We were born as a Maison in 1828 from the vision of Félix Courvoisier.
The accounts and statements on this site form the DNA of the Courvoisier brand. These truths shape the brand and help to define its future direction.
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Where the confines and demands of daily life evaporate.
A warm and welcoming world of effortless elegance, guided by the belief that pleasure gives meaning to life. We know the path to joy is not carved by chasing success.
Instead, we invite you to celebrate and savor life’s true pleasures: The pleasure of beautiful settings, of easy laughter and elevated culture; of sparkling conversation and culinary delights, and the enjoyment of our exquisitely floral cognac.
This is the essence of Joie de Vivre, a spirit present in every part of the Courvoisier brand; from our illustrious history of joyful tastemakers, to our revelatory process of bringing our cognac into blossom.
So, please join us in the art of joyful living, and raise a glass to the good life.
Instead, we invite you to celebrate and savor life’s true pleasures: The pleasure of beautiful settings, of easy laughter and elevated culture; of sparkling conversation and culinary delights, and the enjoyment of our exquisitely floral cognac.
This is the essence of Joie de Vivre, a spirit present in every part of the Courvoisier brand; from our illustrious history of joyful tastemakers, to our revelatory process of bringing our cognac into blossom.
So, please join us in the art of joyful living, and raise a glass to the good life.
Courvoisier Timeline
1796
Emmanuel and Louis Bercy, Paris
1811
Napoleon visits the Gallois Cellars in Bercy, Paris
1828
Félix and Jules, Jarnac
1857
Félix Courvoisier builds Chateau Courvoisier
1866
Curlier Brothers
Jarnac, Paris & London
Jarnac, Paris & London
1869
First Cognac House to be awarded the Fournisseur de la Maison d’l Empereur, or Official Supplier of the House of the Emperor granted by Napoleon III
1875
Phylloxera Crisis hits Charente Region
1889
Inauguration of the Eiffel Tower and opening of the Moulin Rouge
1909
The Simon Family purchases Courvoisier Second Generation Master Blender Louis Renard launches Napoleon, the icon of the House “Regulation of Cognac” enforcing initial parameters for what would rightfully be considered Cognac
1936
AOC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée) est. for Brandy to be considered Cognac
1983
Courvoisier awarded the Prestige de la France, the country’s highest accolade for quality. The only cognac house to have received this award
2019
The Most Awarded Cognac House
Stories
HISTORY CELEBRATED
THE FLAIR OF PARIS
Even today, Maison Courvoisier stands out in the centre of Jarnac for its unique architectural style. Félix Courvoisier intentionally built the Chateau drawing inspiration from the refined Parisian architecture – the Pavillon de Flore – as a tribute to their roots and ancestry in Paris. Originally constructed in 1607–1610 during the reign of Henry IV, the Pavillon de Flore is the corner pavillon between the Palais des Tuileries and the Louvre’s Grande Galerie and is part of the Palais du Louvre. The Pavillon de Flore is not only embraced for its architectural style but for its timeless appeal as a symbol of sophistication and elegance. It was the exact message that Félix desired to communicate. A house of cognac rooted in Jarnac, spirited with the flair of Paris.
THE COGNAC OF NAPOLEON
Napoleon Bonaparte. It is said that the reputation of the Gallois Cellars grew so fast and far that the French Emperor Napoleon made a personal visit to the cellar in 1811. Napoleon III. Maison Courvoisier was the first cognac house to be awarded the much sought after title of Fournisseur Officiel de la Maison de l’Empereur (Official Supplier of the House of the Emperor) by Napoleon III in 1869, following years of service. Our archives showcase cognaçaise bottles with the Napoleon Coat of Arms and the Patented purveyors of T.M. The Emperor imprimatur.
THE COGNAC OF ROYAL TABLES
It is said that by the early 1900’s Courvoisier graced the tables of the royal courts in England, Denmark and Sweden. King Edward VII of England commissioned an exclusive blend in his honour. In Courvoisier’s Paradis Cellar today, many of the bottles are labeled ‘King Edward VII’ – a blend that celebrates this royal connection, existing in the cellar for more than 100 years.
