Ten barrels/year of XO alambic brandy, hand-distilled on our antique cognac still from twelve differentpremium wine-grape sources, cellared in Limousin oak. The wine used for distillation is of unusual quality: premium varietals, notably Pinot Noir. Using such high-quality wine gives the XO a distinctively soft richness of flavor and a wonderfully long and complex finish.
Wine Review Based on brandies distilled from pinot noir. Very complex, very elegant, very smooth. The pinot noir shows up in the incredible finish—subtle yet wonderfully rich fruit. In our blind tastings, you have to spend about double – Delamain Trés Vénérable, say, or Ferrand’s Abel – to match it. In 1999, Robb Report picked this as the world’s best distilled spirit, period.
Technical Notes Brandy is the name used for a wide range of potable spirits, made mostly from grape wines but sometimes also from other fruits (for fruit brandies see Eaux-de-Vie). The name brandy is a shortened form of brandywine, which an anglicized form of Dutch brandewijn, which means 'burnt wine'.