Cognac house Camus has partnered with Scottish design studio Breeze Creative to redesign its classic Camus Île de Ré Fine Island expression. The redesigned bottle will launch with selected stockists this month.
Camus Île de Ré Fine Island, first launched in 2005, is a single-provenance Cognac with a special aromatic profile linked to its tropical island origins. The blend features marine notes influenced by Île de Ré’s special climate and terroir.
The new look highlights the expression’s flavour profile and distinctive island origins. Design partner Breeze Creative was recently named Design Agency of the Year 2020 at Whisky Magazine’s ‘Prestigious Icons of Whisky Awards’.
The new bottle and packaging visually represent the island of Île de Ré’s most symbolic locations, which are key to producing the Cognac’s distinctive flavour. It takes customers on a 360-degree journey to understanding the provenance of Camus Île de Ré Fine Island.
The redesign features a ‘mirror effect’ which mimics how the ocean reflects the sky on Île de Ré. It utilises Kurz gold foil and selective embossing and debossing to give the image depth.
The bottle’s signature flared shape has also been enhanced with a label that reproduces the intricate design of the packaging.
The laminated cork stopper is decorated with a capsule that symbolises each step of the production process from the grape harvest, distillation in pot stills and barrel ageing.
The liquid offers a deep golden hue with amber highlights that is elegant and fresh on the nose, with hints of peach and apricot. On the palate, it offers apple and pear flavours, blended with sweet caramel. This is balanced by nutty notes of almonds, rich cocoa, cinnamon and a subtle minerality. The Cognac has a smooth finish with slaty notes of iodine.
Île de Ré is located in the middle of France’s Atlantic Coast. With an average altitude of five metres above sea level and with 20% of the island below sea level, Île de Ré’s topography plays a crucial role in capturing the sea mists that have fostered a special kind of viticulture on the island.
There are 500 hectares of vineyards from 89 producers in Île de Ré. The vineyards produce 2,400 hectolitres of Cognac and 35,000 bottles of Île de Ré Fine Island each year. Camus Île de Ré Fine Island is distilled at the historical Le Bois Plage en Ré facility, which dates back to 1972 and is located at the centre of the island.
