Full Review

Courvoisier

Courvoisier
30 Year XO Royal Cognac

Category: XO Cognac

Date Tasted:
Country: France
Alcohol: 40%
95 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$285

Courvoisier
30 Year XO Royal Cognac

Category: XO Cognac

Date Tasted:
Country: France
Alcohol: 40%
Light dark amber color. Aromas and flavors of dried red fruits, cigar box and English fudge, dark chocolate, and spiced poached pear with a round, crisp, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, complex, long finish conveying accents of apricot and peach, spiced poached pear and honeycomb, cigar box and dried red cherries, and creme brulee. A really delicious and complex XO with amazing rich and earthy notes of age.

Tasting Info

Spirits Glass Style: Rich & Full
Aroma Aroma: dried red fruits, cigar box and English fudge, dark chocolate, and spiced poached pear
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with accents of apricot and peach, spiced poached pear and honeycomb, cigar box and dried red cherries, and creme brulee
Smoothness Smoothness: Tingling
Finish Finish: Long
Enjoy Enjoy: neat, on the rocks and with cigars
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A really delicious and complex XO with amazing rich and earthy notes of age.

The Producer

Articulate

The Producer

Their Portfolio

92 Courvoisier VS Cognac 40% (France) $30.00.
87 Courvoisier VSOP Cognac 40% (France) $42.00.
92 Courvoisier XO Cognac 40% (France) $180.00.
90 Courvoisier VS Cognac 40% (France) $30.00.
89 Courvoisier VSOP Cognac 40% (France) $42.00.
92 Courvoisier XO Cognac 40% (France) $200.00.
92 Courvoisier 30 Year XO Royal Cognac 40% (France) $285.00.
90 Courvoisier VS Cognac 40% (France) $30.00.
92 Courvoisier VSOP Cognac 40% (France) $42.00.
93 Courvoisier XO Cognac 40% (France) $200.00.
95 Courvoisier 30 Year XO Royal Cognac 40% (France) $285.00.
95 G.H. Mumm NV Grand Cordon Brut, Champagne 12% (France) $45.00.
95 G.H. Mumm NV Grand Cordon Brut Rosé, Champagne 12% (France) $55.00.
96 G.H. Mumm NV RSRV Rosé Foujita Brut, Champagne 12% (France) $85.00.
92 G.H. Mumm NV Grand Cordon Brut, Champagne 12% (France) $49.00.
93 G.H. Mumm NV Grand Cordon Brut Rosé, Champagne 12.5% (France) $64.00.

XO Cognac

Spirits Glass Snifter Brandy.jpg
Serve in a Snifter
X.O. (or extra old) Cognacs previously required a minimum of six years aging for the youngest cognac in the blend, with the average age running 20 years or older. All Cognac houses maintain inventories of old vintage Cognacs to use in blending these top of the line brands. The oldest Cognacs are removed from their casks in time and stored in glass demijohns (large jugs) to prevent further loss from evaporation and to limit excessively woody and astringent flavors.

As of 2016, according to the official Cognac regulatory agency, BNIC, the minimum component age requirement for X.O. Cognac must be 10 years from 2016 onwards. In practice many Cognac houses and brands had been at or above the 10 year requirement for their X.O. expressions, but this is now the legal requirement.