XO is rich, full-bodied, complex. Created in 1870 by Maurice Hennessy using very old eaux de vie, XO was reserved exclusively for his family and friends. Some of the eaux de vie have been ageing in the Hennessy warehouses since the early part of this century. Taste: Its intense and deep amber colour is a sign of its strength. Its flavours of candied fruit and its subtle and lightly spicy nose create a complete harmony: a mark of its power and roundness. On the palate, a smooth, full sensation gives a simultaneously powerful and soft collection of tones with a hint of cocoa and a warm fruity presence.