Hennessy XO Cognac - New Equipment

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: Yes

Special Features:

Maturation in young oak casks shapes the powerful character of Hennessy X.O. Its eaux-de-vie, the wine spirits selected for the blend, develop their roundness over a long period. Candied fruit, pronounced spice and dark chocolate combine with a distinct oak influence.

Maurice Hennessy and the then Master Blender Emile Fillioux created X.O in 1870, initially for their personal circle of friends. The designation stands for Extra Old; the blend was among the early cognacs in this age category. It was first served at a lunch at Château de Bagnolet.

The decanter also has a history of its own: in 1947, Gérald de Geoffre designed its distinctive shape around the outline of an inverted bunch of grapes. This bottling contains 0.7 litres of cognac at 40% alcohol and comes in gift packaging. As well as enjoying it neat, Hennessy X.O can be explored over ice; as the ice slowly melts, its fruit and spice notes gradually emerge.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, candied fruit combines with delicate spice notes to create a rounded, subtle aromatic impression.
• Palate: The palate reveals a creamy texture with candied fruit. An intense warmth builds slowly, accompanied by bold peppery spice and a hint of chocolate. The warmth reaches its peak and subsides again, while the cognac remains full-bodied. Dark chocolate gradually becomes more apparent, followed by pronounced accents of oak and vanilla. A delicate cocoa note complements the flavours.
• Finish: The finish is long-lasting. Gradually fading oak notes sustain it, with the flavours and sensations experienced earlier continuing to echo.

Distillery/Bottler:

The history of Hennessy dates back to 1765. Its cognacs are based on Ugni Blanc grapes from the Cognac region along the Charente. This late-ripening variety produces high-acidity wines with a low alcohol content, making them suitable for distillation. The wine is distilled twice in traditional Charentais copper stills; the heart of the second distillation is selected for subsequent maturation.

Hennessy guides the development of its eaux-de-vie by transferring them between casks and storing them in different cellars. In more humid cellars near the Charente, softer, rounder wine spirits can develop, while drier conditions favour a more pronounced character. The selected eaux-de-vie are tasted at least once a year throughout their maturation.

Responsibility for the blends has rested with the Fillioux family for around two centuries. Renaud Fillioux de Gironde continues this work as the eighth-generation Master Blender. Together with the tasting committee, he assesses the eaux-de-vie and their potential for development every day at 11 a.m. in Cognac. Training a committee member’s nose and palate takes ten years, providing a shared foundation for selecting and blending the cognacs.

Facts: