Types of Cognac
When it comes to understanding the bewildering terminology of cognac categories, it can leave any of us a little confused. That’s because the laws regarding the aging process of cognac date back many years and have changed very little since their inception.
So, to give you a helping hand we’ve crafted the following guide to demystify all those confusing terms and explain the different grades of cognac; allowing you to determine a VS from an XXO and wow your peers with your in-depth understanding of the world’s favorite brandy.
Before we begin, let’s just clarify a few points. It’s important to understand that no matter whether a cognac is a blend or a single cru they mature, or age, in an identical manner.
However, eau-de-vie from the terroir of Grande Champagne takes much longer to mature than those from the other growth regions. Cognac from the Fins Bois area takes the shortest time of all.
What this means in practical terms is that Grande Champagne cognac takes years (sometimes decades) longer to be honed to perfection. This is one of the factors that’s reflected in the price of the end product.
It is also worth noting that in contrast to a liquor such as whisky, where the name will denote how old the spirit is (21-year old, 12-year old, etc), cognac uses letters instead. Once you understand what these mean it begins to be much clearer as to how old an individual cognac really is.
So now we’re clear on that, let’s shed some light on the official cognac age categories and all the different types of cognac, of which there are a lot nowadays.
VS Cognac
VS: Aged 2 Year
Suitable for Cocktails, Mixed Drinks & Cooking
VS Cognac stands for “Very Special” Cognac. A VS Cognac must be aged for a minimum of two years. It is also referred to as ‘Sélection’, ‘De Luxe’ or simply ***. If you see three stars on a cognac bottle, it means it is in the VS age category. This means that the youngest eau-de-vie that was used to create the blend was aged in oak barrels for at least two years.
The aging process sees the liquid taking on the color of wood, but as it’s only for a relatively short amount of time the eau-de-vie end up a light straw yellow/amber color. It may be a little punchy on the palate with a youthful fire, but a young cognac can boast lovely fruity aromas.
VSOP Cognac
VSOP: Aged 4 Years +
Suitable for Cocktails, On Ice & Cooking
To classify as a VSOP Cognac, the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend must be at least four years old. As in any other age category, this does not prevent the master blender from using much older eaux-de-vie in order to achieve the perfect harmony for the final cognac blend. As a result, the average age of a VSOP is often much older than the minimum requirement of four years.
XO Cognac
XO: Aged 10 Years +
Suitable on ice, neat & paired with food
“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, a XO usually has an average age of between 15 and 20 years, sometimes older. So how old is a Cognac XO officially? As of 2018, the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) increased the minimum XO cognac age for the youngest eau-de-vie from six to ten years, in an effort to improve the quality of the spirit across the board.
XXO Cognac
XXO: Aged 14 Year
Suitable on ice, neat & paired with food
XXO stands for ‘extra extra old’, and is a relatively new category that was officially added to the description of cognac ages in 2018. Just as with the other age descriptions of cognac, VS, VSOP and XO, an XXO Cognac consists of eau-de-vie that’s been aged within French oak barrels. But in the case of an XXO, the minimum length of aging to qualify is 14 years. This makes an XXO cognac the oldest official rating a cognac can hold.
Napoleon Cognac
Napoleon: Aged for a minimum of 6 Years +Suitable on ice, neat & paired with food
What is Napoleon Cognac?
An unofficial age designation, “Napoleon” Cognac technically falls within the official classification of a V.S.O.P which requires eaux-de-vie to be aged for a minimum of four years. However, a V.S.O.P Cognac may be referred to as a Napoleon if it has been aged for more than six years.
Réserve Cognac
Reserve: Aged for an average of 25 Years +
Suitable neat and paired with food
Officially, like an XO Cognac, the youngest eau-de-vie in a ‘Réserve’ has to be aged for a minimum of 10 years. The average age is much older than that for a good Réserve Cognac though.
Hors d'Age Cognac
Hors d’Age: Aged for between 30 and 50 years, or even 100 years +
Suitable to enjoy neat
Hors d’Age means “beyond age” and is the age category that describes the highest quality Cognac, in terms of age that is. Officially it is classified in the XO age denomination, but it is used for cognacs that have an average age of 30 years and above. Hors d’Age blends can be 30, 40, 50, even up to 100 years old. A Cognac hors d age is amongst the oldest cognacs you can get, together with an ancestral, or perhaps a Très Vieille Réserve.
Extra Cognac
Extra: Aged on average for between 15 and 25 years +
Suitable to drink neat
Just like an XO, the youngest eau-de-vie in an Extra cognac must have been aged for a minimum of 10 years, however an Extra cognac will have been aged for well over the minimum requirement.
It’s generally regarded that a cognac of an Extra quality is superior to that of an XO. If you’re looking for a bottle that is more than just special, an Extra cognac is your perfect choice.
Buy Cognac Online: over 700 products in stock
Our passion for Cognac transcends the boundaries of our blog, reaching out to those who seek to buy Cognac with an authentic taste of the region.
FAQs
VS stands for “Very Special” cognac. This classification refers to a cognac that has been aged for a minimum of two years. It is also referred to as “Sélection”, “De Luxe”, or ***.
VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”, this is a cognac that has been aged for a minimum of four years. This category is also sometimes called, “Very Superior Special Pale”, “Very Old”, “Réserve” or “Vieux”.
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.
Hors d’Age translates to “beyond age”, this unofficial age category refers to cognacs from age 30 years and up.
There are four official age categories of cognac: VS, VSOP, XO and the recent addition of XXO. However, there a number of other unofficial classifications such as Napoleon, Hors d’Age and Vintages.