Hennessy XO is a Cognac blended from more than a hundred eaux-de-vie, the oldest of which have spent decades in French oak before the final assembly. It sits at the top of the house's range, and it is the reference point most people carry in their heads when they say the word Cognac.
- Cognac, France — the town and the appellation share a name.
- Ugni Blanc, the dominant grape of the region.
- 40% ABV, 750ml.
- Blended across more than a hundred eaux-de-vie.
- Ageing in French oak, the oldest components for decades.
How it is made
Cognac is a distilled wine, and the rules are strict: the base must be white wine from Ugni Blanc and a handful of other permitted grapes, and the spirit must be distilled twice in copper pot stills, the second pass finishing at no more than 72% ABV. The clear distillate, called eau-de-vie, goes into oak, where it loses alcohol to evaporation — the part the trade calls the angels' share — and takes on colour and structure. XO on the label means the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend has spent at least ten years in wood.
How it tastes
Rich and layered, with candied fruit and dark chocolate leading into warm spice. Leather, tobacco and toasted oak sit underneath, and the finish is long and velvety rather than sharp. The age in the blend shows as weight without roughness.
Where it comes from
Cognac is a defined region north of Bordeaux, split into six growing zones. The chalk soils of the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne crus are the most prized, and the spirit drawn from them is typically the slowest to come round in barrel — and the longest-lived once it does.
Good to know
The region's vineyards were planted to Ugni Blanc largely because the grape is acidic and low in alcohol, which makes a thin, sharp wine — and a thin, sharp wine is exactly what distils well. It is a grape nobody drinks for pleasure and everybody needs.
Contains alcohol.
