Sit back, relax and enhance your sensory experience as notes of iris flower, candied orange and crème brûlée surround you while enjoying delicious Courvoisier cocktails and matching canapés.

Each cocktail fuses Courvoisier’s distinctive notes with inventive new flavours and original presentation. The Courvoisier Collins blends Courvoisier Exclusif with pressed lemon, wild thyme syrup, orange blossom water and soda water, whilst the Cherry and Apricot Sidecar contains muddled apricots and cherries, pressed apple, lemon juice and a dash of cherry liqueur.

The Exclusif Punch, made with black tea, violet, vanilla pods and preserved lemon, is served in a stylish vintage copper punch bowl, and the XO Royal combines Courvoisier XO, orange blossom honey, pressed lemon and apricot bitters, topped with Harvey Nichols Brut Champagne.

Guests can choose from three food pairing packages, XO Royal, Alchimie de Courvoisier and Exclusif Cold, each using flavours and textures that cleverly compliment the drinks.

The bespoke Courvoisier Exclusif-ly Chelsea will also be available exclusively over the course of the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show, highlighting the powerful iris notes within this prestigious blend, muddled with fresh ginger, blueberries, violet syrup, pressed lemon and Lillet Blanc.

Advanced booking is required. Minimum booking of six people.

Visit Harvey Nichols for further information.

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The stunning new look features our full portfolio, enhancing your understanding and appreciation of our award-winning blends, as well as showcasing our vintage advertising, and presenting our Courvoisier timeline, which reveals our proud French heritage.

New products are now available in addition to tastings of our prestigious range as part of our bespoke tours.

Visit us and experience Courvoisier’s alchemy for yourself.

Having joined forces with Harvey Nichols to showcase bespoke Courvoisier serves over the course of the evening, guests were further invited to take part in interactive mixology masterclasses, and to enjoy the work of member Ben Moore’s Art Below, which is now appearing at key destinations on the London Underground.

Members were then treated to an insight into Your Mind: A User’s Guide, delving into the subconscious as Andy asked “What’s your five a day for the mind?”, and revealed to the network how we can all take better care of our mental well-being. This was followed by interactive puzzles and challenges designed to improve resilience and mental performance, provoking lively discussion which lasted late into the evening!

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For those who don’t know, how would you best describe your role as an ‘Ideas Man’?
This is always a tricky one. People need neat boxes to place you in and I relish pursuing many passions, but I would say I’m an entrepreneur, author and performer – as well as a corporate speaker on innovation and creativity. I get things done and make ideas happen – and enjoy speaking with individuals and companies about how to do so.

How did you find yourself in such a career?
In my opinion, schools fail us – because no one tests our latent abilities when we’re young. Certainly no one discovered my creativity when I was at school, and so instead I had to slowly unearth it myself. I had a television career for fifteen years, which included working on high-profile programmes like ‘The Big Breakfast’ and ‘Big Brother’, but I ultimately believe in the human brain and its ability to think of solutions to any problem. So I turned my interest to other areas that excited me – and used my brain for those. Now, I make novelty gifts and write books on personal development. I also started speaking to big companies who were very receptive to my techniques and needed the injection of creativity and innovation that I could provide. These days because of the internet and the fact that anyone can copy an idea, it’s more important than ever to be innovative to maintain your competitive edge, and that’s why having constant ideas is vital.

Would you say there was such a thing as a ‘typical’ day in your life?
There’s not – and in fact, it’s taken me 20 years to make sure there isn’t! Having an atypical day is my aim and I try to pack it with exciting, unpredictable, fun events. Life is short, so my goal is to fill my time with interesting stimuli and have multiple ideas on the go at once.

Do you have a morning routine designed to get you inspired and ready for the day ahead?
I use triggers for inspiration, and one of my favourites is horses’ names. I sometimes look on betting websites at horses’ names first thing in the morning to send my mind in different directions and get myself thinking. Try it, it helps!

What part of the day do you feel at your most creative?
I find you can be creative at any point during the day – in the bath, in bed, in the pub… When you’re relaxed, ideas often bubble up from your subconscious, and that’s why it’s crucial to carry a notepad and pen with you at all times – or failing that, call your answering machine to ensure you capture all of your ideas.

