XO Iced

Sometimes I don’t create cocktails and just enjoy a quality spirit alone, and by alone I mean either neat or on ice. During our visit to France earlier this year with Hennessy, they led us on an immersive experience to educate ourselves and the people we were with on the finer points of the product, concentrating on their XO expression. We enjoyed, Hennessy XO neat, on ice, and in a few cocktails and although the cocktails were delicious, when I returned home with my personal bottle of XO, I couldn’t help but throw a few cubes of ice in a beautiful glass and just enjoy it as is.

This style of drinking is categorized as Piscine and is popular in the southern regions of France, where, during the warmer months, imbibers will add ice to pretty much anything to keep it cool and by merging with ice, the components of Hennessy X.O reveal themselves ever so slightly. The effect created when chilling the Cognac in this fashion is that the character and aromas of the liquid are amplified and you will enjoy a touch more of the hidden spice and candied fruit notes as they become more prominent; such as is done with whisky. Be careful with the ice you are using, and ensure the Cognac does not become too diluted; you don’t want to ruin your exquisite Hennessy XO after all.