Spirits & Liqueurs Cognac & Other Brandy

Rémy Martin XO Cognac Review

This cognac is proof that one of the largest houses is also one of the best.

By

Tony Sachs

Published 03/11/22

Remy Martin XO Cognac bottle — Liquor.com / Laura Sant

liquor.com rating:

5

Rémy Martin’s XO cognac is proof that one of the biggest cognac houses is also one of the best.

Fast Facts

Classification XO Cognac

Company Rémy Cointreau

Distillery Rémy Martin (Touzac, Cognac, France)

Cask type French limousin oak

Still type copper pot (alembic charentais)

Released 1981; ongoing

Proof 80 (40% ABV)

Aged at least 10 years

MSRP $180

Pros

Like all of Rémy Martin’s cognacs, this XO uses grapes sourced exclusively from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne crus (growing areas), regarded as the highest quality of the six crus permitted by French law.
While displaying the richness and complexity that are hallmarks of the best XOs, it avoids the excessive woodiness that can be the category’s Achilles heel.

Cons

Too pricey to use as a mixer

Tasting Notes

Color: Deep reddish-copper with hints of gold

Nose: Fruity, sweet, gentle and inviting, with light grape, peach and melon, along with floral notes and hints of baking spices

Palate: Sweet but not cloying; very fruity, with dates and ripe grapes as the featured players, supported by honey, buttered pastries (like a warm cinnamon bun) and just a hint of maple syrup, with oaky spice on the back of the palate

Finish: Tangy and fruity, along with baking spices—cinnamon and clove predominate—and dry oak

Our Review

Rémy Martin is named after the winegrower who started selling cognac under his own name in 1724. The brand as we know it today, one of the best-known and most popular cognacs in the world, evolved throughout the 20th century. The first VSOP expression was launched in 1927. In 1948, the decision was made to use grapes exclusively from the Petite Champagne and Grand Champagne crus, resulting in higher-quality eaux-de-vie. And while it seems that Rémy’s iconic XO expression has been around forever, it was launched only relatively recently, in 1981.

Lesser XO cognacs (XOs, by law, must contain no eaux-de-vie younger than 10 years old) can taste like they’ve spent a little too long in the barrel, with an astringent woodiness overwhelming the other flavors. Not so here: This is a cognac that doesn’t let you forget that it’s distilled from fruit, namely a blend of 85% Grande Champagne and 15% Petite Champagne grapes, which gives it the Fine Champagne designation. Though the eaux-de-vie are aged for at least a decade, and some doubtlessly much longer, the blend tastes quite young and lively. The richness and full body, however, are reminders that it’s an XO.

The fruitiness is amplified by a buttery, sumptuous mouthfeel that coats the tongue like velvet. It’s somewhat similar to Rémy’s 1738 Accord Royal expression, which contains eaux-de-vie ranging from 4 to 20 years, but the XO is richer and more complex. If the 1738 is a college-level course in making fine cognac, the XO is a master class.

This cognac would surely make a terrific cocktail, but it’s such a perfect sipper that it seems a crime to mix it with anything except a glass and your mouth. Rémy’s stature as one of the biggest houses in Cognac may put off some who like to seek out lesser-known brands, but this is a cognac that anyone who appreciates the category will enjoy.