What is D'Ussé? The VSOP & XO Cognac Explained (2023)

FAQs

What is D'Ussé? The VSOP & XO Cognac Explained? ›

VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”. XO stands for “Extra Old”: XO cognacs are made only from eaux-de-vie at least six years old.

Is XO or VSOP better? An XO cognac must be aged for a minimum of 10 years, in comparison a VSOP must age for a minimum of four years. It comes down to personal preference which is better but an XO is usually considered as superior.

D'USSE is pronounced “dew-say”. The symbol on the bottle is the Cross of Lorraine, a French emblem that symbolizes courage, honor and perseverance. It is made at Château de Cognac, one of the oldest cognac houses in France. . The drink has been embraced by rapper/entrepreneur Jay Z since its launch in 2012.

D'Ussé is best known for its distinctive squat bottle, which features the Cross Of Lorraine, a French symbol which stands for honor, courage, and perseverance.

The Dusse VSOP undergoes natural aging for around four and a half years, while the Dusse XO ages for at least ten years. On the contrary, the Hennessy VSOP and XO, both mature for four years in casks of French Oak before they are ready for sale.

The designations you see on Cognac labels—VS (Very Special), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) and XO (Extra Old)—are a guarantee of how long a Cognac has been aged. VS indicates that the Cognac has been aged at least two years, VSOP at least four years and XO (Extra Old) at least six years.

 The names of Hennessy, Martell, Courvoisier, and Rémy Martin, or the Big 4 Cognac Houses are instantly recognizable wherever in the world you might be. Indeed, these top four Cognac maisons dominate all global sales of the iconic French Brandy.

Jay-Z and Bacardi acquired D'Usse in 2012 and built the brand into the fastest growing and one of the best-selling cognac brands in the world over the last decade.

JAY-Z's legal dispute with Bacardi has come to an end since the music mogul has sold his controlling stake of the D'USSÉ Cognac brand for $750 million USD.

However, Jay was previously confirmed to own 50 percent, while Bacardi owned the other 50. Thus, a majority stake would mean at least 26 percent of Jay's 50.

Which is better Hennessy or Dusse? ›

As to be expected, the VSOP of D'ussé is much smoother than that of Hennessy VS, but Hennessy VSOP is right there with it. Hennessy is generally regarded as being a bit more harsh than other liquors and cognacs, but the VSOP definitely offers a smoother option.

In 2012, Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) partnered with Bacardi to launch D'ussé, and the brand has become a cultural phenomenon in the years since as well as a respected Cognac on its own merits.

The luxurious bottle of D'USSÉ Grande Champagne Cognac Anniversaire Limited Edition 1969 sold for a whopping $52,500 USD. Sotheby's revealed that the bottle was expected to go between $24,000 to $75,000 USD and was ultimately sold to an unnamed bidder.

D'ussé is cheaper than Hennessy because it has fewer expressions to offer and needs more years to cultivate. On the contrary, the Hennessy XO (offering notes of black pepper, oak, cinnamon, orange, and cocoa) costs around $230 per bottle, while D'ussé XO costs around $250.

Types. Hennessy uses the classic cognac grading system for its main portfolio. These are used to indicate the cognac's age (or the youngest cognac in the blend): V.S ("very special," minimum of 2 years), V.S.O.P ("very superior old pale," minimum of 4 years), and X.O ("extra old," minimum of 10 years).

Hors d'Age is widely considered the highest quality Cognac. This will have been aged, usually for more than 30 years but in many instances, it is difficult to tell the exact age of Cognacs in this classification as they have been around for so long.

An exquisite blend of aged Grande Champagne Cognacs that balances elegance, complexity and a touch of boldness.

According to the use and the moment

The choice of cognac depends also on the occasion, if it's in a cocktail or on the rocks. In both cases, you can chose a VSOP, a fresh and powerful cognac perfect for the aperitif. If you prefer to drink cognac as liquor you can choose older eau-de-vie like an XO or an Hors d'Age.

Louis XIII (French pronunciation: ​[lwi tʁɛz]) is a cognac produced by Rémy Martin, a company headquartered in Cognac, France, and owned by the Rémy Cointreau Group. The name was chosen as a tribute to King Louis XIII of France, the reigning monarch when the Rémy Martin family settled in the Cognac region.