People
THE FAMILY
THE STREETS OF BERCY
Our Humble Beginnings
Our story begins in 18th-century Bercy, Paris, where Louis Gallois, a savvy tradesman deeply connected with the generals of Napoleon, opens Gallois Cellars. Emmanuel Courvoisier, fascinated by the possibilities of the growing demand for quality eaux-de-vie, joins Louis in what would become a legacy.
FÉLIX COURVOISIER
To the Heart of Jarnac:
The Birth of Maison Courvoisier
The Birth of Maison Courvoisier
Félix Courvoisier and Jules Gallois, the sons of Emmanuel and Louis, saw the opportunity to move to Jarnac and have greater control of the cognac making process. They intentionally chose Jarnac for three reasons:
1. The availability of pre-existing buildings set up for cognac production
2. Ideal location by the Charente River – the heart of the Fins Bois region
3. Distinction from the already overcrowded city of Cognac
We embrace Félix Courvoisier as our visionary founder. Félix founded the House in 1828, registered its mark in 1843, and built Maison Courvoisier as its proud soul place in 1857. The soul place was inspired by the refined architectural style of Paris – the Pavillon de Flore – as a tribute to their fathers, and the family’s roots and ancestry in Paris. Theirs would be a different house. A different cognac. A house of cognac rooted in Jarnac, spirited with the flair of Paris.
1. The availability of pre-existing buildings set up for cognac production
2. Ideal location by the Charente River – the heart of the Fins Bois region
3. Distinction from the already overcrowded city of Cognac
We embrace Félix Courvoisier as our visionary founder. Félix founded the House in 1828, registered its mark in 1843, and built Maison Courvoisier as its proud soul place in 1857. The soul place was inspired by the refined architectural style of Paris – the Pavillon de Flore – as a tribute to their fathers, and the family’s roots and ancestry in Paris. Theirs would be a different house. A different cognac. A house of cognac rooted in Jarnac, spirited with the flair of Paris.
THE CURLIER ERA
When Félix Courvoisier died without an heir in 1866, he left the House to his two nephews, Félix and Jules Curlier. It was the Curlier brothers that cemented Maison Courvoisier’s reputation in France by being the first house to be awarded the much sought after title of Fournisseur Officiel de la Maison de l’Empereur (Official Supplier of the House of the Emperor) by Napoleon III in 1869, following their years of service. Jules based the main business in Paris, and Félix established an office in London. Together the Curlier brothers ensured that the House was at the centre of the blossoming Belle Epoque period of Paris, celebrating the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in 1889, the opening of the Moulin Rouge in 1889, and the opening of Maxim de Paris in 1893.
THE SIMON ERA
Simply Royal
The Simon family, who were originally Maison Courvoisier’s distributors, assumed ownership of Courvoisier in 1909. It was under the leadership of the Simon family that Maison Courvoisier’s reputation grew further. Our cognac graced the tables of the royal courts of Denmark, England and Sweden, with King Edward VII commissioning an exclusive blend.
Our Master Blenders
HENRI PRODEAUX
First Generation Master Blender
Our archives show that Henri Prodeaux was officially working for Maison Courvoisier by 1902. Henri was managing the stocks in the cellar and the cellar teams. The work around the eaux-de-vie was done collectively at this time.
Varieties of eaux-de-vie were limited, and choices concentrated around cognacs coming from the Jarnac region itself: Grande Champagne and Fins Bois de Jarnac.
Varieties of eaux-de-vie were limited, and choices concentrated around cognacs coming from the Jarnac region itself: Grande Champagne and Fins Bois de Jarnac.
