TALE AS OLD AS TIME

As i t celebrates 130 years of business in Malaysia, Martel l continues i ts tradit ion of creativi ty and innovation for i ts local customers. Marketing Director Richard Black tel ls us more.

One of the more interesting anecdotes courtesy of Martell Marketing Director Richard Black is that cognac isn’t all that popular in France, even though that is where it is from. “Asia,” he says, smilingly. “That is the largest market for us.

And since production is quite limited, we tend to focus on where the business is largest, which is this part of the world.” Here is another fascinating tidbit—not only is Malaysia Martell’s largest market in the world outside of China, but we started to receive shipments of cognac via Penang as early as 1894.

Unknowingly commencing a 130-year association with the nation, Martell has become synonymous with local traditions, punctuating gatherings with the joyful sound of yam seng at family and social gatherings. In Malaysia, Martell is a tradition. But cognac is warming, falling into the ‘put some hair on your chest’ category of spirits— antithetical to what hot local climes ask for, yet is wildly popular.