26th March, 2018 by Nicola Carruthers

A 40ml serving of Rome de Bellegarde, sold for £10,014 (US$14,158) at a London bar last week, has broken the Guinness World Record for most expensive measure of Cognac.

Only 67 bottles of Rome de Bellegarde have been created, with the first serving bought by Ranjeeta Dutt McGroarty at the Hyde Kensington on Wednesday evening (21 March).

The limited-edition Rome de Bellegarde was discovered in the cellars of Cognac house Jean Filloux by fifth generation cellar master Pascal Filloux, and is believed to be the very first blend created by Jean Filloux in 1894. The Cognac, a blend of four eaux-de-vie, is contained in a French crystal bottle.

Cognac enthusiasts and industry experts were invited to the Hyde Kensington to witness the very first pour, alongside an official adjudicator from the Guinness World Records.

McGroarty, founder and director of Trinity Natural Gas, was the first person to taste the rare Cognac and described the “rich and delicate” flavours for guests.

David Smeralda, founder of Rome de Bellegarde, said: “We are so excited for Rome de Bellegarde to be available for the first time in over 120 years.

“Since its discovery in 2004 this incredible batch has been destined to be enjoyed by those that love and cherish truly pure Cognac.”

The previous Guinness World Record for the most expensive measure of Cognac sold was a 40ml shot of Croizet Cognac ‘Cuvée Leonie’ 1858, which sold for HK$68,000 (US$8,665) at the InterContinental Hong Kong, China, on 9 November 2016.