Martell Welcomes Remy Savage For An Evening Of Cocktails, Charm, And Unexpected Wisdom

We caught the sought-after mixologist in Kuala Lumpur and tapped into his philosophy, creativity, and life beyond the bar.

Hidden beneath the neon buzz of Moxy Kuala Lumpur Chinatown lies Lavantha Bar—a moody, intimate hideout where the lighting is soft, the cocktails are clever, and on this particular evening, the air was charged with the presence of Remy Savage. Revered among drinks connoisseurs for his obsessive knowledge of spirits and his art-driven approach to cocktails, Remy is the sort of bartender who can make you rethink your entire relationship with a glass.

Remy Savage chased hard for his passion

His story reads like the résumé of a man chasing—and catching—his passions across continents. After years of travelling and bartending around the world, he settled in Paris and became the face of Little Red Door. There, he didn’t just shake drinks—he shook up the way people thought about drinking. Remy approached cocktails with philosophical curiosity, treating every element—from lighting to menu design—as part of a grand experiment in how humans experience flavour.

He left Paris in 2017 for what he calls his ‘dream job’ at Artesian in London’s Langham Hotel, where he spent more than two years resurrecting one of the most iconic bars on the planet. Then came Le Syndicat, then A Bar With Shapes For a Name—an instant hit that soared onto the World’s 50 Best Bars list within a year. By 2023, Remy was ranked the 6th Most Influential Industry Figure in the Bar World 100. In short: the man knows a thing or two about drinks—and even more about ideas.

The collaboration with Martell

So how did his collaboration with Martell begin? With passion, persistence, and a healthy dose of humour. “I spent about four years essentially begging for a job that didn’t exist,” he laughs. Martell eventually called, intrigued by his genuine love for cognac. With his constant globe-hopping, Remy quickly noticed something: cognac is enjoyed very differently from Nigeria to Malaysia to France. His mission with Martell is to shape a global, modern vision for how the spirit can live in cocktails—without losing its soul.

Art plays a huge role in Remy’s process. Each of his bars is built around a different art movement. One Paris bar might be inspired by a particular philosophical school, while in London he channels minimalism or functionalism. Cocktails must follow the rules of that movement—yes, even cocktails need discipline. For the Art, Technique, Taste, and Intention (ATTI) collaboration—a Martell initiative featuring world-renowned artists, bartenders, and creatives—Rémy approached mixology the same way an artist approaches a canvas: by asking how flavour, design, and intention come together to create an experience.

He sees cognac cocktails as the perfect balance of complexity and accessibility. “Cognac is easy to enjoy but incredibly complex,” he says. That’s why his drinks tend to use as few components as possible—letting the cognac take centre stage. This is especially true with Martell, which he praises for its unique distillation method. By removing yeast sediments, Martell produces a spirit that is “linear, direct, very clear.” A minimalist’s dream.

Before bartending, Remy studied philosophy—and it shows. He approaches flavour like a thinker: questioning, refining, searching for clarity. “The same way you want to find truth, maybe what we want is to find the thing that gives a guest a nice experience,” he muses. “Maybe it’s just one good cocktail.”

Diving into classic cocktails

Recently, Remy has been diving deep into classic cocktails. Running multiple bars—Paris, London, Lyon, and soon New York—he designs each project around an art movement, and his upcoming New York opening is inspired by Art Deco. This has led him back to the classics, which he believes every bartender must understand to evolve the craft: “You need to understand how classics work in order to build upon them.”

When asked if he’ll open a bar in Asia one day, he grins. “It’s kind of a dream,” he admits. But juggling multiple venues requires clever navigation—so for now, it remains a dream parked gently on the horizon.

To Remy, luxury isn’t about price—it’s about intention. A cocktail, he says, is one of life’s most accessible luxuries. Unlike a two-hour fine-dining experience, a cocktail offers an elevated moment that’s crafted, thoughtful, and fleeting in the best possible way. “It’s the luxury of a moment well spent.”

Introducing cognac to new audiences, he insists, isn’t difficult at all. Early in his career, a guest challenged him to make a Negroni with Martell Cordon Bleu—and it changed everything. Turns out cognac works beautifully across classic cocktail structures. Its grape-based origins give it acidity, fruitiness, and approachability. Swap cognac into your favourite classic, Remy suggests, and you’ll understand its charm almost instantly.

If he had to capture the spirit of Martell in one cocktail, he’d choose one from his Paris bar, Bamboo: a highball built entirely from grape-based ingredients—cognac, verjuice, grape sugar, water. Simple, expressive, and undeniably Martell. A grape love letter, in liquid form. Off-duty, Remy’s world is blissfully ordinary. At home, he loves making drinks for his wife and spending time with their two daughters—a 10-year-old and a toddler. “When you make a drink for someone you care for, it’s a very special thing,” he says. In that moment, the world’s most influential bartender becomes simply a husband and father, stirring a little love into Martell.