Larsen Cognac
The Larsen firm was founded in 1926 by Jens Reidar Larsen, a young Norwegian from Tromso (born Kristiansand 1895), newly established in Cognac after his arrival in Bordeaux in 1919. Charmed by the inimitable atmosphere of this small town in Charente he soon came to appreciate the sophistication of the celebrated brandy to which the town gives its name. Having become an excellent connoisseur and driven by an innate business sense, he bought and developed the small Cognac company of Joseph Gautier before, despite many difficulties, successfully launching his own Larsen brand which was quickly recognised and appreciated by the Scandinavian market, particularly in Norway.
He married a Cognac girl with whom he had two children. The eldest, Jean, took over the family business in the 1960’s and built up the prosperity of the Larsen brand throughout the world. The third and present generation, Frédéric, Nicolas and Anne has now taken the reins of the family business. They have made Larsen and its trademark “Drakkar” a symbol of sophistication and quality, firmly rooted in ancestral tradition. Living proof that an encounter between a Norseman and the quintessence of a magnificent wine-growing region in south west France can produce remarkable results.
The Larsens like to point out that, contrary to popular belief, the historic term “Viking” doesn’t refer to a race of people but to a state of mind; that of the ancient Scandinavians whose adventures bore them across seas and rivers in search of conquest and wealth. In this case the river Charente and the wealth of Cognac ! The Larsen firm: “Le Cognac des Vikings” S.A is a traditional family business and the entire capital remains the property of the family. This guarantees the continuity of traditions which are handed down through generations as indeed are the venerable brandies in the Larsen company’s “Paradise” cellar.
