Cognac Cigar Butler
If you are in a cigar-friendly area, consider employing a Cigar Butler. At the Ritz-Carlton, Doha Cigar Lounge, Habanos, Marin Sararu reigns as he moves from table to table with his cigar trolley. Guests enjoy his stories about cigars: how they are made, origins, and flavors. Guests select a cigar from the humidor. On request, he cuts and lights it. Or he marinates the cigar by dipping the cut end in a chosen spirit and with a brush, dipped in the spirit, impregnates the cigar without drowning it. He then dries it with a flame so the spirit enters smoothly and enhances the cigar’s natural flavors.

“The first step is to choose a spirit with a flavor matching the cigar’s aroma,” says Sararu. “A coffee-flavored liqueur perfectly matches a full-bodied cigar, while a fine brandy is exceptional with a medium-bodied cigar.”

“An excellent pairing is Remy Martin Louis XIII, today’s finest Cognac, a magical combination with a refined Cohiba Esplendidos—deep, rich, generous with a strength greater than it seems at first. L’Or de Martell, a full-bodied top-class Cognac characterized by hints of black currants and hazelnuts, is excellent with a Monte Cristo No. 2. Powerful from the start, the Monte No. 2 tantalizes the palate with rich wood and spice flavors, yet maintains a creamy feel all the way through.

“Hennessy XO, a full-bodied Cognac combining the spicy aromas of oak and leather, sweeter essence of flowers, and ripe fruit, works with a Cohiba Robustos, a medium-to-full bodied cigar with smooth aromas of dark almonds. It’s a perfect match after a rich dinner. Let’s not forget Armagnac. Try Napoleon Sempe Baccarat with a Romeo y Julieta Churchills, robust and complex in its multitude of flavors, which include vanilla, coffee, tropical fruit, wood, cocoa, nuts, herbs, and flowers.

Guest reaction is exceptionally positive, commenting on the unusual smoothness of the cigar and incredible sensation in the mouth. Most guests trying this experience are from the U.S. It’s obvious Cigar Butler Marin Sararu, also the head bartender, is passionate about what he does.

Armagnac
Armagnac, France’s oldest spirit, is produced only by small estates in the Gascony region. The soil and climate is quite different from that in Cognac, resulting in a very distinctive flavor.

Three Stars, or VS Armagnacs, are aged for at least two years in oak barrels. VSOP is aged for at least five years; XO (including Napoleon and Vielle Reserve) is aged for at least six years; and Hors d’age is aged for 10 years or more, all in oak. Vintages are Armagnacs of 10 years or more and are so exceptional there is no need for blending.

“Many guests have heard of Armagnac but don’t know much about it,” says Paul Altuna, wine director at Atelier Restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton New York Central Park. “Having grown up an hour or so from Gascony, I bring the region to life when talking to our guests.

“Walking along most roads in Gascony, it is not unusual to pass a half dozen small Armagnac producers. Typical of the many producers is Earl Lafitte, his wife, and daughter, who each produce an Armagnac suiting their individual tastes and put their own name on the corresponding bottle labels,” says Altuna. “The best Armagnacs come from the Bas Armagnac area, rich in the sandy soil Folle Blanche grapes thrive in, producing an aromatic and distinctive flavor.”

Atelier Restaurant offers innovative French cuisine with a nod to American accents. So it is only natural for guests to respond positively to his suggestions for an Armagnac to suit their tastes after dinner or to accompany a particular appetizer. Offering six to seven Armagnacs, guests particularly like Chateau Laubade XO and Larresingle VSOP.

XO Cognac
“XO Cognac is a superior beverage that should be consumed ‘clean.’ Mixing it in a cocktail isn’t appropriate unless you use the very best ingredients,” says Simon Antoine, F&B director at the InterContinental Buckhead, Atlanta. “What we offer at XO Bar is the eXtra Ordinary Cognac cocktail selection. In this selection, there are only three cocktails, remarkably well received and ordered considerably more often than we had expected. We sell from eight to ten a month.” These cocktails are:

Les Fleurs du Roi: Remy Martin Louis XIII topped with Perrier Jouet La Belle Epoque Fleur de Champagne and a dash of brown sugar syrup and Angostura. Sold at $400.

L’Esprit XO: Courvoisier L’Esprit and Extase XO stirred with ice. Sold at $450.

Le Reve des Anges: Hennessy Elipse with a dash of Chambord, topped with Dom Perignon Champagne. This is the best seller. Sold at $550.

Rare Bottlings
“We have separate locked display cabinets on the side of the back bar. Guests who are knowledgeable about Cognac, and consider it an honor to own a bottle of the most exclusive Cognac in the world, purchase rare bottles from us and keep them in their private cabinet,”adds Antoine. “One guest keeps bottle No. 1, of only 60 made for the world, of 200-year-old Piere Ferrand Domaine 1806. He hasn’t opened it but is content it is kept intact in our ‘museum.’ “Another guest enjoys Hardy Perfection Air, another rare Cognac that will soon run out. The average bottle price for Cognacs stored in our cabinets is between $8,000 and $10,000.”

Guest Interaction
With 77 different XO Cognacs, XO Bar has been hailed in the media as “the most important XO Cognac bar in the U.S.” Such publicity brings in many cognac lovers, requests for special tasting events, and even Cognac dinners. Guests love to talk about Cognac with the staff and try things they have never seen. “Cognac is art, and art is subject to personal opinion,” says Antoine. “People who appreciate this art enjoy talking about what is the best and superb. We host that conversation and take part in it.”

The key to the staff’s knowledge about XO Cognacs is frequent training by industry professionals, sometimes attended by guests. “At a recent event hosted by one of Hennessy’s master blenders, we tasted the separate eau-de-vie’s, then created a blend according to our preferences,” he adds. “This gave us a better understanding of the complex art of blending.”

Dave Steadman is editor & associate publisher, HOTEL WINE, BEER & SPIRITS.