A full set of the limited edition Baron Otard du Roi crystal decanters has sold at Auckland Airport to a Chinese collector for NZ$190,000 (US$125,000).
The set consists of three hand-crafted expressions of Cognac, and was purchased at the ARI-operated duty free store at the New Zealand airport.
ARI General Manager at Auckland Airport Tom Byrne said: “We pride ourselves on being able to source new and exclusive products for our customers and we are delighted to have partnered with Bacardi to secure the prestigious Baron Otard Collection du Roi.
“With such a limited release, we’re excited to have sold one of only eight bottles available globally of the Baron Otard Cuvée 1 Grande Champagne.”
Bacardi Global Travel Retail Regional Director Asia Pacific Gaurav Joshi commented: “With amazing products supported by world class retailer expertise, travel retail provides a uniquely dynamic and engaging retail adventure for the shopper and for amazing stories like this one from our partnership with ARI at Auckland Airport.
“Across the Bacardi portfolio we are utilising our consumer insight to deliver innovative new experiences to engage and excite the shopper, driving channel differentiation and making travel retail a key destination for everyone from budget shoppers to luxury collectors.”
The Baron Otard Collection du Roi (pictured below) consists of three different Cuvées:
Cuvée 1 is the rarest expression and only eight decanters of the liquid will ever leave Baron Otard’s Royal Castle home. It blends two ancestral eaux-de-vie that have been kept for decades in cellars there. The expression is presented in a crystal decanter with a handmade presentation case.
Cuvée 2 is rare single batch of eaux-de-vie of very old Grande Champagne, which was recently discovered by the Baron Otard Maître de Chai. There are 288 decanters, of which each are individually numbered and presented in a luxury case.
Cuvée 3 is described as a “rare and complex” blend crafted by the Maître de Chai from a selection of the oldest eaux-de-vie. It is presented in a handmade crystal decanter, inspired in part by the finery of King Francis I of France.
