Life can be tough. 2020, was the oddest year that we’ve had in probably, our lifetime.
Yet, right before the holidays, amidst the madness, I had the privilege of sitting down and interviewing Karolina Tarkovskyte. Karolina is the LOUIS XIII Cognac Brand Ambassador for the Gulf Region, Maldives and Lebanon. Our conversation and purpose of the meeting was to introduce the recently opened, hidden Secret Cigar Lounge at the Fairmont The Palm in Dubai by LOUIS XIII.
The Cigar Room at the Fairmont is now offering LOUIS XIII patrons an exclusive membership. Members receive the ultimate level of opulence, elegance and comfort at the idyllic five-star resort situated on Dubai’s most sought-after island community, Palm Jumeirah. A luxury beachfront resort with unrivalled views of the Arabian Gulf and glittering Dubai Marina skyline. As one of ten members of the LOUIS XIII Cigar Lounge, you will secure access to this private lounge, hidden within the hotel Cigar Room. You will access this room via a fingerprint scanner which will automatically open the doors to the ultra-exclusive space. This space offers unparalleled privacy and service completely tailored to your exact needs and demands.
Let’s go in and take a look, at LOUIS XIII Cognac, at the Secret Cigar Lounge, with Karolina as our guide. Be sure to watch the 2 short videos of the Secret Room at the end of this article!
ABOUT LOUIS XIII Cognac
Created in 1874, LOUIS XIII is the result of the life achievement of generations of cellar masters, and one of the world’s most prestigious cognac brands. It is made from a blend of eaux-de-vie, using grapes grown exclusively in the Grande Champagne region in Cognac, encased in a unique decanter.
The signature flavour profile of LOUIS XIII cognac has remained unchanged since it was created by Paul-Émile Rémy Martin in 1874. It is the same aromatic profile since the beginning. This is all down to the work of seven consecutive Cellar Masters. They have all viewed time as a way of imagining the future, with each thinking a century ahead by setting aside the finest eaux-de-vie for their successors to draw on in the decades to come.
It is now the mission of the current Cellar Master, Baptiste Loiseau, to continue this work by selecting and blending the eaux-de-vie passed down to him to create this distinctive cognac. He will, in turn, select the eaux-de-vie to set aside for his successors, reflecting the perpetual cycle of time at the heart of LOUIS XIII cognac. Each one must start a story for another to finish; Baptiste’s work is both a sign of quality from the past and a promise for the future.
It’s an inescapable fact that things change over time, yet as the world around us alters, as our perceptions shift, as different Cellar Masters come and go, and the exact combination of eaux-de-vie changes year on year, the signature flavour profile of LOUIS XIII cognac will remain a constant.
LOUIS XIII works in harmony with nature and recognises that looking after the world around us now is key to the longevity of not just the precious cognac, but of the entire planet. LOUIS XIII is always thinking a century ahead, protecting the environment, particularly their revered Grande Champagne terroir, for future generations.
WHAT MEMBERSHIP GETS YOU
Members have many privileges. To ensure the utmost polished service, members will receive a premium welcome kit encompassing a personalised, engraved decanter followed by an invitation to the exclusive cigar club. A private locker will be yours where you can keep your decanter, and in addition you will have another private locker inside the secret room for wines and other preferred spirits. VIP free parking benefits and personal concierge service directly from the manager at the Cigar Room are also part of the offering.
The legend of LOUIS XIII has been traced by exceptional individuals, extraordinary places and the hand of history itself for over a century. As an emblem of prestige in the region, the members of the cigar club will be part of an heirloom. LOUIS XIII is delighted to extend an invitation to new potential candidates to become part of the lineage.
The club accepts 10 memberships per year. The cost is 45,000 AED (United Arab Emirates Dirham), or approximately $12,500 USD.
HOW DOES ONE GET INVITED?
“Memberships are open to anyone who is interested, however there is selection process to ensure that all members would feel comfortable if they were to meet in the room, and only 10 memberships are sold annually, making this an ultra-private membership” says Karolina.
THE SECRET CIGAR LOUNGE
As you enter the establishment, there is the “Cigar Room”. That room is open to anyone to enjoy a cigar and spirit. However, behind it, a door opens to the secret cigar lounge. The team has been working on this special this project for over two years and it is the first Secret Cigar Lounge by LOUIS XIII in the world.
Members can access the secret room using their fingerprint. A secret door then opens into the lounge, which can seat 8 to 10 people, and cigars can be purchased from the Cigar Room or kept in the cigar humidor locker by the member.
LOUIS XIII and CIGARS
I asked Karolina if she enjoys cigars, and which she believes are some of the best cigars to pair with LOUIS XIII Cognac. “Yes, I enjoy cigars! Both Cubans and New World cigars.” She prefers medium to full bodied cigars, but nothing that will overpower LOUIS XIII. “You want to be able to enjoy the incredible flavours of each one equally”.
LOUIS XIII, as with everything they do, take the pairing with cigars seriously. “We have developed, with a renowned cigar expert, the “LOUIS XIII Cigar Solar System”. The idea of the marriage is divided into 8 parts; within each part, there are cigars chosen that will best enliven that specific characteristic of LOUIS XIII. Ultimately, each experience will be different depending on the cigar. According to the expert, “Like the eight planets in the solar system, it offers eight main pathways of discovery; eight taste perspectives; eight opportunities to awaken the senses in the enthralling refinement of pleasure.”
