Geoffrey Dean: is that a £200,000 Cognac trunk in Harrods window?

Anyone walking past Harrods on Brompton Road by the corner of Hans Road before October 22 can have a look at the sumptuous Martell ‘trunk' on display behind the famous old London store's windows. It's shaped more like a bookcase than a suitcase and, thanks to its special contents, carries a cool RRP of £200,000. Only two have been made - the other being in the Far East - and for serious Cognac connoisseurs with money to blow, this represents a must-have toy.

The boy-racer oligarchs, and others who can afford it, will like the fact it comes on wheels, allowing it to be trollied around like a prized Ferrari. But instead of an engine with several hundred break-horsepower inside it, the trunk - or ‘malle' as the French call it - boasts a truly extraordinary collection of rare eaux-de-vie from Martell, the oldest of all Cognac houses, with its 300th anniversary coming up next March.

Also inside the trunk are some useful accessories, including crystal glasses, decanters, cocktail-making utensils, rare-scented candles and even a cigar humidor. Hand-written tasting notes by cellar-master, Benoit Fil, on the full Martell collection are a thoughtful addendum.

The trunk houses 28 eaux-de-vie in 20 cl bottles from Martell's four terroirs - Borderies, Grande & Petite Champagne, and Fins Bois. There are also two bottles each of the Cordon Bleu (RRP £110), XO (£135), Creation Grand Extra (£400) and, most famous of all, L'Or de Jean Martell, a complex blend of over 100 eaux-de-vie, some ageed for more than a century.

This liquid gold, only 12 bottles of which are exported by Martell to the UK each year - all to Harrods - comes in a magnificent arched decanter and retails for the small matter of £2,995 each. Several London bars have it at around £400 per glass, but I was among a few lucky drinks scribes who tasted all four of these magnificent Cognacs in the presence of Thierry Giraud, Martell's brand development manager.

The celebrated Monsieur Fil, himself, will host two dinners at Harrods on Oct 17 and 18 when he and nine invited guests will be seated in the shop window on Brompton Road after the store closes. So if you happen to pass by on either of those evenings, you will know what all the fuss is about.