Skinny Fabulous joins Martell "famalay"

VINCENTIAN soca star Gamal "Skinny Fabulous" Doyle will be moving up and up with Martell Cognac this Carnival as he was selected to be a brand ambassador for the 300-year-old company on Friday afternoon.

Known for his baritone voice, he will be lending his charisma and showmanship to Martell – one of the oldest brands of French cognac.

Speaking at a ceremony at Massy Distributors Ltd, Macoya, Doyle said he was a social drinker and often encouraged his friends and associates to expand outside of their comfort zones with food and drink. He also said he considered himself to be an amateur connoisseur of liquor and insisted on tasting Martell firsthand before representing the company.

"It's a brand that I was introduced to, so I wanted to give some honest feedback. I was really just a guy sampling a drink and without any influence at all, I legitimately liked the product.

"When I got the phone call to represent the product I told the representative to bring a bottle so I can sample it myself. I didn't want to blindly sign off on something I cannot appreciate. So I was given a bottle and I loved it."

Doyle known for his hit Famalay and more recently, Conch Shell, treated staff at the ceremony to a brief freestyle for Martell Cognac using lyrics from some of his hit tunes.

Some of Martell's other brand ambassadors include US actress Diane Kruger and South African fashion icon Hussain Van Roos.

The Martell House was founded in 1715 at the height of the French Art de Vivre, an era where gastronomy, tasting and craftsmanship were all celebrated.