Oyster Dining

Shellfish with fine cognac? Crack a shell, pour a glass, and thank us for this pearl of wisdom…

An oyster’s briny, plump meat should be sampled like wine: hold the half-shell, tender morsel and all its liquor to your nose and inhale deeply. If it’s as fresh as it should be, the initial hit of saline descends into buttery aromas and delicate sweetness—reserved for only the freshest of seafood—as it hits the tongue.

While many diners reach for a crisp Muscadet or ice-cold vodka shot as they perch on barstools waiting for their next tasty morsel to be shucked, cognac offers a mellow depth that takes the shellfish to an altogether different plane. Martell VS Single Distillery is elegant in its simplicity—heady saffron and citrus complement the oyster’s natural sweetness, while woody notes from the cognac’s oak cask offer a rich complexity that counterbalances the salty, shelled flesh.

In the Charente region of western France, the combination of oysters and cognac has lasted as long as the brandy has been steeped and barreled. With more than 300 years of cognac-making experience, Martell have perfected their house distillation style. All sediments are removed, creating a perfectly smooth, naturally rich blend which can only be improved with freshly shucked seafood. Santé!