Le Portier Cognac
One of the great joys of my life is using my knowledge and experience of crafting rare, unparalleled whiskeys of distinction to help others leave their own legacy. Shannon Sharpe is one such man. Most will know him as one of the all-time greatest American Football players; tight end for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, and even more so known lately as a sports pundit for the likes of Fox Sports, ESPN and CBS. But he’s also a cognac connoisseur.
Together, we’ve crafted a cognac to shake up the establishment stalwarts. As with The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. we’re working with the skilled masters from a cognac house in Cognac. And as I’ve done with Craft, we’re taking my experience in questioning and disrupting convention to bring something new and exciting to the world.
Honouring Mary Porter
Just as my own whiskeys honour my father, so Shannon has honoured his grandmother with a range of upscale cognacs. Anyone who knows anything about Shannon will know that his grandmother was the woman who raised him from a young age, and he’s been open in his belief that none of his success would have been possible if it weren’t for her. The discipline and determination she instilled in him are the same my father instilled in me, and they’re the same qualities we’ve both brought to Le Portier to craft a cognac that’s a cut above any other on the market.
Shay by Le Portier
Our inaugural release, Shay, is a VSOP to rival far older cognacs. When I asked Shannon what he liked from a cognac, he gave me characteristics more often found in the XO and XXOs. So I got to work. Endless tastings of casks and shipping of samples to LA later, we have replicated that same smoothness, hint of spice and butterscotch notes that Shannon loves in his cognac, but at an altogether more approachable price point.
Distilled on a Charentais copper pot still and matured in French Oak barrels, Shay brings together an impeccable balance of Grand Champagne, Petite Champagne and Fins Bois. There’s the complex layers of flavour and aroma that people have come to expect of our whiskeys, and that belies the simplicity of the craft.
Award-winning Design
Our award-winning team of designers have worked the same magic they brought to The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. to Le Portier. Shay won its first award for design within two weeks of its launch, a prestigious Gold from The Spirits Business Design & Packaging Masters 2021. The sleek and elegant bottle is deliberately minimalist in its design, allowing the honeyed tones of the cognac to take centre-stage. We spent over a year designing the box alone, with Shannon and I testing out many different types of wood and finishes to find the perfect one.
Collectable Obsidian Closures
But it’s the collectable closures I’m most proud of. Crafted from black obsidian, they feature a silver foiled letter on the top. Each release of 25,000 bottles will feature a different letter, and those who collect all nine will have a collection of obsidian closures that spells out LE PORTIER. It’s our way of keeping that Le Portier magic going, long after the cognac has been enjoyed.