The XO was created in 1870 by Maurice Hennessy, who produced it primarily for his circle of friends, however, this new style cognac soon became an emblematic icon of the brand. It is among the houses with the largest reserve stocks, storing almost 350,000 barrels in 65 cellars, and it harvests from 75,000 hectares within the region. The XO means that it contains the blend of extra old batches. To make it, they selected almost 100 different eaux-de-vie from the four best terroirs, which after being blended went into young barrels for ageing. The Hennessy XO has a broad structure, with the sweetish notes, like the candied fruits at the beginning, followed by a pleasant warmth that reveals the spicy notes and chocolate character that comes from the oak barrels. With the wave of warmth, the latter notes are further strengthened, complemented by wood and vanilla, while the palate is long.