Tag: xo

When exploring the world of Cognac, two terms often encountered are VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) and XO (Extra Old). These labels indicate the age of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend—four years for VSOP and ten years for XO. However, the story behind these labels is far more nuanced, especially when considering the practices of major producers versus smaller, artisanal distillers. The Reality of VSOP and XO Cognac Historically, VSOP and XO cognacs represented significant quality and ageing. XO, in particular, used to indicate a blend where the average age was around 25 years. However, due to commercial pressures,… Read more

XO brandy, XO cognac. XO armagnac. Why is the term XO used so often when few of us actually know what it means? Originally, XO stood for Extra Old. In terms of age, up until 2018, an XO cognac had to be at least 6 years old but this was also the required minimum age of Napoleon Cognac. So, after decades of promising change, the controlling body of cognac, the BNIC, agreed to make the minimum barrel age of an XO cognac 10 years old. This is important because cognacs do not mature once they have been taken from their oak casks… Read more