In good spirits

By William K.C. Kee

The brand ambassador of Martell Cognac makes a good pairing of his passion and profession.

From the moment he walks into the room, Jean-Baptiste Gourvil is all smiles. The smile doesn’t leave him throughout the interview, and his positive vibe and can-do attitude is thoroughly infectious.

As the brand ambassador of MartellCognac in Malaysia, there is no doubt Gourvil fits his role as well as a fine glass of spirits.

“I love it so much here,” he enthuses with a grin. “I take it all in. Some people might complain about the humid weather and traffic jam but for me, they are part of the experience.” Gourvil turns 27 in November and already, he has lived in six countries. “I love to travel and explore, meet new people, discover new tastes and new way of thinking.”

No wonder his two mottos in life are: “Make a new friend every day” and “Be curious”.

Gourvil will be based in Malaysia for two years. “My responsibility is to bring a little piece of France into Malaysia, and I am doing it through cognac. Many Malaysians already enjoy our Martell products, they love our brand and I am trying to bring them more knowledge, on why we’re different from our competitors.”

Born and raised in France, Gourvil has always been a wine and spirits enthusiast. From family dinners to trips around France, he has always put much effort into expanding his knowledge about wine and spirits.

He grew up in Bretagne and feels very bounded to the Cognac region as he spent most of his holidays at his grandparents’ house in a charming little village nearby Cognac. “Growing up, I was surrounded by wine yards … and from our home, I could see the sea! It was a very laidback lifestyle.”

After he graduated in 2016 with a Master of Science in International Marketing at ESC Rennes Business School, he joined Pernod Ricard France as a brand manager trainee for gin and whisky brands. Before joining the Pernod Ricard Malaysian team, he spent two years in the Czech Republic working in the beer industry educating consumers and carrying out consumer market research.

Gourvil is very excited to explore Asia and share his passion for what he considers some of the best ambassadors of the French culture: cognac and champagne.

He takes great pleasure bringing these products alive by conducting tastings, trainings and pairing these exceptional beverages with local cuisine. “In Malaysia, there is so much diversity when it comes to the food!” enthuses Gourvil.

“I have tried most of them but I don’t remember their names. Every time I go to a new restaurant, I try out new things … I am okay with spicy food. What is really great is the seafood here; it pairs so well with cognac.”

He names the new Martell MVSOP Aged in Red Barrels as a cognac that pairs well with food due to its finesse, rich fruity notes and delicate aromas. “It creates the perfect balance between fruity and spicy woody notes that comes from the time it spends in the Red Barrels. This balance of flavours gives the cognac its uniqueness.”

Born and raised in France, Gourvil has always been a wine and spirits enthusiast.

As a real food and drink enthusiast, he feels very attached to the French “art de vivre” that goes hand in hand with conviviality. Not surprisingly, he likes to cook in his spare time. “Preparing your own food, knowing what goes into making that dish, that is just a blast,” muses Gourvil, who also enjoys playing basketball.

Asked what the best part of his job is, Gourvil strikes a rare pause before answering: “There is so much to like! But if I could summarise, it would be discovering a new country, its culture, food and people, and finding new ways of consuming the beverage.”

He adds: “I really do enjoy meeting our customers and to understand them better. I want to know what we can do to make them enjoy cognac even more.” Over the next few months, Gourvil is set to visit Penang, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak as part of his work. But he also intends to explore these states on his own, as a curious tourist.

“In Europe, we party on Friday and Saturday nights. In Malaysia, it’s almost every night and I love that. The people here want to enjoy their lives, and that’s my philosophy too. I always believe that if you haven’t laughed at all during the day, it’s a day wasted. Have some fun!”

Last but not least, I ask Gourvil how best to cure a hangover. “Before you go to bed, drink lots of water and have a bit of food. If you can, exercise and sweat it out. And never drink on an empty stomach!”

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