Cognac · Explainer
What do VS, VSOP and XO mean on a bottle of cognac?
VS, VSOP and XO are ageing designations. VS stands for at least 2 years of ageing in oak, VSOP for at least 4 years, Napoléon for at least 6 years, XO for at least 10 years and XXO for at least 14 years. The period always applies to the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend, not to the average.
In brief
The key figures
| VS, 3 Etoiles, Selection | Compte 2, at least 2 years in oak |
|---|---|
| VSOP, Réserve, Vieux, Rare, Royal | Compte 4, at least 4 years |
| Napoléon | Compte 6, at least 6 years |
| XO, Hors d’Age, Extra, Ancestral | Compte 10, at least 10 years |
| XXO, Extra Extra Old | At least 14 years, added by arrêté of 8 November 2018 |
| Change to the XO requirement | Until 1 April 2018, XO could come from compte 6, so 6 years |
| Which age counts | That of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend (Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Article 13(6)) |
| Six crus | Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois à terroirs |
What is the minimum ageing behind VS, VSOP and XO?
VS means at least 2 years of ageing in oak, VSOP at least 4 years, Napoléon at least 6 years, XO at least 10 years and XXO at least 14 years.
Several names are permitted per designation. Alongside VSOP, compte 4 also covers Réserve, Vieux, Rare and Royal. Compte 10 covers XO, Hors d’Age, Extra, Ancestral, Or and Impérial. There are also Supérieur (3 years) and Vieille Réserve (5 years).
No cognac may be sold under 2 years old. Those two years must be spent uninterrupted in oak casks, within the area of the appellation.
What is the compte de vieillissement?
The compte is the official ageing count of the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac. Each eau-de-vie is given a number that goes up by one each year.
The count only begins after the final distillation date. The appellation rules require distillation to be completed by 31 March of the year after the harvest.
You won't see the compte on the label, but the designation is tied to it: VS is only allowed from compte 2, VSOP from compte 4, Napoléon from compte 6 and XO from compte 10.
Does the age apply to the whole bottle or to one eau-de-vie?
The age applies to the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend. An XO therefore often contains much older eaux-de-vie, but the youngest determines what may go on the label.
Regulation (EU) 2019/787 lays this down for all spirit drinks: a maturation period or age may only be stated if it refers to the youngest alcoholic component.
Two bottles of XO can therefore be far apart. Both reach the 10 years, but one house works around that limit and the other with much older lots.
Why did the XO requirement change?
The XO requirement went from compte 6 to compte 10, with 1 April 2018 as the turning point. Since then an XO stands for at least 10 years instead of 6.
The same revision made room above XO. The arrêté of 8 November 2018 added XXO and Extra Extra Old, for cognac with at least 14 years of ageing.
Older bottles with XO on the label may therefore still date from the compte 6 era. If in doubt, look at when it was bottled.
Which crus appear on a bottle of cognac?
The area has six crus: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois à terroirs. Stating the cru on the label is not compulsory.
If a cru is stated on the bottle, all the eau-de-vie in it comes from that one cru. Fine Champagne is the only permitted blend: only Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne together.
The appellation's vineyard area covers just over 87,648 hectares. When sold to consumers, cognac must contain at least 40 percent alcohol.
From the shop in Bathmen
Cognac by ageing class in the shop in Bathmen
The shop in Bathmen stocks 63 cognacs with VS, VSOP or XO on the label, from 24 different brands from 2 countries. The alcohol percentage ranges from 40% to 41%.
- Baron Otard Cognac V.S. 40% · 70 cl · France
- Baron Otard VSOP 40% · 70 cl · France
- Braastad Cognac VSOP 40% · 70 cl · France
- Braastad Cognac XO 40% · 70 cl · France
- BRAASTAD VS Cognac 40% · 70 cl · France
- Brouwhoeve Cognac Cheval D'or VSOP 40% · 50 cl · Spain
- Camus Elegance VS 40% · 70 cl · France
- Chateau Montifaud XO Christmas Edition 40% · 50 cl · France
- Château Montifaud VS 40% · 70 cl · France
- Château Montifaud VSOP 40% · 35 cl · France
Related questions
What does Napoleon mean on a cognac bottle?What is cognac?What is the difference between whisky and cognac?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- Is XO always better than VSOP?
- No. XO only says that the youngest eau-de-vie aged for at least 10 years. Style, cru and house blend determine whether a bottle suits you.
- What does Hors d’Age mean?
- Hors d’Age falls under the same requirement as XO: compte 10, so at least 10 years. Houses usually use the term for their older blends.
- What does Réserve add to VSOP?
- Legally, nothing. Like VSOP, Réserve belongs to compte 4, so at least 4 years of ageing.
- Does cognac continue to age in the bottle?
- No. Ageing takes place in oak casks. Once the cognac is bottled, the age stands still.
- What does XXO mean?
- XXO stands for at least 14 years of ageing. The designation has existed since the arrêté of 8 November 2018.
The reasoning
Sources
- Cognac, une appellation d origine contrôlée, Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (accessed 4 September 2026)
- Foire aux questions, Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (accessed 4 September 2026)
- Cahier des charges de l AOC Cognac, INAO (accessed 4 September 2026)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787, EUR-Lex, European Union (accessed 4 September 2026)
Deze pagina is geschreven en gecontroleerd door ’t Bockje Bathmen, slijterij aan de Brink 2 in Bathmen. Laatst bijgewerkt op 30 oktober 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.