Why is cognac better than brandy? ›

Cognac is a type of brandy but has a more specific distillation process. What is this? It comes from the Cognac region in southwest France and uses white grapefruit juice, so the flavor is more consistent across brands. This liquor is of higher quality than most brandy as it adheres to strict standards.

While Courvoisier is slightly more affordable, it doesn't really lag in quality. In fact, it's your better choice if you prefer a sweeter cognac to be slightly sweeter. Meanwhile, if you prefer to splurge and go for luxury, Hennessy is your better alternative.

Dive Brief: Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton bought 50% of premium Champagne company Armand de Brignac, which is owned by entertainer and businessman Jay-Z.

D'Ussé is a brand of cognac made at the Château du Cognac in Cognac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It is a subsidiary of Bacardi. D'Ussé produces just two cognacs: D'USSÉ VSOP and D'USSÉ XO. D'Ussé VSOP is aged at least four and a half years in the Château de Cognac cellars.

The main issue was around money, as it so often is, with Carter claiming in a lawsuit that Bacardi was lowballing him—they offered $500 million, and he believed the number should be closer to $1.5 billion.

Bacardi now owns at least 75.01% of the brand, Shawn Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z, retains a “significant ownership stake.”

D'usse Cognac can be enjoyed simply like that with some cubes of ice, and it can also be enjoyed with a scrumptious dinner, salads, or anything of your choice. One fantastic way to enjoy the drink is to make a cocktail out of it. Also, try making a cocktail from D'usse Cognac, and you will not regret it for sure.

As reported by TMZ, earlier this year he sold his 50% stake of his D'USSÉ cognac back to its parent company Bacardi for a reported $750 million.

Origin. The bold, yet remarkably smooth character of D'USSÉ Cognac was founded by Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter and conceived by the senior-most cellar master working today, Michel Casavecchia.

Is Jay Za billionaire on his own? ›

Jay-Z, pictured in 2021, has a net worth of $2.5 billion, according to Forbes. Jay-Z's wealth is going from strength to strength as his fortune continues to get a boost from his vast business empire. According to the latest estimate from Forbes, Jay-Z now has a net worth of $2.5 billion.

One of the main differences between Black and some of Hennessy's other cognacs is that it ages for around two and a half years, a relatively short time compared to other cognacs that can take decades to mature. The shorter time frame allows for faster production, which in turn lowers the price.

D'Ussé produces two main varieties of cognac: D'USSÉ VSOP and D'USSÉ XO. The creation of D'Ussé Cognac is a result of a collaboration between Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter and Michel Casavecchia, the senior-most cellar master working today.

The ultra-rare Grande Champagne Cognac, fittingly dubbed Bottle No. 1, is the first release in the limited-edition 1969 Annersaire Collection that comprises just 285 bottles. The prized expression, which had an estimated value of between $25,000 to $75,000, was snapped up by an unnamed bidder for $52,500.

INDOGGO®, with its laidback California style, is like no other in the world. Developed by the King of “Gin & Juice,” Calvin “Snoop Dogg” Broadus, INDOGGO® is the ultimate remix of seven premium botanicals flavored with all-natural strawberry flavor.

Boosie Juice is the creation of hip-hop phenom Lil' Boosie. Boosie's ultrapremium, all-natural strawberry-kiwi flavored vodka is the perfect way to beat the summer heat. Enjoy on ice, mixed with lemonade or with a splash of pineapple juice. Boosie Juice is the smoothest flavored vodka on the market today.

So that was kind of his first philosophy with Ciroc is to center on the sexiness of the grape. Diddy: One-and-a-half ounces of Ciroc vodka, you can only make it with Ciroc vodka, other vodkas don't work.

A 40ml serving of Rome de Bellegarde, sold for £10,014 (US$14,158) at a London bar last week, has broken the Guinness World Record for most expensive measure of Cognac.

At around 2 million dollars a bottle, Henri IV Dugnon Heritage Cognac is the most expensive cognac by leaps and bounds. It is a bend of various eaux de vies aged in oak barrels for over 100 years.

