Larsen cognac miniatures

Larsen was founded in Cognac in 1926 by Jens Reidar Larsen (1895 to 1980), a Norwegian who came to France in 1919 and bought the small house Joseph Gautier, renaming it J. R. Larsen & Co. Its cognac soon became known in Scandinavia, especially in Norway, where the very first order went to a pharmacy in Trondheim; from 1931 it was sold under the Larsen name, and Larsen has stayed a key cognac in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The house remained in the family until Rémy Cointreau bought it in 2012; it passed to Altia, later Anora, in 2013, and today the brand belongs to International Beverage.

In 1952 Larsen released its first Viking ship bottle, the drakkar behind its nickname, “the Cognac of the Vikings”. The ships have been made in glass and in hand-decorated Limoges porcelain, the Viking Ship cognac is a Fine Champagne, and over the years the house has issued limited editions for its own anniversaries and for collectors’ clubs.

This guide shows all 72 Larsen pieces in the collection, edition by edition: the classic ship decanters in a range of colours, numbered club and anniversary ships, editions made for Russian and Asian collectors, and the bottled range from V.S to X.O with the older Three Star, Napoléon and T.V.F.C labels. 62 are available; the 10 marked Sold stay in the guide as reference. Every bottle has its own page and reference number.

Larsen Viking ship decanters

The Viking ship is Larsen’s signature, first released in 1952. The miniature ships here come in glazed porcelain in many colours with gold detailing, in silver and gold finishes, and in clear glass and “ice” glass, most with their original boxes; one red gift box holds three ships. Most are labelled Larsen Invincible.

Numbered club and anniversary ships

Limited, numbered ships made for occasions: the Larsen collectors’ club, founded in Oslo in January 2000 (a 2007 edition and its 10th, 15th and 20th anniversaries), Larsen’s own 80th, 85th and 95th anniversaries, the 60th anniversary of the Viking ship in 2012, festival and colour editions, and ships bearing Viking Rysstad and Tor Ansgar Bakken anniversary inscriptions. Each bottle page gives the number shown on the bottle or its certificate.

Hong Kong, Asian club and Korean Air editions

Editions made for collectors’ clubs in Asia and for an airline: the Hong Kong Miniature Liquor Club (an X.O for its first anniversary and a ship for its 25th Silver Jubilee), the Asian Larsen Collector Club, and a pale blue porcelain ship with the Korean Air logo.

Ships for Russian collectors: historic ships, Moscow and Sochi 2014

White ships with Russian themes, as their labels and boxes describe them: historic Russian vessels (the frigates Pallada and Orel, the Peter I boat and the battleship Poltava) bottled for the Russian Mini Bottles Club, two Moscow editions dated 2012 and 2017, and a series of six for winter sports at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The details of each are on its own page.

Larsen V.S, V.S.O.P and X.O

The bottled range in miniature: V.S “Vikings”, V.S.O.P and X.O with the Viking longship emblem, the X.O Extra d’Or, and a V.S.O.P Reserve with a “25 Silver Jubilee” medallion. On its own site the house lists V.S, V.S.O.P and X.O today, alongside the Viking Ship Fine Champagne.

Older Larsen labels: Three Star, T.V.F.C, Napoléon and Extra

Older Larsen labels, several in green glass: Three Star (one bottled for the New Zealand market), Selection for Long Drinks, T.V.F.C Fine Champagne, Napoléon in several labels including an Italian import, and Extra Fine Champagne in a 1 fl. oz. bottle at 70 proof and a 4.5 cl bottle.