LOUIS RENARD
Second Generation Master Blender
Louis Renard started working for Maison Courvoisier in 1902 as a cooper apprentice, and later became one of the most iconic Master Blenders of the House. It was Louis who developed the collection of Fins Bois, Grande and Petite Champagne that allowed him to create the signature Maison Style of sophistication and refinement. Highly reputed as the ˇNoseˇ, Louis is celebrated as the visionary blender that introduced not only the first core collection for the House – Napoleon (1909), VSOP (1910) and VS (1930s) – but the philosophy of blending that emphasized the role of the Master Blender to oversee the entire cognac making process, ensuring the consistency of its quality blends over time. Much loved and respected, Louis was embraced as the quintessential bon vivant with his generous and cheerful spirit.
ANDRÉ BOUFFLET
Third Generation Master Blender
André Boufflet first started working at Maison Courvoisier looking after maintenance, moved to the bottling plant, then export, before being named Assistant Master Blender in 1935, working closely with visionary Master Blender Louis Renard. With the death of Louis in 1938, André was named Third Generation Master Blender in 1939. In the 1950s, André relaunched and rebranded Gala as Gala Club and introduced a new ready-to-serve version of the cognac, which offered a new way of enjoying cognac as a lifestyle.
DANIEL DUMON
Fourth Generation Master Blender
Benevolent, empathetic and deeply strategic, Daniel Dumon is most appreciated for the close symbiotic relationships he created with the Bouilleurs de Crus. Thanks to the vision of Daniel, Maison Courvoisier still works with 200 Bouilleurs de Crus today. Daniel also oversaw the increasing demand and popularity in an emerging Asian market. With this demand, Daniel was tasked to develop a higher quality range beyond the Napoleon blend to manage the next chapter for Maison Courvoisier.
Daniel was able to purchase beautiful Borderies from one of Maison Courvoisier’s closest partners of Grande and Petite Champagne for the Napoleon quality. These specific Borderies cognacs added the special touch which allowed Daniel to create the Courvoisier XO, one of the finest blends of the cognac category, in 1984.
Daniel was able to purchase beautiful Borderies from one of Maison Courvoisier’s closest partners of Grande and Petite Champagne for the Napoleon quality. These specific Borderies cognacs added the special touch which allowed Daniel to create the Courvoisier XO, one of the finest blends of the cognac category, in 1984.
JEAN-MARC OLIVIER
Fifth Generation Master Blender
A man with a boisterous laugh and charismatic character, as Fifth Generation Master Blender, Jean-Marc Olivier took on the challenge of heightening the reputation of Maison Courvoisier. For this vision to be realized, Jean-Marc knew he had to simultaneously work on its aged portfolio, refine quality, and ensure sustainable stock management for the future.
He introduced the Barrel Quality Program (BQP) to develop 50,000 new barrels to ensure quality aging. Leveraging his close trusting relationship with the coopers, he personally selected and purchased the trees that they would produce barrels from.
Turning to distillation, Jean-Marc experimented with a diversity of distillation processes according to the respective personalities of the wines (with or without lees). Then he took the bold initiative to produce and distill Courvoisier’s own Borderies, further enhancing the depth and breadth of the creative palette for each blend.
In this way, Jean-Marc expanded the range of cognacs he needed to enable him to create what would become the jewels and pinnacle of Maison Courvoisier – Erte (1988), Initiale Extra (1988), and L’Essence (2009).
He introduced the Barrel Quality Program (BQP) to develop 50,000 new barrels to ensure quality aging. Leveraging his close trusting relationship with the coopers, he personally selected and purchased the trees that they would produce barrels from.
Turning to distillation, Jean-Marc experimented with a diversity of distillation processes according to the respective personalities of the wines (with or without lees). Then he took the bold initiative to produce and distill Courvoisier’s own Borderies, further enhancing the depth and breadth of the creative palette for each blend.
In this way, Jean-Marc expanded the range of cognacs he needed to enable him to create what would become the jewels and pinnacle of Maison Courvoisier – Erte (1988), Initiale Extra (1988), and L’Essence (2009).
PATRICE PINET
Sixth Generation Master Blender
Beginning as a member of the tasting committee in 1989, Patrice Pinet was appointed Master Blender and General Manager in 2009. He is a man who loves to balance heritage, craftsmanship, tradition, and innovation – all key ingredients in the creation of L’Essence in 2009, for which he was a driving force.
