth generation, represents much more than a simple generational transition. They embody the continuity of the AUDRY family's age-old commitment to excellence and authenticity. Their desire to perpetuate the family heritage goes beyond simply maintaining a successful business. Deeply attached to the values cherished by their forebears, they never forget that behind each bottle of cognac lies more than a century of expertise, passion and know-how. Their ambition is to preserve this ancient heritage, this living legacy, while adapting it to the demands of the modern world.
In the strong and growing cognac market, they are convinced that tradition and craftsmanship have a legitimate place that must be defended and preserved. As ambassadors of the history of Maison AUDRY, they now aspire, with boldness and determination, to develop the brand's reputation while preserving the very essence of what has made it famous in the past; remaining faithful to the family values that have always been at the heart of their business.
Since 2023, Mathieu Vanhalst has joined the teams as Managing Director, with the ambition of tackling the revival of the house and the commercial development of the brand on the French market and internationally.
THE PRODUCTS
Maison AUDRY cognacs promise a unique aromatic and sensory journey. As prestigious spirits par excellence, they result from a skilful blend of eaux-de-vie carefully preserved for decades in French oak barrels and sourced exclusively from the Grande and Petite Champagne regions. These 2 areas, located around the town of Cognac, are essential to the production of higher-quality cognac. The Petite Champagne contributes finesse and elegance to the blends, imparting exceptional structure and length on the palate. The Grande Champagne, famous for the aromatic richness of its eaux-de-vie, is synonymous with quality ageing.
We uncovered this greatness of a Cognac from the House of Audry at the recent TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition and conference show in Singapore 2024..
Maison AUDRY cognacs are now available in 4 universes that echo the 4 cardinal values deeply rooted in the house's DNA: absolute quality, audacity, rarity and transmission.
Timeless
Napoléon
XO
Réserve Spéciale
Mémorial
Exception
Réserve Aristide
Napoléon
The perfect balance between the tonicity of a young cognac and the roundness of a mature eau-de-vie.
50% Grande Champagne - 50% Petite Champagne
Ageing: 15-18 years
XO
A unique vision of the house’s treasures.
50% Grande Champagne - 50% Petite Champagne
Ageing: 18-20 years
Réserve Spéciale
A cognac with an astonishing range of aromas, more feminine, very fruity and very pleasant.
50% Grande Champagne - 50% Petite Champagne
Ageing: 25-30 years
Mémorial
An invitation to travel through a world rich in flavours and aromas, delicate and complex.
60% Grande Champagne - 40% Petite Champagne
Ageing: 40-45 years
Exception
A very unique cognac, whose aromatic richness, enhanced by the nuances of Rancio, offers exceptional complexity.
60% Grande Champagne - 40% Petite Champagne
Ageing: 40-60 years
Réserve Arsitide
A pure ode to the Grande Champagne production. Five decades of slow maturation take us on an unforgettable aromatic journey.
100% Grande Champagne
Ageing: 50 years
We sampled some of these timeless creations and they were truly remarkable, and my favourite is the Memorial! The finesse, style, traditional values, robustness and quality is inherent in the quality of this fine Cognac! Remarkable!
THE COLLECTION - Collection 78
The first 100 years of Maison AUDRY are celebrated here. A 100% single cask from an old Grande Champagne 1978 eau-de-vie, found in the family’s cellar in autumn 2023. To preserve its purity, splendour and precious character, it has been decided not to blend it and to bottle it “brut de fût” at 49.4%. The Collection 78, the first creation from this universe, is distinguished by the exclusivity of its 288 numbered decanters, presented with handcrafted tailor-made ceramic caps and by hand - as unique as this exceptional cognac.
MAISON AUDRY AND ART
Producing a cognac requires the invaluable talent of an artist with ancestral know-how: the cellar master. As with painting and sculpture, this process seeks a subtle harmony, where creativity and mastery combine to create a memorable sensory and emotional experience. Maison AUDRY's aim is to add a touch of art and craftsmanship to its cognacs, which are symbols of know-how and tradition.
The Maison AUDRY vine shoots
Anne Lesca, a ceramist and member of the fifth generation of the AUDRY family, draws her inspiration from everyday life, from her travels and encounters. Deeply attached to the history of her family, she created the ceramic vine shoots that have become the emblem of the house, and which are now found on the bottle labels.
The Maison AUDRY ceramic caps
To enhance the 288 decanters of the Collection 78 and the Dame Jeanne, Maison AUDRY called on Bordeaux ceramist Erwan de Renvergé. The result of this collaboration are cubic caps for the Collection 78 and spherical caps for the Dame Jeanne, all in cracked ivory enamel with the Maison AUDRY coat of arms in an elegant shade of orange, and beechwood screw-cutting carried out by a master turner in Burgundy. Erwan also makes the personalised ceramic labels for the Dame Jeanne.
Contact
Mathieu Vanhalst, Managing Director
+ 33 6 77 55 28 65
For more information, pls visit cognac-audry.com
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