How do you motivate yourself throughout the day to keep the ideas flowing?
I motivate myself by carefully choosing to focus on only the goals which completely and utterly excite me. This way, I find that any challenges I may face along the way are easily overcome as the inspiration I feel drives me to keep going.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?
It’s most rewarding when you get to meet and collaborate with interesting people who are talented in a completely different way to you. I also enjoy the amazing places I get to visit as a result my corporate speaking, and find it enormously fulfilling when one of my books or speeches inspires someone. And if my novelty gifts can make people laugh as well, then I feel like I’ve hit the double jackpot: inspiration and laughter.

Do you find that taking breaks during the day helps to kick start your imagination, or do you prefer to push straight through when inspiration strikes?
I don’t believe in structure, and have always found the concept of a 9-5 day very odd. My brain is always working, as even when relaxing the subconscious can still find solutions. Added to that, the world is so connected nowadays that even if you have a brilliant idea at
4am you can get straight on the Internet, contact an expert and start to make it happen.

What would you say has been your greatest success?
I’m very proud of my books ‘Ideas Man’ and ‘Success Or Your Money Back’ as people take real value from these. I’m also proud of my television career, of having sold over one
million novelty products worldwide, and of my speeches too. It’s not really for me to say what my greatest success has been, but if I’ve spread a little magic then I’m happy. My next idea, though, is always my best!

Are you able to switch off in the evening or do you have to force yourself to relax?
I never switch off. Opportunities are everywhere and my brain is always thinking of ways to twist existing ideas and put two seemingly opposing ideas together. These are some of the core creativity techniques I cover in my latest book, and as such, my mind is constantly full of ideas.

With such a busy day-to-day schedule, when do you find time to plan for next year?
There’s a balance between forward planning and leaving time for thrilling and unexpected opportunities, so although I do plan ahead I also try to give myself enough space to grab anything wonderful that comes my way.

Can you give us any details about what we can look out for next from Shed Simove?
I’m currently working on a new fiction book, as well as a variety of new naughty products, so make sure to keep your eye on my website and follow me on Twitter. I’m working towards becoming a well-known public speaker on creativity and innovation and also looking forward to forming exciting new collaborations with my fellow talented members on Courvoisier The Future 500 and to start many more adventures in the future.

Add your voice to the discussion at facebook.com/CourvoisierUK and twitter.com/
CourvoisierUK using #thefutureseries.

Shed’s new book, ‘Success Or Your Money Back’ is out now, published by Hay House. For more of Shed’s adventures, visit www.ShedSimove.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT SHED’S NEW BOOK – ‘Success Or Your Money Back’

Sheridan ‘Shed’ Simove is a modern day entrepreneurial marvel…and now he’s created the easiest and quickest success manual in the world. In this ground-breaking book, Shed reveals 30 NEW SECRETS that show you how to get GET ANYTHING YOU DESIRE.

THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT from previous success manuals. If you’re someone who
wants to have great ideas and make them happen, this is for you. It’s an ENGAGING, FUN
and EASY read… and vital for anyone wanting to WIN AT THE GAME OF LIFE.

Inside you’ll find brand new, POWERFUL and FAST ways to get exactly what you want – and concrete techniques for success in your business or personal life. Shed is so confident that these methods will work for you – as they have for him – that he’s able to make his
astonishingly bold and exciting promise.

After reading this book, you’ll be INSPIRED, ENERGISED and EQUIPPED FOR YOUR
FUTURE SUCCESS… or your money back!

Available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Success-Your-Money-Back-Simove/dp/184850974X

SPECIAL OFFER TO COURVOISIER 500 MEMBERS: If you buy the book, then review it on Amazon and email your postal address to shed@thetalentshed.com, you’ll receive a free copy of Shed’s BANNED book, ‘Fifty Shades of Gray‘.

Following a mixology masterclass during which members added their own twist to classic Courvoisier serves, Shed revealed to the network how to think differently, unlock their potential and make their ideas happen.

Added to that, with lino cutting Christmas cards from Mark Webber, performances by artist Pia Cabble, cocktails courtesy of The Connaught, Courvoisier infused Pan-Asian cuisine crafted by Geoff Leong, Rebel Dining Society Shay Ola’s bespoke Courvoisier macaroons, Super Jam thanks to Fraser Doherty, it was certainly a night to remember!

