What Do The Initials VS, VSOP And XO Mean in Cognac?
Cognac, a type of brandy and celebrated throughout the world for centuries, is an “eau de vie” meaning it is distilled from white wine and produced in the region of the same name. Distilled in pot stills, nowadays cognacs are usually blends that seek to convey the finesse and elegance of their base wines. According to the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), the official quality grades of cognac are.
Grades of Cognac
In the world of spirits, cognac has become synonymous with luxury. It is a drink enjoyed as a single spirit or mixed into cocktails (the Sidecar, Jack Rose and more). Like whisky, cognac uses letters to indicate its age rather than numbers. For instance, a bottle with the XO logo is considered extra old, but it doesn’t have to be aged for a decade to be classified as such.
V.S. (Very Special also called three stars) designates a blend in which the youngest brandy has been stored for at least two years in cask. Courvoisier makes a great V.S. These labels are designed to help you easily identify which is the best choice for your taste. For example, a VSOP cognac may have a slightly different aroma than an XO.
V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale) or Reserve designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is stored for at least four years in a cask. Dusse’s VSOP is regarded as one of the best. Napoléon designation, previously an unofficial term for XO Cognac, is now used to specifically denote Cognac blends with a minimum age of six years that do not meet the revised XO definition that shifted XO qualifications from 6 years to 10 years.
XO (Extra Old) or Napoléon currently designates a blend in which the luxury brandy is stored for at least six years. The minimum storage age of the youngest brandy used in an XO blend has been increased to 10 years in April 2018; this rule was originally scheduled for implementation in 2016, but was postponed due to inadequate stocks of cognac that was at least 10 years old. Courvoisier also excels in the XO department.
The Aging Standards
There are also different aging standards that are used to denote how old each type of cognac is, so you will need to check the label to see whether the brandy you are buying is one of these. Generally speaking, the younger cognacs such as VS are more fruity with a smoother, more gentle taste, while older eaux-de-vie have more complex flavours of alcohol and more woody notes. This is especially true of the VSOP cognacs, which have been aged longer than a VS cognac in oak barrels and available at online liquor store.
If you are a novice, it’s worth bearing in mind that most high-quality aged brandies are recommended to be consumed neat (i.e., without any additional sugar or ice). The letter VS stands for very special and indicates that the youngest eau-devie in the blend must have been aged for at least two years. The same applies for the VSOP cognac, which means that it has been aged for at least four years.
There is a lot of debate about the differences between VS and VSOP, but in general they are similar in flavour. VSOP is a slightly sweeter style of cognac, with a touch of oak and spices. Hors d’âge (Beyond Age) is a designation which BNIC states is equal to XO, but in practice the term is used by producers to market a high-quality product beyond the official age scale.
Although Cognac is a particularly French drink, these designations are made in English not just due to the popularity of the language across the world, but when Cognac first began to boom in consumption in the 18th century, the British were significant buyers of the spirit.
This is the case with Courvoisier and Hennessy, two of the world’s most popular brands of cognac. Busta Rhymes mega-hit song Pass the Courvoisier catapulted the brand into the mainstream of hip hop culture and it has since grown in popularity across the US. If you are looking to buy a good brandy, start with a VS or a VSOP. These are less expensive and you can learn what you like before investing too much money.
