The new creation of Les ateliers Camus. Second chapter of a Tribute to Jules Verne Collection.

Sous les Mers is the title of a meeting, akin to the encounter between Captain Nemo and Professor Aronnax, two protagonists in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, who come together through a series of circumstances, united by a shared fascination with the ocean. Julie Landreau and Isabelle Collignon have, in their own personal and free-spirited way, woven their interpretations of Jules Verne’s illustrious novel. One is a Master Blender, the other the Creative Director. Together, these two women transform Maison Camus into a maritime theater, where rare, exclusive, and singular cognacs take center stage.

For Sous les Mers, our Master Blender explores an innovative blending method, one unimaginable on dry land, taking Captain Nemo’s approach literally, as he discovers new cultivation techniques deep in the ocean. She brings this original idea to life through a practice she has shaped in her own way: In a 35-liter oak cask, Julie blends her eaux-de-vie at dawn before immersing them that very day in the Atlantic. The wood facilitates an exchange between the cognac and the sea, which continuously rocks the cask. As the alcohol is less dense than saltwater, a metal cage ensures the cask remains at the ocean’s bottom, protecting it. In the ingenious spirit of Captain Nemo, Julie Landreau adopts a physico-chemical approach to cognac in immersion: the absence of oxygen, atmospheric pressure, temperature, darkness, and the movement of the tides... This approach, in constant interaction with the elements, allows the cognac to absorb the information of a vibrant, energetic environment. Infused with briny flavors, new aromatic profiles emerge, ones that cannot be found on land.

Just as crystal is born from sand and minerals, cognac draws its strength from a land nourished by these very elements. Carried by their respective artisanal heritage, both Maison Camus and Maison Daum transcend time, echoing the names of their founding families at every turn. They preserve an ancestral know-how, which they develop by patiently and carefully incorporating the highest level of technical expertise. Who better than Daum Crystal, a sanctuary for sculpted fauna and flora for nearly a century and a half, to support Isabelle Collignon and the Ateliers Camus in creating this collectible piece? With their palette of 48 shades and mastery of crystal paste, every texture and every gleam is within their reach.