Louis XIII and 100 Years: The Movie You Will Never See
You hear plenty of actors say that they don’t watch their own movies. John Malcovich took things a step further. No one will see his latest movie; at least no one who’s currently alive.
First things first, this whole thing is a marketing stunt by Louis XIII Cognac from Remy Martin. Stunt really isn’t the right word though as 100 Years: The Movie You Will Never See is a very real movie, written and starred in by John Malcovich and directed by Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk till Dawn, Sin City, Spy Kids). It’s more of a way to conceptualize just what it means every time Remy Martin distills a batch of cognac for Louis XIII.
It takes at least 100 years and a lineage of four cellarmasters to create the congac within a bottle of Louis XIII. The youngest eau de vie contained within is 40 years while the oldest is at least 100 years old. Add in the fact that the 500 liter tiercon cask is at least a century old and you’re dealing with some amazing foresight from people at the turn of the 20th century. Imagine taking the time and care to create something that you know you will never get to see or taste. That’s what each of the Remy Martin cellarmasters has done.
Much like the cellarmasters, John Malcovich and Robert Rodriguez have created a film that neither they nor anyone else will see for 100 years. The movie has trailers and featurettes, but they don’t show actual footage from the movie itself. They’re simply an imagining of different ways in which Malcovich envisioned the future world. In order to see the movie you’d also have to be a descendent of one someone who received one of just 1,000 tickets given out for the 22nd century screening. Talk about a unique inheritance.
After 100 Years was completed last year, the reel was locked away in a safe. There’s no code, no key, no way through the bulletproof glass. All that’s left to do is wait for the timelock to open on November 18th, 2115… and drink. Drinking would be a great way to pass the time.
I had the good fortune of tasting Louis XIII when Remy Martin came to Chicago earlier this month. At about $115 per ounce, I savored every drop knowing I likely wouldn’t be having it again for the rest of my life. The beauty of expensive spirits and a non-existent budget is that it forces you to take your time and truly enjoy the experience. Instead of smelling because that’s what you’re supposed to do before drinking, you smell to trigger the imagination.
If 100 Years forces you to imagine what the future might be, Louis XIII pushes you to imagine what flavors lie within the class. There’s no wrong or right. You’re not required to identify certain flavors to pass a test. Just inhale and enjoy the experience. Why rush to taste when your imagination can run wild, building a picture of what 100 years of aging has done to something that was once a simple eau de vie.
When you do take the first sip, perceived flavor might become reality or you might find yourself worlds away from expectations. Neither is better than the other. Confirmation makes us feel smart, but the beauty of your imagined version is that you’ve allowed yourself two entirely different experiences for the price of one. And who doesn’t love a BOGO?
Louis XIII coats the palate and lingers. Oh how it lingers. Those well versed in tasting notes often talk about the finish. Is it long? Short? Sweet? Dry? In this case… it’s eternal. Not literally of course, but the flavor remains on the tongue and in the back of your throat until long after you’ve taken another sip.
It’s a constant discovery of new flavors, new aromas. I don’t know if it’s the reaction to air or simply the time needed to slowly find the next layer, but the game is constantly changing. You could easily sit for an hour with a single ounce.
I know that I’ll never watch 100 Years: The Movie You Will Never See, and I don’t expect another run in with Louis XIII, but the once-in-a-lifetime experience was worth the tease. It taught me how to truly enjoy drinking.