They are Strength; Freshness, Minerality, Gourmandise, Complementarity, Smoothness, Muskiness, and Classic. There are 16 total cigars chosen that best compliment and bring out each of the pathways. To protect the exclusivity of the “Cigar Solar System” program and the patrons who have and/or will experience it, we will only name a few of the cigars chosen. They include the almighty Cohiba BHK 56, Partagás Lusitanias, Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo Des Dieux, Partagás Presidentes, San Cristóbal de la Habana Mercaderes, El Rey del Mundo Taínos, and Ramón Allones Gigantes, along with 9 more, all Habanos. A great selection on its own, only to be extended with the fine Cognac.
BEING A LOUIS XIII BRAND AMBASSADOR
Karolina was born in Lithuania, in a port city called Klaipeda, next to the Baltic Sea.
After being persuaded by her friend to apply for a job position in Dubai, she landed at a restaurant called At.mosphere in the Burj Khalifa. “I planned to stay for a period of a 6 months, but 10 years later I’m here representing one of the iconic luxury brand and I have the honor to work for a family business.”
Following are excerpts from our conversation.
Antonio Marsillo: What does it mean to be a brand ambassador for LOUIS XIII?
Karolina Tarkovskyte: Being a brand ambassador for LOUIS XIII is such a beautiful feeling. You work for what remains a family business. It is more about the lifestyle, the “art-de-vivre”. I work very closely with 5-star hotels, the top restaurants and ensure that there is a good visibility for the brand. It is my responsibility to ensure the visibility of the brand meets the high standards of the LOUIS XIII brand. I am also required to hold a vast knowledge of the product and communicate that knowledge at tastings and events to highlight relationship with time for this prestigious Cognac.
As the LOUIS XIII brand ambassador for the GCC, Lebanon and the Indian Ocean my role really is to share the story of the brand and my passion for LOUIS XIII across my markets, ensuring that we honor the heritage and values of the brand in every touch point possible.
The most important thing for me is to represent the LOUIS XIII brand and its heritage with the utmost integrity, passion and to always be a human contact for the brand within my markets.
Antonio: Each tasting is unique. What is your best tasting/emotional memory?
Karolina: My best memory tasting is both my favorite and the most emotional at the same time. I was hosting a tasting in collaboration with a luxury caviar company at a private villa in Dubai. At the start of the event, we got an unexpected rainstorm, which meant we had to adapt and conduct the tasting inside the dining room at the villa.
The beauty of the moment was that the large bay doors of the villa remained open as the rain was falling and also when it started to fade away and the grass right outside the doors produced the most wonderful smell, that amazing fresh smell of grass just after the rain. I used that moment to help express some of the qualities of LOUIS XIII as it reminded me of my first visit to the family reserve André Heriard Dubreuil cellar.
The smell of the fresh grass and my memories from my first visit combined to make it memorable for the clients and myself. At the same time, I felt humility, pride and a real sense of appreciation for my job and the brand.
Antonio: Do you remember the first time you tasted LOUIS XIII?
Karolina: I recall being invited to a colleague’s birthday party at their home some years back when I was working in hospitality industry. My friend pulled out the beautiful decanter that his father had given him as a gift and there was enough left for the 4 of us to try together. I had seen decanter many times in the restaurants and bars, however I had never even smelt the liquid or even tasted one drop before that moment. It was a real honor to actually taste it with close friends.
Needless to say, my friends and I tasted LOUIS XIII together and it was a great moment for me to cherish, especially as it was a celebration. I still remember the delicacy of the pour, the first time I smelt it, the sparkle coming from the baccarat crystal decanter and also the beauty of the liquid. I maybe didn’t appreciate everything about it as much as I do know. I suppose my appreciation and respect for LOUIS XIII has grown as I have been fortunate enough to learn firsthand from the great people that make the precious liquid about the heritage, time, methods and quest for perfection that go into every drop.
I feel so privileged to now guide people through their own special first tasting of LOUIS XIII. I love to see how tasting LOUIS XIII for the first time makes so many people smile and glow with wonder.
FINAL DROPS
LOUIS XIII remains one of the spirits that holds a powerful place in people’s lives. The moment when someone savours it is always an occasion, an event, and a date they will mark in their calendar. That holds true for those who can afford the luxury more regularly, and for those for whom it is a once in a lifetime experience. I remember a time when I saw a father celebrate his 50th birthday with his son, and they treated themselves to a tasting of LOUIS XIII and a fine Havana cigar. We can be sure that moment will remain in their memories forever. There are perhaps better or equally good spirits on the market, we can assume that. But none carry the legacy and exclusivity of LOUIS XIII.
Cent’anni!
For more information on the Louis XIII Secret Cigar Lounge at Fairmont The Palm, please visit:
https://www.fairmont.com/palm-dubai/dining/cigar-room/
https://www.louisxiii-cognac.com/en-int/
This article was published with the permission of LOUIS XIII Cognac and Fairmont The Palm. Special thank you to Jani LeRoux and Rebecca Sturt for their assistance and coordination.
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