Picture huge cubes of ice in a beautiful glass and the gentle flow of liquid history as Hennessy X.O gently tumbles from the bottle. This is a Cognac with a big personality and it was originally crafted by one Maurice Hennessy in the 1870s, just to share with his nearest and dearest. So naturally, only the best is good enough.
X.O is an expert blend of up to one hundred ‘eaux-de-vie’, the name given to the aged spirit before it is blended into Cognac. For Hennessy’s X.O Cognac, these eaux-de-vie have been resting in French oak barrels for between 12 and 30 years. This gives the Cognac an unmatched personality and depth that is perfect to enjoy neat, over ice or with water.
Hennessy X.O preserves its unique character and perfect taste, while offering a totally new experience to savour.
A matter of taste
Its deep amber and mahogany colour is the result of ageing eaux-de-vie in young barrels, which have only been used between two and four times. The nose is characterised by rich and powerful aromas, giving an indication of its bold personality. Aromas of black pepper and wild cocoa emerge to complement Hennessy X.O’s delicately spicy qualities.
On the palate, the richly textured Cognac is rounded and well-balanced, thanks to the expert noses of the master blender and his tasting committee, who select the perfect blend. Notes of dried fruits and crystallised apricot come to the fore as Hennessy X.O opens up over just a few ice cubes.
The ice enables the temperature of the Cognac to be reduced very rapidly, before the cubes begin to melt. The cooling action of the ice highlights certain flavour elements of the blend. Chilling it in this way brings the purity of the blend into sharp focus, emphasising its freshness on the palate and revealing a layer of invigorating yet subtly spicy notes.
Hennessy X.O on the rocks is particularly well suited to social situations – a present-day homage to Maurice Hennessy, who reserved this blend for the pleasure of those he loved the most. It works particularly well before a meal, after a meal or at cocktail time, especially when enjoying the ambiance of a top London bar.
Classic serve
Swanand Korgaonkar at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge uses Maurice’s penchant for entertaining friends and family as inspiration for the perfect Cognac aperitif called Hennessy X.O’clock. It combines Hennessy X.O, Kina Lillet, chocolate bitters and Fever Tree tonic. ‘Time remains still while you are with family, friends and your loved ones at Hennessy o’clock,’ says Korgaonkar.
Meanwhile, Athila Roos, head sommelier at Mayfair’s The Arts Club recommends enjoying Hennessy X.O after a meal. He says, ‘Call me “X.Old Fashioned”, but very few things are better than a glass of Cognac to finish the meal. I love to end the night with a chilled and decadent glass of Old Fashioned made with Hennessy X.O, which adds complexity and depth of flavour to the cocktail bringing notes of tobacco and leather. It’s a perfect match for a good cigar, especially a maduro, (Cohiba Magicos 5) with its subtle dark chocolate edge.’
Cigars and Cognac are long-time bedfellows and Roos is not the only one who enjoys a great cigar with a sensational sip. Ian McIntyre, bar manager at New Orleans-inspired bar NOLA in Shoreditch says, ‘How I enjoy X.O, and how I recommend it to guests, is to sit out and relax on our terrace with a Partagas serie D No.4 robustos. The big smoke from robustos complements the aged character of the Cognac.’
Like Maurice, Hennessy X.O is capable of entertaining many different personalities but to get to know the Cognac really well, all you need to do is serve it on the rocks.