Otard, is a French
cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cognac production falls under French appella ...
house founded in 1795 by Jean-Baptiste Antoine Otard. It was founded at the
Château de Cognac, and is also sold under the name Château Royal de Cognac. Baron Otard Cognac owned by the Otard family until it was bought by the Italian company Martini & Rossi S.p.A. in 1991. Today, Baron Otard Cognac is a subsidiary of the Bacardi group.
Family History
The Otard family traces its origins back to the middle of the 9th century to a Norwegian warrior named Ottar. From the 11th to 17th century, the descendants of Ottar lived in Dun-Ottar castle in Scotland. Great supporters of the Stuart cause, they followed
King James II of England
James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...
when the later moved to France in exile after the
Glorious Revolution of 1688.
James O'Tard fought alongside
Louis XIV of France
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of ...
and was created a
Baron in 1701. It was his great-grandson, Jean-Baptiste Antoine Otard born near to the town of Cognac, who created the cognac trading house bearing his name in 1795. The family owned vineyards around the town of Cognac and were already distilling and ageing 'eaux-de-vie'. The following year he bought the Château de Cognac, built in the tenth century to protect the villagers from Norman invaders, as a base for his business. The cellars of the château, which can be visited, are still used for storing and ageing the casks of cognac.
Products
The cellars of Château de Cognac have 3-metre thick walls and an extremely high level of humidity resulting from the proximity of the Charente river. This environment plays a determinant role in the maturity of the different brandies offered by the company.
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1795 Extra – a top of the range cognac essentially crafted from Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie in a special cellar set apart in the Château.
XO Gold - draws its personality from a blend of Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, rounded off with the Borderies, which lend it the finesse of a delicately floral aroma, and by the Fins Bois, which give it its vigour.
55 - the first cognac at 55° offered by a cognac firm, it is the offspring of blends made over two hundred years ago by Baron Otard.
Napoleon - is a subtle blend of Grande and Petite Champagne with Borderies and Fins Bois.
VSOP - is composed exclusively of the two leading cognac growths, Grande and Petite Champagne, with at least 50% of Grande Champagne.
VS – is a blend of the finest growths aged in Limousin
Limousin (; oc, Lemosin ) is a former administrative region of southwest-central France. On 1 January 2016, it became part of the new administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It comprised three departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienn ...
oak barrels.
References
External links
Otard Cognacs
Cognac
Distilleries in France
Companies based in Nouvelle-Aquitaine