When should you drink cognac? ›

The most traditional method of serving cognac is after dinner as a digestif, where it is served neat and at room temperature in a snifter glass.

The oldest cognac is a bottle of 1721 Cafe Voisin, which was 301 years old at the time it was purchased by Nguyen Dinh Tuan Viet (Vietnam) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on 29 September 2022. The bottle was purchased in a private sale.

Like an XO, the youngest eau-de-vie from a cognac Extra must be aged for a minimum of 10 years. However, an Extra cognac ages well beyond the minimum requirements. This is why it is often considered as superior to XO cognacs.

"D'USSE, the newest innovation in Cognac, recently announces its official brand launch in the United States. D'USSE™ (pronounced “dew-say”) is a bold new Cognac expression masterfully crafted in the cellars of the CHATEAU DE COGNAC – a home with a 200-year legacy of creating some of the world's finest Cognacs.

As previously mentioned, brandy is distilled fruit juice, and it can be any kind of fruit juice, while cognac is a specific type of distilled fruit juice with lots of qualifications. Cognac comes from the Cognac region of southwestern France, and is made with a fruit juice base of white grapes.

Is XO or VSOP better? An XO cognac must be aged for a minimum of 10 years, in comparison a VSOP must age for a minimum of four years. It comes down to personal preference which is better but an XO is usually considered as superior.

Grand Marnier is a sophisticated blend of cognac and exotic bitter orange.

(1) Hennessy is made from wine.

And like wine, the price can vary drastically. Bottles of Hennessy can run anywhere from $35 to $5,000.

Hors d'Age is widely considered the highest quality Cognac. This will have been aged, usually for more than 30 years but in many instances, it is difficult to tell the exact age of Cognacs in this classification as they have been around for so long.

Why is Hennessy XO so expensive? ›

Why is Hennessy so expensive? Cognac is typically more expensive than other spirits. The main reason is that the distillation process itself is more expensive. The spirits base ingredient is grapes, rather than grains, and distilling wine from juice is also an expensive process.

Hennessy is a cognac house that needs no introduction as it's one of the most well-known cognac brands in the world — it's also the top-selling brand in the United States. Hennessy has one of the largest collections of eaux-de-vie in the world, with over 350,000 barrels stored in 65 cellars.

Every cognac is a brandy, but not all brandy is a cognac. As previously mentioned, brandy is distilled fruit juice, and it can be any kind of fruit juice, while cognac is a specific type of distilled fruit juice with lots of qualifications.

Once it has been bottled, cognac stops maturing. Unlike wine, which can go on improving, cognac ceases to age when in bottle. Thus, a bottle of cognac can be stored for a very long time provided it has not been opened and the cork remains intact.

As an aperitif, cognac is usually consumed neat. Adding a drop of water will reveal more fruity, floral, and spicy aromas, making the tasting experience smoother.

The younger types of cognacs, VS and VSOP, can be used in a variety of different ways, including in cocktails. But the XO, or "Extra Old," aged for a minimum of 10 years, should be drunk either neat or on ice. To open up the aroma of a cognac, you can add a bit of cold water if you're drinking it neat.

The typical alcohol content of a Hennessy bottle is 40% ABV. However, this is quite different from Hennessy Black, with 43% ABV, making it the strongest Hennessy. Hennessy Black is wholly obtainable in the United States, separating itself as an exceptionally smooth cognac ideal for cocktails.

Different alcohols provide different health benefits, and cognac is one of the strongest. It is rich in antioxidants, which help keep free radicals from damaging your cells. Damaged cells can lead to clogged arteries, heart disease, cancer, and blindness.

1. Hennessy. This year's Cognac Brand Champion, Hennessy, grew sales by more than 600,000 cases last year (up by 9.2%). The world's biggest Cognac brand witnessed an impressive rebound after a slight dip in 2020, meaning its 2021 volume sales significantly surpassed its 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

There is no specific way to drink cognac, it can be enjoyed neat, with ice, with water, with a mixer or in a cocktail. It is all up to personal preference. Is cognac served warm or cold? Traditionally cognac is served at room temperature and warmed in the hand.