Martell Toasts With A Pop-Up Capsule

Martell Cordon Bleu celebrated its 100th birthday with the largest outdoor art gallery along Orchard Road, comprising two exhibitions featuring the heritage of the cognac since 1912.The Timeless Capsule hosted an exhibition which traced the birth of the cognac through its journey around the world, featuring Martell Cordon Bleu's early presence in Singapore dating back to the 1930s with old shipping invoices and newspaper advertisements.One of the most prominent elements featured was The Ultimate Jewel, a single specially-crafted piece of the iconic Martell Cordon Bleu cognac bottle by the House of Boucheron.It will be making its way around the world before being auctioned in China at the year to mark the end of the centenary celebrations.Public fringe activities limited by registration took place in the Timeless Capsule, including a photography talk and a cognac and chocolate pairing session.It also hosted Martell Cordon Bleu's annual photography award, featuring an exhibition of photographs taken by nine nominated ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu photographers.Nine Singaporean photographers vied for the top prize of S$30,000, where the top winner received an ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu trophy, a trip to Cognac, France, and an opportunity to publish a book of photography.The celebrations this year brought about new elements to the 2012 edition of the ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu, where it was organised around the centenary theme of "Eternal Discovery" and presented in a multimedia format.