Hine Antique XO (700 ml)

Thomas Hine arrived in Jarnac from Dorset in 1791 and embedded a distinctly Anglo-French logic into the house he would rename in 1817 — the conviction that great Cognac is, first and foremost, a great white wine. That philosophy is structurally encoded in Antique XO. 100% Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, sourced from the chalky-limestone valleys of the premier cru, aged over a decade in French oak inside the Chai des Millésimes — a cellar sitting two metres below the River Charente, where humidity swings between 70–90% and temperatures range from 6.5°C to 20.5°C, slowing oxidation and preserving aromatic precision. Distillation is conducted sur lies — on the fine lees of the 7–9-day native-yeast fermentation — a deliberate Hine signature that introduces pastry depth and roundness absent from lees-stripped competitors. New French oak receives the spirit first for initial months, then seasoned refill casks take over, moderating tannin extraction while allowing the chalk-driven terroir to assert itself. What sets Antique XO apart within the XO category is its single-cru restriction: where most XO blends draw from multiple crus for volume and consistency, Hine confines this expression entirely to Grande Champagne, sacrificing blending latitude to let the limestone minerality and natural vivacity of the premier cru speak without dilution. The result is a Cognac that leans toward floral lift and rancio precision rather than the heavy caramel register typical of the category.