The Best Cognac: VS vs. VSOP vs. XO, and the Bottle to Buy for Each
Cognac labels tell you more than most spirits do, if you know how to read them. VS, VSOP and XO are legal age categories, and each one does a different job: VS for mixing, VSOP for everyday sipping, XO for the special bottle. We pick the best of each, with a few value bottles the big names don't want you to know about. Every bottle below ships nationwide.
In This Guide
Our Picks at a Glance
- Best overall cognac: Rémy Martin VSOP. Smooth, fruity and the right price for most occasions.
- Best cognac for a Sidecar: Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula. Built for cocktails at 45% ABV.
- Best VS cognac: Hennessy VS. The classic for mixing and highballs.
- Best VSOP cognac to sip: Hine Rare VSOP. Elegant, floral Fine Champagne.
- Best XO cognac for a gift: Martell Cordon Bleu and Rémy Martin XO.
- Best value XO: Tesseron Lot No. 90. Real XO quality for under $100.
- Best cognac under $30: Courvoisier VS and Maison Rouge VSOP.
- Best cognac for beginners: Martell Blue Swift. A VSOP finished in bourbon casks, an easy bridge for whiskey drinkers.
- Best splurge: Pierre Ferrand Sélection des Anges. Old Grande Champagne for the big occasion.
The Best Cognac, Compared
ABV is the producer's published US strength. Cru is the growing area named on the label, where the producer states one.
| Bottle | Grade / Cru | ABV | Flavor | Price tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hennessy VS | VS | 40% | Toasted oak, grape, vanilla | Under $40 | Highballs, mixing |
| Courvoisier VS | VS | 40% | Fresh fruit, light oak | Under $30 | Value mixing |
| Pierre Ferrand 1840 | VS, Grande Champagne | 45% | Apricot, spice, bright fruit | Under $50 | Sidecar, classic cocktails |
| Rémy Martin VSOP | VSOP, Fine Champagne | 40% | Apricot, vanilla, licorice | Under $50 | Everyday sipping |
| Hine Rare VSOP | VSOP, Fine Champagne | 40% | Floral, dried apricot, gingerbread | $50 to $75 | Sipping neat |
| Martell Blue Swift | VSOP, bourbon cask finish | 40% | Vanilla, caramel, pear | Under $50 | Whiskey drinkers |
| Maison Rouge VSOP | VSOP | 40% | Light fruit, soft oak | Under $30 | Budget sipping, punch |
| Ferrand 10 Générations | Grande Champagne | 46% | Pear, honey, Sauternes richness | $50 to $75 | Sipping, upgraded cocktails |
| Tesseron Lot No. 90 | XO | 40% | Dried fruit, nuts, old oak | $75 to $100 | Value XO, gifting |
| Martell Cordon Bleu | XO age, Borderies-led | 40% | Plum, candied orange, spice | $100 and up | Gift |
| Rémy Martin XO | XO, Fine Champagne | 40% | Fig, candied orange, jasmine | $100 and up | Gift, celebration |
| Hennessy XO | XO | 40% | Chocolate, dark fruit, pepper | $100 and up | Gift |
VS vs. VSOP vs. XO Explained
Every cognac is a blend, and its age category is set by the youngest brandy in it. The rules come from the cognac appellation, so these letters mean the same thing on every label.
- VS (Very Special): the youngest brandy is aged at least 2 years in oak. Bright, fruity and lively. Made for mixing.
- VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale): at least 4 years. Rounder, with more vanilla, spice and dried fruit. The sweet spot for sipping and for upgraded cocktails.
- XO (Extra Old): at least 10 years since the rules changed in 2018. Deep, complex and long, with dried fruit, leather, nuts and old oak. Made to sip slowly.
Those are minimums. Many houses blend in brandies much older than the category requires, especially at the XO level, which is why two XOs at very different prices can taste very different.
Best VS Cognac for Mixing
A good VS has enough fruit and proof to stand up to citrus, ginger ale or sugar. You are not paying for age, so buy for flavor and price.
The best cognac for cocktails we have poured. Ferrand built it with cocktail historian David Wondrich to match the style of cognac 19th-century bartenders used, modeled on a bottle from 1840. Higher proof, bright apricot and baking spice, and it doesn't disappear behind lemon and orange liqueur. This is our Sidecar cognac.
The world's best-known cognac, and for good reason. Toasted oak, grape and vanilla in a bolder style than most VS. Great with ginger ale, in a Sazerac-style cognac drink or on the rocks. Also in 375ml and 1.75L.
Lighter and fresher than Hennessy, with ripe fruit and a soft oak finish. One of the best values in the category, and an easy pick for a big batch of punch or a round of highballs.
From the oldest of the big cognac houses. Martell's style is drier and more delicate than Hennessy's, with fresh fruit and a clean finish. A good choice for drinks where you want the cognac to stay in the background.
The Sidecar
The classic cognac sour, dating to the years around World War I. Shake hard with ice and strain into a chilled coupe with a sugared rim if you like:
- 2 oz VS or VSOP cognac, such as Ferrand 1840
- ¾ oz orange liqueur: Cointreau for bright and dry, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao for richer
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
Like it a little sweeter? Use Grand Marnier, which is itself built on cognac. For more, see our guide to the best orange liqueurs.
Best VSOP Cognac to Sip
VSOP is where cognac starts to taste like a sipping spirit. If you're buying one bottle to drink neat or on a big cube, start here.
Our pick for best overall cognac. Rémy uses only Grande and Petite Champagne grapes, the two top crus, so its VSOP drinks above its price: ripe apricot, vanilla and a touch of licorice. Neat, on ice or in a Sidecar, it is the one bottle that does everything.
