Award-winning cognac House Maison Courvoisier has expanded its range of premium offerings with Courvoisier XO Royal, a spicy tribute to a recipe once favoured by the royal courts of Europe.
The new liquid was unveiled at a London launch at Hide, and naturally TLR was on hand for an early tasting, held under the tutelage of Courvoisier Chief Blender Thibaut Hontanx.
The new expression adds a level of depth to Courvoisier’s signature style, and recreates a heritage recipe once favoured by regal palates in the early 1900s, hence the Royal appellation. The good news is that this is not a limited edition, but a permanent addition to the Courvoisier portfolio.
To create Courvoisier XO Royal, Maison Courvoisier’s Sixth Chief Blender, Patrice Pinet has married Fins Bois cognac from Jarnac with a selection of carefully selected Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie.
The new expression adds a level of depth to Courvoisier’s signature style, and recreates a heritage recipe once favoured by regal palates in the early 1900s…
Courvoisier XO Royal is packaged in a teardrop decanter, an homage to the Maison’s Fourth Chief Blender, Daniel Dumon, who introduced the original Courvoisier XO in 1984. It features a gorgeous glass stopper, with facets that represent the maximum age of the eaux-de-vie in the blend.
“The shape reminds me of a particular time in the vineyard, after winter, when the vine has been cut, and you can see the buds coming. They’re shaped like a little tear,” says monsieur Hontanx (pictured above). “It’s a sign that it’s going to bloom, a new grape is coming – a sign that fun is about to begin!”
The original concept behind XO was to evolve Courvoisier Napoleon, “to go deeper”, recalls Hontanx. The addition of cognac Fins Bois added a little extra spice to the blend, and enhanced floral notes. With XO Royal, Maison Courvoisier has taken that approach to another level. ABV is 40%.
On the nose, there’s the aroma of truffles, plus wood from the barrels. On the palate there’s cinnamon spiciness, enhanced by rich, plummy eaux-de-vie. Imagine honey, lemons and pineapples, baked in a tart.
XO Royal is not as gloriously dry as Courvoisier’s premiere expression, L’Essence de Courvoisier, but there’s comparable levels of complexity. Could this be the best value premium cognac on the market?
For the launch, Courvoisier XO Royal was paired with guinea fowl roasted over charcoal with ceps, liver parfait and black truffle, or wild mushrooms and autumn vegetables with black truffle and lemon thyme. The partnering was suitably imperious, albeit not easily replicated at home.
Courvoisier XO Royal is available now, priced at £280 a bottle. UK stockists including Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Master of Malt.
Prawn lovers, we have found your festive dining plans in the capital. ISSO Prawn Crazy, the new Sri Lankan restaurant in Canary Wharf, is serving three Christmas menus packed with seafood, curries and traditional island flavours. Book a festive meal and you could also win a holiday to Sri Lanka for two in 2027. Available…
The people who make Britain’s hospitality industry tick will take centre stage when the Hospitality Awards UK returns to London this month for its fourth edition. Chefs, bartenders, hoteliers, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, suppliers and guest-facing teams will gather at The Waldorf Hilton London on November 9 for the Hospitality Awards UK 2026. The invitation-only, black-tie gala…
Cunard has unveiled its 2028-29 programme, featuring 93 voyages across 104 destinations in 49 countries. The collection includes visits to 64 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with longer stays in port, 18 overnight calls and 18 late departures designed to give guests more time ashore. Standout itineraries include Queen Mary 2’s 500th Transatlantic Crossing, Queen Elizabeth’s…
Award-winning cognac House Maison Courvoisier has expanded its range of premium offerings with Courvoisier XO Royal, a spicy tribute to a recipe once favoured by the royal courts of Europe.
The new liquid was unveiled at a London launch at Hide, and naturally TLR was on hand for an early tasting, held under the tutelage of Courvoisier Chief Blender Thibaut Hontanx.
The new expression adds a level of depth to Courvoisier’s signature style, and recreates a heritage recipe once favoured by regal palates in the early 1900s, hence the Royal appellation. The good news is that this is not a limited edition, but a permanent addition to the Courvoisier portfolio.
To create Courvoisier XO Royal, Maison Courvoisier’s Sixth Chief Blender, Patrice Pinet has married Fins Bois cognac from Jarnac with a selection of carefully selected Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie.
Courvoisier XO Royal is packaged in a teardrop decanter, an homage to the Maison’s Fourth Chief Blender, Daniel Dumon, who introduced the original Courvoisier XO in 1984. It features a gorgeous glass stopper, with facets that represent the maximum age of the eaux-de-vie in the blend.
“The shape reminds me of a particular time in the vineyard, after winter, when the vine has been cut, and you can see the buds coming. They’re shaped like a little tear,” says monsieur Hontanx (pictured above). “It’s a sign that it’s going to bloom, a new grape is coming – a sign that fun is about to begin!”
The original concept behind XO was to evolve Courvoisier Napoleon, “to go deeper”, recalls Hontanx. The addition of cognac Fins Bois added a little extra spice to the blend, and enhanced floral notes. With XO Royal, Maison Courvoisier has taken that approach to another level. ABV is 40%.
On the nose, there’s the aroma of truffles, plus wood from the barrels. On the palate there’s cinnamon spiciness, enhanced by rich, plummy eaux-de-vie. Imagine honey, lemons and pineapples, baked in a tart.
XO Royal is not as gloriously dry as Courvoisier’s premiere expression, L’Essence de Courvoisier, but there’s comparable levels of complexity. Could this be the best value premium cognac on the market?
For the launch, Courvoisier XO Royal was paired with guinea fowl roasted over charcoal with ceps, liver parfait and black truffle, or wild mushrooms and autumn vegetables with black truffle and lemon thyme. The partnering was suitably imperious, albeit not easily replicated at home.
Courvoisier XO Royal is available now, priced at £280 a bottle. UK stockists including Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Master of Malt.
Prawn lovers, ISSO Prawn Crazy’s festive menus come with the chance to win a Sri Lankan holiday
Prawn lovers, we have found your festive dining plans in the capital. ISSO Prawn Crazy, the new Sri Lankan restaurant in Canary Wharf, is serving three Christmas menus packed with seafood, curries and traditional island flavours. Book a festive meal and you could also win a holiday to Sri Lanka for two in 2027. Available…
Hospitality Awards UK returns to The Waldorf Hilton for fourth annual black tie gala
The people who make Britain’s hospitality industry tick will take centre stage when the Hospitality Awards UK returns to London this month for its fourth edition. Chefs, bartenders, hoteliers, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, suppliers and guest-facing teams will gather at The Waldorf Hilton London on November 9 for the Hospitality Awards UK 2026. The invitation-only, black-tie gala…
Cunard unveils 93 new voyages headlined by Queen Mary 2’s 500th transatlantic crossing
Cunard has unveiled its 2028-29 programme, featuring 93 voyages across 104 destinations in 49 countries. The collection includes visits to 64 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with longer stays in port, 18 overnight calls and 18 late departures designed to give guests more time ashore. Standout itineraries include Queen Mary 2’s 500th Transatlantic Crossing, Queen Elizabeth’s…
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