Camus XO Prestige Decanter Cognac 750ml

Camus is one of the last major independent, family-owned Cognac houses, run by five generations of the same family since 1863, and its modern identity is built on aromatic intensity: Cognac that smells as intensely of fruit and flowers as it can. The XO Prestige Decanter is the house’s statement in presentation, launched in June 2023, as a version of its XO in a reusable table decanter that honors the French tradition of “Arts de la Table,” in which, in Camus’s words, “the cognac finds its roots with its innovative lifetime-use approach.” The brand’s side label is removable, so the decanter can be re-used and kept on the table long after the Cognac is gone.

The decanter is “lightly convex and squared,” laced with geometric motifs reminiscent of 18th-century coats of arms, designed to “illuminate dinner and after-dinner conversations with the intense amber reflections of the cognac within.” It’s a bottle for the bar cart and the dinner table, and a gift that looks as good as it tastes.

The liquid is Camus’s modern XO: a blend of unfiltered wines (distilled on the lees) from several crus, including the rare, floral Borderies, made with the house’s “Intensity” distillation method, which selects the most aromatic fractions of the second distillation. It’s aged at least ten years in toasted fine-grain small oak barrels, and part of the blend is finished in re-toasted barrels, which adds spice and toast. It’s bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof).

Camus’s tasting note: “On the nose, the Camus XO contains savoury aromas of bitter apricot and oranges, as well as notes of exotic fruit and a dash of deep cacao. On the palate, it is first silky with a honey-like texture and an intense florality, a direct result of the Intensity process. Its character then gradually evolves towards spiced and toasted flavors, which come from the finishing process inside re-toasted cognac barrels. Lastly, it leaves with a long and intense finish, full of dark aromas of vanilla and cinnamon, drawn from the cognac’s long maturation inside the oak casks.” The brand lists a Gold Medal at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (and Gold at the World Cognac Awards, per a retailer). No numerical critic scores were found.

It’s a fragrant, fruit-and-flower XO, lighter and more aromatic than the heavy, oaky XOs of the bigger houses, in a decanter made to be displayed and reused. It’s best neat in a tulip glass at room temperature, or over a large cube, and works in a Sazerac or Sidecar. It’s also a gift for people who value presentation.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Camus XO Prestige Decanter is produced by Camus Cognac in Cognac, France (family-owned, five generations, since 1863), a blend of unfiltered eaux-de-vie from multiple crus including the Borderies, distilled with the “Intensity” method, aged at least 10 years in toasted fine-grain oak barrels, part finished in re-toasted barrels. 40% ABV / 80 proof. Presented in a reusable decanter, 750ml.

Tasting Profile

Nose
Radiant deep amber with mahogany reflections. Savory bitter apricot and orange, with exotic fruit and deep cacao.

Palate
Silky with a honey-like texture and intense florality, evolving toward spiced and toasted flavors.

Finish
Long and intense, with vanilla and cinnamon.

Quick Overview

Cocktail & Serving Suggestions

Neat in a tulip glass — at room temperature.

Sazerac or Sidecar — a fragrant, fruit-forward version.

Food Pairings

• Dark chocolate and orange desserts
• Apricot and almond tarts
• Aged cheeses
• Roasted nuts