hors d’age is a French term meaning “beyond age.” Although it has been used informally to describe exceptionally old spirits since at least the 1870s, it was only formalized in the mid-twentieth century. Today it is a legally recognized term in the three appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) designations for spirits in France: Armagnac, calvados, and cognac. The aging requirements for these three appellations differ; in Armagnac, the hors d’age term refers to spirits whose youngest eau-de-vie is at least ten years old, while in calvados and cognac it is a minimum of six years, the same as XO. In practice all three appellations exceed the minimum legal requirements. Outside of France, while the term is sometimes seen on AOC Martinique Rhum Agricole labels, it is not a legally defined designation.
Faith, Nicholas. Cognac. Oxford: Infinite Ideas, 2014.
“Lettre d’ un libre … baigneur.” L’ avenir d’ Arachon, September 1, 1872, 1.
By: May Matta-Aliah