Softly spoken, precise, polite, and passionate, Patrice innovates with respect and care for the craft of cognac.
12 & 21 have his exquisite signature, highlighting the Borderies and Grande Champagne crus. The energy and care he puts into creating limited editions show him to be a true cognac enthusiast.
Generous with his knowledge, his patience, and his exceptional gifts, Patrice leads others gently with his heart, dedicated to ensuring Maison Courvoisier grows in unison with its community of loyal and talented artisans.
Softly spoken, precise, polite, and passionate, Patrice innovates with respect and care for the craft of cognac.
12 & 21 have his exquisite signature, highlighting the Borderies and Grande Champagne crus. The energy and care he puts into creating limited editions show him to be a true cognac enthusiast.
Generous with his knowledge, his patience, and his exceptional gifts, Patrice leads others gently with his heart, dedicated to ensuring Maison Courvoisier grows in unison with its community of loyal and talented artisans.
Place
PARIS & JARNAC
THE FLAIR OF PARIS
Even today, Maison Courvoisier stands out in the centre of Jarnac for its unique architectural style. Félix Courvoisier intentionally built the Chateau drawing inspiration from the refined Parisian architecture – the Pavillon de Flore – as a tribute to their roots and ancestry in Paris. Originally constructed in 1607–1610 during the reign of Henry IV, the Pavillon de Flore is the corner pavillon between the Palais des Tuileries and the Louvre’s Grande Galerie and is part of the Palais du Louvre. The Pavillon de Flore is not only embraced for its architectural style but for its timeless appeal as a symbol of sophistication and elegance. It was the exact message that Félix desired to communicate. A house of cognac rooted in Jarnac, spirited with the flair of Paris.
THE HEART OF JARNAC
Napoleon Bonaparte. It is said that the reputation of the Gallois Cellars grew so fast and far that the French Emperor Napoleon made a personal visit to the cellar in 1811. Napoleon III. Maison Courvoisier was the first cognac house to be awarded the much sought after title of Fournisseur Officiel de la Maison de l’Empereur (Official Supplier of the House of the Emperor) by Napoleon III in 1869, following years of service. Our archives showcase cognaçaise bottles with the Napoleon Coat of Arms and the Patented purveyors of T.M. The Emperor imprimatur.
Liquid
House Style Liquid
THE HOUSE STYLE & PRODUCT TRUTHS
Maison Courvoisier prides itself on its unique Maison Style, which our Master Blender calls, “a cognac in blossom”
The Courvoisier Maison Style is all about revealing the intricate nuances of our exuberant floral cognac.Exquisitely balanced, subtle, lingering and vibrant
MAISON COURVOISIER
AWARD WINNING COGNAC COLLECTION
Experience
THE FIRST SIP
MAISON COURVOISIER
Our Ritual & Experience
Inclusive, convivial, and effortless.
An uplifting sensorial experience.
A feast for the senses.
An uplifting sensorial experience.
A feast for the senses.
A luxury experience that is naturally joyful, warmly generous and effortlessly sophisticated.
Personality
JOIE DE VIVRE
OUR CORE MESSAGING
From 1828, our Founder, Félix Courvoisier, believed in celebrating joy in the everyday, creating a House that was warm and welcoming to all.
That same Joie de Vivre is captured and crafted in our vibrant and floral spirit, which our Master Blender calls a ‘cognac in blossom’.
Requested by the royal courts of Europe and chosen as the official cognac of Napoleon’s Imperial Court, Courvoisier is the most awarded cognac house and is recognised for its superior quality.
Enjoyed neat or in one of our refreshingly joyful daytime serves,
Requested by the royal courts of Europe and chosen as the official cognac of Napoleon’s Imperial Court, Courvoisier is the most awarded cognac house and is recognised for its superior quality.
Enjoyed neat or in one of our refreshingly joyful daytime serves,
Courvoisier is an invitation and an opportunity for us all to experience Joie de Vivre.
