Martell was established in 1715 by Jean Martell and is the oldest of the "big four" cognac houses, namely Hennessy, Remy Martin, and Courvoisier. Jean Martell was a merchant born on the island of Jersey who began his own trading business through Gatebourse in Cognac, France. After Martell's death in 1753, the family continued in the tradition Martell founded his brand on, selecting grapes in the Bordeire subregion for his Eaux-de-vie, and superior Troncias oak casks for maturation. The resulting combination produced a truly exceptional and decadently smooth cognac. Martell launched one of its most renowned cognacs in 1912, Martell Cordon Blue - its first post-phylloxera cognac - used at the coronation of George V and widely regarded as the oldest XO equivalent cognac still produced. The brand later expanded into a prestigious line of cognac dedicated to the expertise of cellar masters and to the Domain de Chanteloup entitled Martell Chanteloup Perspective. Continuing a legacy of excellence under the affiliation of world-renowned Pernod Ricard since 2001, this profound icon remains one of the finest producers of premium cognac in the world.