Add your voice to the discussion at facebook.com/CourvoisierUK and twitter.com/CourvoisierUK using #thefutureseries.

This unique Courvoisier cocktail experience saw the revolutionary cognac house open guests’ eyes to the theatre of cocktails on a truly grand scale, taking them on a tour through a once derelict institute at The Heritage Rooms in Bloomsbury Square, London, to explore a surreal world of cocktails past and present.

Set up over a hundred years ago for the world’s grandest bartenders to perfect the ultimate cocktails, the Courvoisier Institute of Grand Cocktails was all but forgotten; but, for two nights only, we opened the doors for guests to explore these three classic cocktails and their creative setting which has been frozen in time, complete with three bartender characters still honing their cocktails.

Working with top London bartenders Amanda Humphrey of Shoreditch House, Rules’ Chris Lacey and Mickael Perron of Annabel’s, Courvoisier brought the story of these characters to life, delving into a surreal world of cocktails as we enjoyed a refreshing Courvoisier Punch in the building’s produce stores, made a toast with a Courvoisier Champagne Cocktail at a banquet, and sipped a classic Courvoisier Sazerac in a New Orleans apothecary.

The sixth annual European Excellence Awards ceremony was this year held in London for the first time at the legendary Roundhouse.

For those of you who were unable to see it in person, click here for a taste of The Courvoisier Institute of Grand Cocktails.

For more information on the European Excellence Awards, click here.

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The Spirit Masters series has fast become one of the most respected and high profile trade competitions in the drinks industry, attracting vast amounts of entries from leading brands all over the world. 

The panel of judges was chaired by Edward Bates, Freelance Spirits Consultant, and judging with him were:
Richard Woodard, Spirits Business Editor
Kane Brooks, Head Spirits Buyer, Drake and Morgan Group
Herschelle Perez-Terrado, Spirits Buyer, Waitrose
Matt Armitage, Freelance Brand Consultant

Consistently recognised as one of the finest XOs in the world, Courvoisier XO Imperial is a very old blend of fine and well-matured cognacs from the exclusive Grande Champagne cru, along with selected aged spirit from the Petite Champagne and distinguished Borderies crus. The perfect balance of intense flavours have been patiently evolved and nurtured for at least two decades.

This most recent accolade will join Courvoisier XO Imperial’s Gold Medal at the 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Gold Medal at the 2010 International Review of Spirits, and Double Gold Medal at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The trip was absolutely wonderful – never have I ever been made to feel so special and unique by such a fantastic family – and I strongly emphasise the word family.

Courvoisier is such a major brand yet from grape to bottle and throughout all the members of their team, there is a passion and strength of unity which rubbed of on myself. Everything has such style, elegance, care and attention.

Rebecca Asseline, Courvoisier UK Brand Ambassador, did a phenomenal job of hosting us from start to finish and despite the long travel we definitely made the most of our time.

Charlie and I were received by Courvoisier and reached the Château, which on very first sight is an idealistic image: a large Renaissance elegant Château with subtle branding incorporated into the mason work. It is situated in a beautiful town by a gorgeous river, enhanced by the amazing weather. We were welcomed with Courvoisier Exclusif and ginger ale – perfect refreshment after a very long journey – and then shown to our rooms.

The Château is filled with wonderful paintings depicting Napoleon and other important figures in Courvoisier’s heritage which dwarf the walls - and the rooms were huge. With our own personal bottles of Courvoisier in each room, and a beautiful open window overlooking the river from the 3rd floor, we settled in and felt very much at home.

On the first day we enjoyed lunch with Jennifer Szersnovicz, the Trade Relations and Communications Manager, and were taken around the Heritage Museum by Béatrice Bernard. It was our first taste of how much history and family spirit Courvoisier embodies – just as every bottle says, Courvoisier is ‘Le Cognac de Napoléon’ – the Cognac of Napoleon. The heritage is so interesting and intricate, and they even have some of Napoleon’s very own hair in the museum.

