The Story
X.O. Hennessy — the original extra old cognac, created by Maurice Hennessy in 1870 as a private blend for friends and family, establishing the XO category that every cognac house has since adopted.
Hennessy X.O blends up to 100 eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, the two premier crus of the Cognac region, aged from 10 to 30 years in French Limousin oak. The blend was so successful as a private expression that Hennessy commercialized it in 1870, making it the world's first commercially available XO cognac — and the benchmark against which all subsequent XO expressions are measured.
The flavor profile of Hennessy XO is defined by the tension between dried fruit richness from the older components and the vibrant floral character of younger eaux-de-vie — a complexity that the 30-year maximum aging allows to develop fully before the blend is assembled.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Dried rose, jasmine, fig, dark chocolate, cinnamon
- Palate: Dark fruit, woody spice, candied orange, rancio
- Finish: Long, warming, persistent wood spice
Specs
- House: Hennessy, Cognac, France (est. 1765)
- Style: XO Cognac — Grande and Petite Champagne
- Blend: Up to 100 eaux-de-vie, aged 10–30 years
- ABV: 40%
- Size: 750ml
Browse all Hennessy at Wooden Cork or explore our cognac collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does XO mean in cognac? Extra Old — a legal age classification in Cognac requiring the youngest eaux-de-vie in the blend to be aged a minimum of 10 years. Hennessy invented the XO category in 1870 when Maurice Hennessy created this blend as a private expression.
- How does Hennessy XO relate to Paradis and Richard Hennessy? The Hennessy hierarchy ascends: VSOP → XO → Paradis → Richard Hennessy. XO is the entry into the prestige tier; Paradis and Richard draw on rarer, older eaux-de-vie from the cellars.
Description
X.O. Hennessy — the original extra old cognac, created by Maurice Hennessy in 1870 as a private blend for friends and family, establishing the XO category that every cognac house has since adopted.
Hennessy X.O blends up to 100 eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, the two premier crus of the Cognac region, aged from 10 to 30 years in French Limousin oak. The blend was so successful as a private expression that Hennessy commercialized it in 1870, making it the world's first commercially available XO cognac — and the benchmark against which all subsequent XO expressions are measured.
The flavor profile of Hennessy XO is defined by the tension between dried fruit richness from the older components and the vibrant floral character of younger eaux-de-vie — a complexity that the 30-year maximum aging allows to develop fully before the blend is assembled.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Dried rose, jasmine, fig, dark chocolate, cinnamon
- Palate: Dark fruit, woody spice, candied orange, rancio
- Finish: Long, warming, persistent wood spice
Specs
- House: Hennessy, Cognac, France (est. 1765)
- Style: XO Cognac — Grande and Petite Champagne
- Blend: Up to 100 eaux-de-vie, aged 10–30 years
- ABV: 40%
- Size: 750ml
Browse all Hennessy at Wooden Cork or explore our cognac collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does XO mean in cognac? Extra Old — a legal age classification in Cognac requiring the youngest eaux-de-vie in the blend to be aged a minimum of 10 years. Hennessy invented the XO category in 1870 when Maurice Hennessy created this blend as a private expression.
- How does Hennessy XO relate to Paradis and Richard Hennessy? The Hennessy hierarchy ascends: VSOP → XO → Paradis → Richard Hennessy. XO is the entry into the prestige tier; Paradis and Richard draw on rarer, older eaux-de-vie from the cellars.
