What does XO mean in brandy?

Is VSOP or XO better

Is XO or VSOP better An XO cognac must be aged for a minimum of 10 years, in comparison a VSOP must age for a minimum of four years. It comes down to personal preference which is better but an XO is usually considered as superior.

What is XO in brandy

XO stands for “Extra Old”: XO cognacs are made only from eaux-de-vie at least six years old. Cognacs such as “Napoleon” or “Old Reserve” are equivalent to XO cognac. Incidentally, the reason these abbreviations are in English is because cognac has been exported for many years and the first importers spoke English.

What is the difference between VSOP and XO

→ VS stands for Very Special, and it means Cognac was aged at least two years. → VSOP stands for Very Special Old Pale – aged at least four years. → XO or Napoleon means Extra Old – aged at least six years.

What does XO mean in Hennessy

Extra Old

Invented by a cognac house in 1870, the cognac XO means « Extra Old ». Indeed, its eaux-de-vie are aged in barrels for at least 10 years. But an XO has, in general, an average age between 15 and 20 years because of its blend. This is the reference for Cognac houses.

Why is XO so expensive

Creating Cognac is an incredibly long and complicated process. It must be distilled twice and aged in French oak barrels for at least two years. For a Cognac to be considered as Extra Old (XO), it must have been aged for a minimum of 10 years.

Why is Hennessy XO cognac so expensive

However, the cost comes with good reason. According to French law, the X.O. category of cognac requires the liquor to be aged a minimum of ten years (via Cognac Expert). Yet, the eaux-de-vie included in the blend of Hennessy X.O contains barrels that are aged for up to 30 years, per Bar and Restaurant.

Why is cognac called XO

XO stands for “Extra Old”: XO cognacs are made only from eaux-de-vie at least six years old. Cognacs such as “Napoleon” or “Old Reserve” are equivalent to XO cognac. Incidentally, the reason these abbreviations are in English is because cognac has been exported for many years and the first importers spoke English.

Why is cognac XO so expensive

Creating Cognac is an incredibly long and complicated process. It must be distilled twice and aged in French oak barrels for at least two years. For a Cognac to be considered as Extra Old (XO), it must have been aged for a minimum of 10 years.

What does VSOP mean in brandy

Very Superior Old Pale

Other denominators and expressions are permitted, such as “3 stars” or “luxury”, and as such are included in the VS cognac category. VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”.

Is XO cognac the best

XO Cognac has the richest and most mature flavor profile. It's often described as “spicy” and “intense,” but it's simultaneously the best Cognac for sipping, especially as a nightcap.

What does VSOP mean in Hennessy

Very Superior Old Pale

VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”. XO stands for “Extra Old”: XO cognacs are made only from eaux-de-vie at least six years old.

Why is it called VSOP

VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”. XO stands for “Extra Old”: XO cognacs are made only from eaux-de-vie at least six years old.

What’s VSOP stand for

Very Superior Old Pale

VSOP, “Very Superior Old Pale”, which is now common for all Cognac Houses actually dates back to 1817 British Royal Court. So, what does VSOP stand for exactly For a cognac to be classified as a VSOP, the minimum age of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend must be at least 4 years old.

What is cognac XO vs VSOP vs VS

The designations you see on Cognac labels—VS (Very Special), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) and XO (Extra Old)—are a guarantee of how long a Cognac has been aged. VS indicates that the Cognac has been aged at least two years, VSOP at least four years and XO (Extra Old) at least six years.

What is cognac vs brandy

As previously mentioned, brandy is distilled fruit juice, and it can be any kind of fruit juice, while cognac is a specific type of distilled fruit juice with lots of qualifications. Cognac comes from the Cognac region of southwestern France, and is made with a fruit juice base of white grapes.

What are the grades of brandy

After a double distillation, the beverage is usually aged in oak barrels and labelled according to its age (VS is a minimum of 3 years old, VSOP is a minimum of 5 years old, XO is a minimum of 7 years old, and XXO is a minimum of 20 years old).

Is brandy better than cognac

Cognac is a type of brandy but has a more specific distillation process. It comes from the Cognac region in southwest France and uses white grapefruit juice, so the flavor is more consistent across brands. This liquor is of higher quality than most brandy as it adheres to strict standards.

Why is Hennessy XO so expensive

Why is Hennessy so expensive Cognac is typically more expensive than other spirits. The main reason is that the distillation process itself is more expensive. The spirits base ingredient is grapes, rather than grains, and distilling wine from juice is also an expensive process.

Is VS and VSOP the same

The designations you see on Cognac labels—VS (Very Special), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) and XO (Extra Old)—are a guarantee of how long a Cognac has been aged. VS indicates that the Cognac has been aged at least two years, VSOP at least four years and XO (Extra Old) at least six years.

What is the meaning of eau de vie

water of life

An eau de vie (French for spirit, lit. 'water of life') is a clear, colourless fruit brandy that is produced by means of fermentation and double distillation. The fruit flavor is typically very light.

What is cognac vs vs VSOP vs XO

The designations you see on Cognac labels—VS (Very Special), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) and XO (Extra Old)—are a guarantee of how long a Cognac has been aged. VS indicates that the Cognac has been aged at least two years, VSOP at least four years and XO (Extra Old) at least six years.

How long is Hennessy XO aged

How long is Hennessy XO aged Each of the eaux-de-vie contained within Hennessy XO is between 10 and 70 years old, and there are more than one hundred of them contained in this fine blend of Hennessy XO.

Is VSOP the same as brandy

VSOP means Very Superior Old Pale, for a cognac that has aged for four or more years. And XO means Extra Old, for a cognac that has aged six or more years. Whew! So, main takeaway here—cognac is a type of brandy made in a very specific region of France with very specific grapes and very specific qualifications.

What does VSOP stand for

Very Superior Old Pale

VSOP, “Very Superior Old Pale”, which is now common for all Cognac Houses actually dates back to 1817 British Royal Court. So, what does VSOP stand for exactly For a cognac to be classified as a VSOP, the minimum age of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend must be at least 4 years old.

What is the difference between XXO and XO

XO: Meaning “Extra Old”. This is Cognac of which the youngest in the blend is at least ten years old. This came into force in April 2018, so if you have a bottle of XO from before then the youngest Cognac in the blend had to be six years old. XXO: Meaning “Extra Extra Old”.