Cognac XO

XO stands for Extra Old: the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend has spent at least ten years in cask. A cognac is usually a blend of brandies of different ages, and the statement on the label says something about the youngest of them. The older eaux-de-vie in the same bottle can be a good deal older.

The ten-year limit is relatively new. The trade body BNIC announced the increase in 2011, and from 1 April 2018 the minimum age for XO went from six to ten years. Bottles that had been bottled as XO before 31 March 2018 with younger eau-de-vie could, after a notification to the BNIC, still be sold until 31 March 2019. Designations such as Hors d'âge and Extra fall under the same XO limit according to the same regulation.

The difference lies in the minimum ageing time of the youngest eau-de-vie. For VS (Very Special) that is two years, for VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) four years, for Napoléon six years, for XO ten years and for XXO (Extra Extra Old) fourteen years. The appellation's specifications also require that every cognac must age at least two years before it may be sold as a drink.

XXO is the newest category: it was introduced in 2018 for cognac made from eaux-de-vie at least fourteen years old. Napoléon remained unchanged at six years in the 2018 amendment. The letters therefore say nothing about taste or house, only about minimum age; how old the blend is on average is determined by the producer.

Those are crus: the origin of the grapes within the cognac region. The appellation’s specification lists Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois and Bons Bois as additional geographical designations. Champagne here means the region in the Charente, not the sparkling wine.

Fine Champagne is not a separate area but a blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, with at least 50 percent from Grande Champagne. On an XO you will often see the cru next to the age statement, as with an XO Grande Champagne or an XO Fine Champagne.

Cognac is a brandy made from wine of white grapes, including ugni blanc, colombard and folle blanche. The specification prescribes double distillation in the Charentais still, and distillation must be completed by 31 March of the year after the harvest at the latest.

After that, the eau-de-vie matures without interruption and exclusively in oak. The age that counts for VS, VSOP or XO is the time in cask. The BNIC supervises the ages. An XO on the label therefore means that every eau-de-vie in the bottle has spent at least ten years in oak.

The shop at the Brink currently stocks 19 bottles of XO cognac, all from France. The big houses are represented with Hennessy XO, Courvoisier X.O. and Remy Martin, alongside Hine with the Hine Antique XO. From smaller and family houses there are, among others, Frapin, Godet, Braastad, Château Montifaud, Hardy, Joseph Guy, Francois Peyrot, Dupuy and Davidoff.

Anyone who wants to compare the cru can place the Frapin Chateau Fontpinot XO Cognac Grande Champagne next to the Godet XO Fine Champagne. For the older category, the Dupuy Cognac XXO is on the shelf, next to the Braastad Cognac XO. Would you like to know what is on a label or which bottle suits an occasion? Feel free to call or drop by ’t Bockje at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.