The connoisseur's VSOP. Hine blends more than 25 brandies from Grande and Petite Champagne into a lighter, more floral style: dried apricot, gingerbread, toasted almond and a long, peppery finish. The bottle we hand to people who say they want to "get into cognac."
A VSOP finished in Kentucky bourbon casks. That last step adds vanilla and caramel that bourbon drinkers recognize right away, over Martell's fresh pear and citrus. Our favorite gateway cognac, and great in an Old Fashioned made with cognac.
A step above VSOP in character. About a fifth of the blend is aged in former Sauternes casks, which adds honey and ripe pear to a powerful, higher-proof Grande Champagne base. Sip it neat, or use it to make a Vieux Carré that people remember.
Best XO Cognac for a Gift
An XO is the classic gift bottle. It looks the part, and the extra age shows in the glass. These are the ones that never disappoint.
Created in 1912 and still one of the great XO-age cognacs. Martell leans on the Borderies cru, which gives a distinctive violet, plum and candied orange character with a long, spicy finish. A gift that cognac lovers will recognize immediately.
Rich and opulent: fig, candied orange, jasmine and cinnamon, with a velvety texture. The same Fine Champagne sourcing as the VSOP, given much more time. Also in a 375ml for a smaller gift.
The original XO: Hennessy created the category in 1870. Bold and powerful, with dark chocolate, dried fruit and black pepper. Stock moves quickly, so if you need one for a specific date, order early. The 375ml is easier to find.
Our splurge pick. Very old Grande Champagne brandies from a small, quality-obsessed house: dried apricot, honey, leather and a finish that keeps going. For the milestone birthday or the person who already owns the famous names.
Best Value Cognac
Tesseron is a family house known for its stocks of very old cognac, and Lot 90 is its entry XO. Dried fruit, walnut and polished oak at about half the price of the big-brand XOs. The best value in this guide.
Two of the most affordable real cognacs we carry. Maison Rouge VSOP is soft and fruity, a VSOP for VS money. Godet VS comes from a family house in La Rochelle and is clean and lively for mixing.
A rich, older-tasting Grande Champagne finished in casks that held Banyuls, a French fortified wine, with caramel, vanilla and dried fruit. It drinks like many XOs that cost twice as much, which makes it one of the smartest cognac gifts we know.
How Cognac Is Made
The grapes and the region
Cognac is a grape brandy that can only be made in the Cognac region of southwest France. Ugni Blanc is the main grape: thin, acidic white wine that tastes better distilled than drunk.
Double distillation
The wine is distilled twice in traditional copper pot stills, called Charentais alembics. The result is a clear, fruity spirit called eau-de-vie.
Aging in French oak
The eau-de-vie ages in French oak barrels, where it picks up color, vanilla, spice and roundness. Cellar masters then blend brandies of different ages and crus to create each house style.
The crus
The region is divided into six growing areas. Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne (nothing to do with the sparkling wine) give the most elegant, long-aging brandies. Borderies is known for floral, nutty notes. Fins Bois gives rounder, fruitier spirit. Fine Champagne on a label means a blend of Grande and Petite Champagne, with at least half from Grande Champagne.
Cognac vs. Armagnac and brandy
All cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is cognac. Armagnac, from Gascony, is usually distilled once in a column still and tastes earthier and more rustic. Read more in our guide to Armagnac vs. cognac.
How to Drink Cognac
- Neat: one to two ounces in a tulip glass at room temperature. Let it rest a few minutes. Best for VSOP and XO.
- With one big cube: softens the alcohol and opens up the fruit. Perfect for VSOP.
- Highball: 2 ounces of VS with ginger ale or tonic and a lemon or orange twist. Simple and refreshing.
- Classic cocktails: Sidecar, French 75 made with cognac, Vieux Carré, Brandy Crusta. Use VS or a bright VSOP.
- After dinner: with dark chocolate, a cigar or a cheese plate. Equal parts cognac and amaretto over ice makes a French Connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cognac?
Rémy Martin VSOP is the best all-around cognac for most people. For cocktails, Pierre Ferrand 1840. For sipping, Hine Rare VSOP. For a gift, Martell Cordon Bleu or Rémy Martin XO.
What is the difference between VS, VSOP and XO?
They are age minimums for the youngest brandy in the blend: 2 years for VS, 4 years for VSOP and 10 years for XO. Older cognacs are rounder, more complex and more expensive.
What is the best cognac for beginners?
Martell Blue Swift or Rémy Martin VSOP. Blue Swift's bourbon cask finish feels familiar to whiskey drinkers, and Rémy VSOP is smooth and fruity on its own.
What is the best cognac for a Sidecar?
Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula. Its higher proof and bright fruit keep the drink from tasting flat. Hennessy VS and Rémy Martin VSOP also work well.
Is cognac the same as brandy?
Cognac is a type of brandy. It must come from the Cognac region of France, be made mainly from Ugni Blanc grapes, be double distilled in copper pot stills and be aged at least two years in French oak.
Is XO cognac worth it?
For sipping and gifting, yes: the extra age adds real depth. For cocktails, no. Save the XO for the glass and mix with VS or VSOP.
Does cognac go bad after opening?
No. Cognac does not keep aging in the bottle and stays good for years if sealed tightly and stored upright away from heat and light. A half-empty bottle slowly loses aroma, so finish it within a year or two for the best flavor.
Shop Cognac at The Liquor Barn
VS for mixing, VSOP for sipping, XO for the big gift, and the small-house bottles the big names overshadow. Ships nationwide. Family-owned since 1982.
Shop All Cognac VSOP Cognac XO CognacThe Liquor Barn operates three retail locations in Vernon Hills, Wheeling, and Niles, Illinois. We are a licensed Illinois retailer and ship to states where direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is permitted. Prices and availability change; the product page always has the current price. Questions about shipping to your state? Contact us here. Please drink responsibly.
