Rémy Cointreau: Louis XIII unveils its new eco-conscious packaging

Following the roll-out of L’Expérience Infinity in stores, Louis XIII has revisited the gift box for its emblematic decanter. This new gift box from the Rémy Cointreau cognac house is lighter, eco-designed and made of a single material.

Louis XIII by Rémy Martin is set for a royal 2023, in the image of its name.

Not content with having offered a unique example of its famous decanter to the British monarch Charles III, during his recent visit to France, the emblematic Cognac house has revisited its gift box, in time for the festive season.

Made from cellulose materials, this revamped and now 100% recyclable packaging protects the decanter and the planet’s resources, as well as enhancing the tasting experience.

More sustainable packaging

The new Louis XIII box has been redesigned to preserve the key elements of the LOUIS XIII heritage (design, color, know-how), while being made entirely from cellulose.

Thanks to two years of research, the cognac house, founded in 1874, has succeeded in reducing the CO2 emissions associated with its box by 57%.

Being 24% lighter and 14% smaller than the previous model, this new-generation case facilitates transport and delivery of the decanter.

Sustainable paper-based packaging is becoming increasingly popular, particularly for champagne wines. Houses such as Ruinart in 2020 and, more recently, Perrier-Jouët, have responded to the demand for sustainability in their gift boxes, the former with the Seconde Peau case, the latter with Cocoon.

A sublimated experience

By carefully reconsidering how each handcrafted decanter is enjoyed, shared and presented, Louis XIII not only achieves significant advances in sustainability. But it also manages to strengthen the emotional bond uniting customers with their iconic cognac.

And this is achieved through a “re-imagined” opening experience.

With its new vertical circular opening design, the decanter is revealed by the light that spills out as the box is unwrapped, radiating through its walls to reveal the mahogany nuances of Louis XIII cognac.

Last March, the House made a name for itself with a side-opening experiment.

In the style of Japanese sliding panels with an openwork design reminiscent of either Moroccan moucharabiehs or Indian jalis, Louis XIII unveiled exceptional packaging for its rare tierçon 42.1 at $50,000. It was the first time in a decade that Louis XIII’s fifth-generation cellar master, Baptiste Loiseau, had got his hands on a barrel made from French oak that takes over 100 years to mature. It was special enough to be marketed as such.

Exceptional discovery, exceptional distribution, with only 775 numbered bottles worldwide.

The pursuit of “sustainable exception

True to one of the values upheld by the Rémy Cointreau group, the new packaging is part of the continuity of L’Expérience Infinity, launched in stores at the end of 2022 in France and worldwide in 2023.

This experience aims to revisit the deposit by allowing customers to refill their carafe in one of Louis XIII’s three physical points of sale worldwide.

To achieve this, the company has installed an Infinity Wheel.

This device, which only the lucky owner of a decanter can see working, features a sophisticated design, adapted to the shape of the container, allowing it to be refilled without wasting a drop. At 3,400 euros for the classic crystal bottle, this is easy to understand.

“The world’s first refill experience in the luxury spirits industry allows the Louis XIII decanter to be refilled outside its birthplace in Cognac for the first time in history,” says Anne-Laure Pressat, Executive Director of Louis XIII.

For the festive season, the infinity wheel will be installed for the first time in department stores at Harrods in London.

The experience doubles as a personalized relationship, as each bottle handed over is carefully inspected, cleaned and digitally catalogued.

This extends the lifespan of the bottles, reinforcing the cognac house’s enduring bond with nature and the importance it places on time as “[its] raw material.”

Indeed, Louis XIII cognacs are the result of blending and multiple distillations of 1,200 eaux-de-vie, the youngest being 40 years old, the oldest over 100 years old.

The new gift box and L’Expérience infinity are not the only commitments to sustainability championed by the cognac house.In recent years, it has forged partnerships with the Office National des Forêts (ONF) and become a patron of the “Arbres Admirables” at the Château de Versailles.