VSOP is the middle grade of cognac, and for most people it's the right one. The youngest brandy in the blend has spent at least four years in French oak, long enough to soften the heat of a younger VS but not so long that you're paying XO prices for it. It's the grade that works both neat and in a cocktail, which is why bartenders reach for it. We carry VSOP from Hennessy, Rémy Martin and D'ussé, from around $24 for a half bottle to $80 for a 750ml. We ship to most states, with an adult 21 or older required to sign at delivery.
What VSOP Means
The letters stand for Very Superior Old Pale, an English phrase from the cognac trade's early British customers. The words themselves mean almost nothing. What matters is the rule behind them: every eau-de-vie in a VSOP blend has to be at least four years old.
That's a minimum, not an average. Most VSOP blends contain plenty of brandy considerably older than four years, and the age of the youngest component is the only thing the label guarantees. The grades run in order. VS is at least two years, VSOP at least four, Napoléon at least six, XO at least ten, and XXO at least fourteen.
How Cognac Is Made
Cognac is brandy from a protected region in southwest France, made almost entirely from Ugni Blanc grapes. The wine is too thin and acidic to drink, which is exactly what makes it good for distilling. It's double distilled in copper pot stills and aged in French oak, and the region is divided into crus that ripen the grapes differently. Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, at the center, produce the longest-lived brandies. Rémy Martin is labeled Fine Champagne, which means a blend of those two crus with at least half from Grande Champagne.
All cognac is brandy, but very little brandy is cognac. Brandy is any spirit distilled from wine or fruit, made anywhere in the world. Cognac is brandy made under these specific rules in this specific region, the same way Champagne relates to sparkling wine. Our guide to what brandy is covers the wider category.
Worth knowing: cognac regulations allow caramel coloring, a small amount of sugar and an oak infusion called boisé, all within limits. Most large houses use some of them. It's legal and traditional, and it's one reason house style matters more than the grade on the label.
The Houses
Hennessy. The largest cognac house in the world, founded in 1765. Hennessy VSOP Privilège is rounder and spicier than its competitors, with more oak and vanilla. Also sold in a 375ml flask.
Rémy Martin. Fine Champagne cognac only, which shows up as a fruitier, more floral style. Rémy Martin VSOP is the lightest and most elegant of the three houses here. Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal sits a step above, richer and toastier, and is the best value bottle on the page if you want something between VSOP and XO.
D'ussé. Produced at the Château de Cognac. D'ussé VSOP is the boldest of the three, with more spice and a drier finish.
How to Choose
The easiest way to find your house is to taste them against each other, and the half bottles make that cheap. Rémy Martin VSOP 375ml and D'ussé VSOP 375ml are both under $30, and with the Hennessy flask you can compare all three for less than the price of most XO bottles.
For cocktails, VSOP is the grade the classics were built on. A Sidecar, a Vieux Carré or a French 75 made with cognac all benefit from the extra years over VS without wasting XO. Neat, a VSOP is better slightly warmed in the hand, in a tulip glass rather than a wide snifter, which concentrates the aroma.
VSOP Cognac FAQ
What does VSOP stand for?
Very Superior Old Pale. The phrase comes from the cognac trade's early British customers. In practice it means the youngest brandy in the blend is at least four years old.
What's the difference between VS, VSOP and XO?
Minimum age. VS is at least two years in oak, VSOP at least four, XO at least ten. Older cognac is smoother and more complex, and more expensive.
Which is the best VSOP cognac?
It depends on style. Hennessy is rounder and oakier, Rémy Martin lighter and fruitier, D'ussé spicier and drier. Tasting the half bottles side by side is the cheapest way to decide.
Is VSOP good for cocktails?
It's the best grade for them. VSOP has enough age to add depth to a Sidecar or Vieux Carré without the expense of XO, which loses its subtlety under citrus and sugar.
How should you drink VSOP cognac?
Neat in a tulip glass, warmed slightly in the hand, or with a single ice cube. It also works well in classic cocktails and with ginger ale as a highball.
Can cognac be shipped to my state?
We ship to most U.S. states, typically within a few business days. Someone 21 or older has to sign at delivery. Availability is confirmed at checkout, since a handful of states restrict direct spirits shipments.