trade & press MASTERCLASS timetable
Masterclass Room (ground floor)
Trade-only Masterclass sessions are available to approved trade and press pass holders only.
Attendees will have to pre-book their seat via the dedicated link in their ticket confirmation email, which will be sent out on Tuesday afternoon, 14 April.
12:30pm - 1:15pm Meet the Maker: Thibaut Hontanx of Courvoisier (Free)
In this session, we’ll be exploring what makes Courvoisier one of the leading cognac houses, with its master blender, Thibaut Hontanx. Thibaut took over the reins in 2022. His approach has been to maintain the quality and craftsmanship of the house while putting it – and the region – on a surer footing to face the changing climate.
Before joining Courvoisier, Thibaut worked in South Africa at Drakensberg Distilleries, in Martinique with Rhum Clément, and in Cognac, previously with Hennessy. Beyond exploring the house’s style, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the wood policy at Courvoisier, looking at how oak selection can dramatically affect the final cognac.
1:45pm - 2:15pm How Cognac is Changing the Dialogue (Free)
The 21st Century is revealing plenty of new challenges: a warming climate and changing drinking habits, to name but two. At first glance, Cognac can look like a region that is resistant to change. Yet perhaps more than any other spirits-producing region in the world, it has had to radically reimagine itself time and again.
As the region has proven, it will adapt and in this panel we’ll be looking at how Cognac is changing the dialogue from the vineyard through the distillery, the cocktail bar and beyond.
2:45pm - 3:15pm The Bartender’s Favourite: Blanche Cognac (Free)
Join Guillaume Le Dorner of Bar Luciole in Cognac (Top 50 Best Discovery Bar) as we look at blanche cognac. Fresh off the still, these are spirits that are full of life and bursting with potential.
Pisco and grappa have claimed their places on the back bar, and blanche cognac with its clear terroir and varietal signatures is more than ready to join them.
In this session, we’ll be comparing three blanche cognacs with a pisco/grappa and then finishing with a cocktail showcasing the spirit at its best.