On Ice & Neat & Food PairingXO stands for "Extra Old", and describes a Cognac consisting of eaux-de-vie that have been aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 10 years. Just like VS (Very Special) and VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), Extra Old is another English expression, which shows the strong connection to foreign countries, especially Great Britain and America.
"XO" was coined by Cognac Hennessy and first used in 1870. Even though the youngest blend in an XO Cognac can be as young as ten years, an XO usually has an average age of between 15 and 20 years, sometimes older. So how old is an XO Cognac officially? As of 2018, the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) have decided that the minimum XO Cognac age for the youngest eau-de-vie is ten years, in an effort to improve the quality of the spirit across the board.
An XO Cognac can also be called “Old Réserve” or "Vieille Réserve". As XO is the final official age category, “Napoleon”, "Extra", "Hors d'Age", and "Tres Vieille Réserve", are designations that fall into the XO category, however, there can be important differences in quality and age.
The XO is the ‘gold standard’ by which Cognac houses are typically judged. If you’re looking for a good Cognac, an XO can tell you a lot. So what does XO Cognac taste like? The time spent in the barrels can influence the Cognac significantly, and an exceptional XO will be rich and luxurious with warm spice, toffee, chocolate, nuts and dried fruit.
So which XO Cognac is the best? Take a look at our selection, some have won multiple awards and accreditations such as the Hennessy XO, the XO by Remy Martin, Martell XO Borderies and so on.
Learn more in our selection of educational Cognac articles.
Extra Old
XO stands for Extra Old, the tier where Cognac gains real depth. Since 2018 the youngest eau-de-vie in an XO must be at least ten years old, and most houses blend spirits far older. From the great maisons to small family growers, this is where character, cru and age come together.
Cognac is sold in age tiers, and the stated age always refers to the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend. VS means at least two years, VSOP at least four, and XO at least ten. The XO minimum rose from six to ten years in April 2018, so every XO you buy today carries that older baseline. Above XO sit XXO (at least fourteen years), Extra and Hors d'Age, where blends often average thirty years or more.
| Age tier | Minimum age of youngest eau-de-vie | Typical character |
|---|---|---|
| VS | 2 years | Young, fruity, lively |
| VSOP | 4 years | Rounder, oak and vanilla |
| XO | 10 years | Deep, spiced, dried fruit, early rancio |
| XXO | 14 years | Concentrated, savoury, long |
| Hors d'Age | 10 years minimum, often 30 to 50 | Rare, complex, full rancio |
Age classes follow the Cognac AOC specification overseen by the BNIC.
How to read one
Every XO can be read like a short tasting sheet, the fiche de degustation. Learn these five markers and you can compare any two bottles with confidence:
Each product page on our shop lists these details, so you can match an XO to the style you enjoy before you buy.
Age and terroir
An XO is an assembly, blended by the cellar master (maitre de chai) from eaux-de-vie of different ages and often several crus. The ten-year minimum is only a floor: the finest houses fold in spirits aged twenty, thirty or more years to add depth. Each year in the cellar a little evaporates, the part des anges (angels' share), quietly concentrating what remains.
Every bottle we sell follows the cahier des charges of the Cognac AOC: Ugni Blanc grapes grown across the six crus, a double distillation in Charentais copper pot stills, and ageing in French oak. Long maturation is what brings an XO its amber colour, its spice and its first savoury rancio.
From our cellar
We taste XO Cognac as a team, blind and side by side, and write up what we find. If you are deciding between bottles, these tastings are the honest shortcut:
The bottles that came first in each tasting are gathered in our winners just below.
Family tasting champions
Four blind family tastings over the years, four winners. Each of these bottles came top of its table.
88 / 100, 1st place
Our Big Four blind showdown put five icons head to head. d'Ussé came out on top, ahead of Martell, Courvoisier, Remy Martin and Hennessy.
1st place
Winner of our 2020 lockdown tasting, an elegant, long Fine Champagne XO and a lasting favourite.
1st place
Our 2022 Family Tasting champion, a Grande Champagne with depth, spice and a long finish.
94 / 100, 1st place
Top of eleven small grower XOs in our warehouse tasting, floral and pure Borderies.
Bestsellers
The in-stock XO bottles our customers come back for.
Prestige
Collector and art editions from the great houses, for the serious buyer.
Great maisons
The benchmark XOs from the established Cognac houses.
Grower estates
Outstanding XO from independent growers, often under 110 euros.
Premier cru
Old expressions from the first growth and named crus.
Serving
Serve it neat, at room temperature, in a tulip-shaped glass that gathers the aromas. There is no need to add ice or water to a spirit this refined. Let it open in the glass and reveal its layers of dried fruit, candied orange, oak spice and leather.
An XO is made for slow sipping, an after-dinner moment or a gift that lasts. It pairs beautifully with dark chocolate, a mature hard cheese, walnuts, or a good cigar. Stored upright, away from light and heat, a sealed bottle keeps for years.
Good to know
XO stands for Extra Old. It is an official age tier: the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend must be at least ten years old. Most houses use spirits far older than the minimum.
At least ten years, measured on the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend. The minimum rose from six to ten years in April 2018. In practice many XOs blend spirits aged fifteen, twenty or more years.
It is older and usually more complex. VSOP guarantees a four-year minimum, XO a ten-year minimum. XO tends to show more dried fruit, spice and depth, while VSOP is lighter and fruitier. Better depends on the moment and your taste.
Expect a deep amber colour and aromas of dried apricot and fig, candied orange, vanilla, oak spice and gentle leather. The palate is round and full, and older blends begin to show the savoury walnut note called rancio.
Napoleon sits between VSOP and XO, with a six-year minimum. XO is a ten-year minimum. Hors d'Age shares the same legal minimum as XO but signals far greater maturity, often thirty to fifty years. XXO is a fourteen-year minimum.
Small family growers such as Choloux, Les Ormeaux, Braastad, Le Roch and Vallein Tercinier offer excellent XO around 75 to 110 euros. See our small-producer selection above and our family tastings on the blog.
Most classic-house XOs sit between 90 and 300 euros. Small-grower XOs start around 75 euros, while prestige and limited editions from the great maisons can run into the thousands. There is a good XO at almost every budget.
We recommend serving an XO neat, at room temperature, in a tulip glass, so nothing masks the aromas built over long ageing. Ice is a matter of taste, but it mutes the more delicate notes of an older spirit.
Store the bottle upright, away from light and heat. Unlike wine, Cognac does not age further in the bottle. A well-sealed bottle keeps its character for years, and an opened bottle is best enjoyed within a year or two.
Keep exploring
From young and lively to the rarest old blends, explore every style with Cognac Expert.
The full cellar
Our complete XO selection follows below. Filter by house, cru, price and age, with worldwide shipping and expert advice on every bottle.
Brand
Price
Cognac age
Growth area
Bottle size
Vintage year
Organic
Grape Varieties
Armagnac age
Cask Strength
ABV
Partner
Availability