After the tour we met Jennifer’s husband, Pierre Szersnovicz, the former Master Distiller of 35 years, and a man with so much charisma and charm. Pierre himself is the man responsible for helping to create the blend for Courvoisier XO, alongside the previous Master Blender, Jean-Marc Olivier, in 1984 – their masterpiece. His aura gave off a very excitable buzz to both Charlie and I, and he was thrilled to show us around.  We were truly delighted to be in such expert hands, plus there was so much wit to the man.

Not only did he take us to the vineyards, where the Grande Champagne Cru had just been harvested, but he took us pretty much everywhere. Through the towns, telling us stories of other Châteaux and historic French families, and through beautiful countryside. There was a wealth of knowledge bestowed during our time together. In particular, that strong family bond between all the members of Courvoisier was always apparent.

The vineyards themselves were epic in scale, needing care and attention all year round. They had just been harvested, but those who tend to the vines have to cut back them and choose just one branch to grow from again. The vines themselves take at least three, and often four, years to grow to harvestable size. It was another clear sign of how much investment Courvoisier put into their product.

Pierre then showed us around the distillery where they happened to be preparing the first cut for the next day. The smell was warm with aromas of apple pie, which filled the room with all the alembic stills. The excitement was tangible and Pierre went out of his way to find time to bring us back the next day to witness the first cut and help us bottle our own personal sample of the eau-de-vie.

In the evening, upon returning to the Château, we had some free time to rest and freshen ourselves up before dinner with Patrice Pinet, the Master Blender. A humble man, Patrice is ultimately responsible for the consistency, quality and taste of the Courvoisier you appreciate whenever you open a bottle and drink. He hosted our three course meal in the elegant dinning room where we had previously met Jennifer. The whole meal was paired with wine and cognacs, and included tastings of Courvoisier 12 Year Old, a Medoc Red and Courvoisier XO. We started with salmon, followed by duck, and finished with a Le Nez de Courvoisier food pairing based on the key aromas of Courvoisier XO for dessert (a favourite of mine).

After dinner we conversed and enjoyed each other’s company before Patrice took us through the lounge and revealed the L’Essence de Courvoisier bottle. He described its design and in particular the Baccarat decanter and intricate stopper. We were then taken to the Paradis, or Jail as Patrice joked. I can speak for both Charlie and I when I say we would happily be locked away in the Paradis. It contained Courvoisier’s finest and oldest cognacs. A tribute to the brand, the room’s centrepiece was a bottle of L’Essence de Courvoisier with four tasting glasses.

However, we did not taste  this cognac from the bottle, no, but from the barrel. Patrice took cognac straight from a barrel of L’Essence de Courvoisier for the four of us to enjoy, and in small sips of exploding flavour was it appreciated. We all discussed the liquid and enjoyed the company. A true highlight of the trip so far, and a cognac that changed and developed so much in the glass: one second the nose was one aroma and another second a completely different note. The same was true with its flavour, and with the liquid capturing and expressing so many flavours, it had to be appreciated over time. The best way to describe it would be to say if Courvoisier could be embodied in one expression and gifted to a deity, this was it.

It was a great nightcap and we stayed up and joked and chatted for a while before retiring for the next day – much chatter about animals, pets and all sorts of funny stories.

The second day was very full again with lots packed into a short space of time. First thing was first: a traditional French Breakfast consisting of the freshest tasting soft croissants and jams with yoghurt, bread and fruits to devour. Fed like piglets was a phrase thrown around – very appropriate too.

We began the day after breakfast by heading into Jarnac town to visit the bakery and market in search of ingredients for our cocktail demonstration to Courvoisier later in the day. We needed a scone replacement, so we definitely French-styled it with some French pastries, marmalade and crème fraîche (vanilla infused) as a dip. Jarnac itself is beautiful, with very old buildings full of character and very friendly people throughout.

We were then re-acquainted with Pierre, who was to host us again for the rest of the day’s tour. The Cooperage and Spliting area was our first stop. We witnessed 300 year old trees, the finest French Oak from Cognac and near Paris, being split to be cut into the staves for the barrels. The attention to detail and explanation on how to find the right oak was fascinating – even just little notes like the markings on tree’s denoting their age was explained.

