Our heritage
Since its founding in 1767 by Louis Coutanseaux, the history of Coutanseaux Aîné has embodied French excellence. That of a family heritage, perpetuated with passion over several generations to sublimate the terroir of Grande Champagne, the 1er cru of Cognac.
1767
"A house shaped by its heritage as a cooper"
The history of Coutanseaux Aîné begins in an original way, with Louis Coutanseaux. Passionate about woodworking, this trained cooper developed a highly sought-after expertise in barrel manufacturing. His know-how in the selection of the finest woods quickly made him a reference in the Cognac world. In 1767, he launched the Coutanseaux factory in Saintes, and became the official supplier of the largest Cognac houses of the time.
1800
The visionary spirit of a cooper turned cellar master
Louis Coutanseaux passes down his unique barrel manufacturing know-how to the house, and it is the arrival of his son Joachim that truly defines the family business's history. An entrepreneur at heart, the young man, trained by his father, saw the opportunity to combine the expertise of woodworking with that of cognac making. Joachim Coutanseaux then chose to dedicate his entire barrel production to aging high-quality cognacs. This was a visionary idea for the time which he rooted by officially establishing his own cognac house, Coutanseaux Aîné, in 1800.
Wishing to stand out from other houses, Joachim is committed to developing what will make the identity signature of the house: a prolonged aging in oak barrels giving the cognac all their personality.
1865
Coutanseaux Aîné, official supplier to the Royal Court of Sweden
The perfect mastery of aging to produce Cognacs of the highest quality as well as the selection of vines only from Grande Champagne, Are the distinctive elements of Coutanseaux Aine. An asset on which Joachim will capitalize to make his company the reference in the world of Cognac. His commercial successes in France encouraged the visionary entrepreneur to offer his production to other countries: first in England, then in Sweden, where he was met with great success. It was on the lands of the King of Sweden that Joachim won his finest international recognition: the title of official supplier to the Swedish royal court.
1919
The story continues
Driven by the passion of successive generations, the house has stood the test of time. It was acquired after the end of the First World War by Gabrielle Rouyer-Guillet, heiress of the third-largest cognac house at the time, along with her husband Pierre Taittinger, who gained renown in 1932 with the creation of Taittinger champagne. Recognizing the brand's prestigious reputation, the name Coutanseaux Aîné remains alluring to connoisseurs while maintaining its air of exclusivity.
2014
The Most Expensive cognac in History
In 2014, an auction brought the Coutanseaux Aîné name into the spotlight once again. The auction, held at the Wellesley Hotel in London, featured several lots, including an exceptionally rare bottle of Coutanseaux dating back to 1767, the year of its creation. This bottle piqued the interest of connoisseurs, with offers steadily increasing until its price soared. Ultimately, the bottle was sold for the sum of £164,000 (just under €186,000), a price that reflected both its rarity and the brand's potential. At that time, this bottle of Coutanseaux Aîné claimed the title of the most exclusive and expensive cognac in history.
2015
"The Revival of Coutanseaux Aîné”
In 2015, the descendants of Pierre Taittinger, the Frerejean Taittinger family, awakened the dormant beauty and introduced their cuvée Hors d'âge. With a rich heritage to draw from, this bottle contains a blend of exceptionally old reserves of eaux-de-vie, resulting in an extraordinary cognac aged between 40 and 120 years, sourced from the premier cru of the Cognac appellation: La Grande Champagne. The slogan, "Coutanseaux Aîné: Creating Emotions Since 1767," was born.