The Cooperage itself was filled with an aroma of aged woods – that lovely oak smell that provokes a homely feeling. It was full of skilled craftsmen hard at work creating the ageing barrels for Courvoisier. Everything is still done with tools by hand, and the only machines used were for safety measures. The skill and finesse of these workers was clear for all to see and had been communicated through everybody involved in creating cognac whom we had seen so far – so much passion.

Following this, we then had the honour of being taken back to the distillery by Pierre to witness the first cut, and the now familiar smell reminiscent of warm apple pie. We got to watch and taste the first cut for the new year, and then Pierre presented us with our own small personal bottle of eau-de-vie labelled with our names. Something that I will treasure for a lifetime – un-aged and completely clear – Courvoisier’s first cut of eau-de-vie bottled for myself. A very special moment.

The rest of the day consisted of tasting Courvoisier’s range of VS, VSOP, Exclusif, Napoleon, XO and Initiale Extra with Pierre, before then presenting our Imbibe Live 2012 winning cocktail, Courvoisier Jubilee Tea, to the Courvoisier family. A very proud moment, I couldn’t resist making an extra drink of my own called the French Word.

The trip was scheduled to finish with a lovely lunch of canapés with Rebecca and Pierre accompanied by some very good local Merlot before a (slightly merry on my part!) walk to Courvoisier’s oldest ageing cellar. It was a warehouse with lovely dark markings on the outside, giving so much character to the appearance of the old building. The inside had an aroma of cigar smoke and the barrels were all labelled with dates and the specific blend of cognac being aged.

This final part of the tour was a wonderful end to the visit, and upon returning to the Château the whole family presented both Charlie and myself with a heart warming gift to depart with: our own personally blended, bottled and labelled Courvoisier Reserve du Paradis. As if they had not done enough to welcome us into their family and make us feel at home . It was the little touches peppered and lavished throughout the visit that made this personal finishing touch all the more special. A unique and personal stay, I cannot thank them enough for sharing this feeling and experience. I can only hope others appreciate like I do the love and care Courvoisier put into their products from grape to glass.

Au revoir and merci Courvoisier,

Nick

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1. Lamp
I’ve been waking up very early these days. This is the morning glow that gets me started.

2. Wristbands
A client of mine is Young Actors Theatre in Islington – just received our charity wristbands – high fashion whilst checking first emails.

3. Wrought Iron
This is the staircase at Limehouse Town Hall – I’m writing the audio script for a walk based here in December. It’s 5 mins from where I live so tend to pop in for inspirational writing moments.

4. Roof Garden
Popped out to get some fresh air – the roof garden at my studio space in Dalston. Big Sky.

5. Flyers
I’m running a series of talks in Nov, first of which as part of #thefutureseries. Some of the flyers I need to get out sharpish.

6. Banged Up
Filmmaker friend who sits next to me needs to test his set – a photo of me banged up. Quite appropriate seeing as I’m 7 months pregnant.

7. Board
I need to update my visualisation board – new business cards made it bottom left, beginning of this week.

8. Chaise Longue
Had 3 meetings on here today. They were too shy to be snapped. On another note, I need this re-upholstered – ideas?

9. Orange Line
Time to go home – do people prefer the end seat that much?

10. Feet Duvets
I don’t work in the evenings if I can help it. All that happens in that time is private but I do recommend these to give your feet some love at the end of the day.

Olivia Bellas is a multi-skilled arts professional with over ten years experience in and a broad knowledge of the creative industries. Her interest lies in audience engagement and organisational development. She has launched new film festivals; Open City Docs Fest and CWFF, securing valuable partnerships and creating engaging programmes. Olivia has successfully fundraised and produced a range of interactive projects, most recently focusing on strategy for the digital literacy initiative: MyStreet. She is on the board for Alpha-ville – which explores the intersection between arts, technology and society. Olivia develops her own creative practice through arts collective, ScreenDeep and is director of her own cultural consultancy The Original Ranch.

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Following exclusive cocktails from Imbibe 2012 winners Eight Bar and a mixology masterclass in which CVTF500 members were invited to add their own twist to the classic Courvoisier Sidecar, Olivia Bellas of The Original Ranch redefined the concept of leadership and introduced the sister concept of followership to the network, asking the question: “Why be a leader when you can be a follower?”.

Add your voice to the discussion at facebook.com/CourvoisierUK and twitter.com/courvoisierukusing #thefutureseries.