St Agnes XXO Exceptional Reserve 50 Year Old has been declared “the greatest liquid to touch my lips this year” by Nick Ryan, senior wine writer for The Australian, who awarded the premium brandy a perfect 100 points in his latest review.
Released this year to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Australia’s oldest family-run distillery, the XXO 50 Year Old has been hailed among the greatest brandies in the world, joining a select few Australian wine and spirit producers who have achieved a perfect score from Ryan.
“To be part of such an exclusive club as we celebrate 100 years as a distillery is an extraordinary honour,” said Richard Angove, St Agnes Distillery managing dDirector and fifth-generation distiller.
“Our head distiller Ben Horley and his predecessor, John Norman, as well as the entire team behind St Agnes have been instrumental in maintaining the patience, care and craft required nurturing our aged spirits.
“Personally, this spirit holds such a special place.
“Three generations of my family have nurtured this collection, and to see something my grandfather first envisioned now recognised in this way is truly incredible.”
A limited release of just 500 bottles, the XXO 50 Year Old is crafted from rare parcels of brandy distilled between 1953 and 1972 and matured for decades in the historic Riverland barrel halls.
It offers collectors and connoisseurs a rare opportunity to own a piece of Australian distilling history and a powerful expression of five generations of craftsmanship.
This perfect score follows spirits writer Luke McCarthy’s praise of the XXO 50 Year Old as “one of the greatest achievements in Australian winemaking and distilling” in his recently released book, St Agnes – The First One Hundred Years.
Ryan also praised the wider St Agnes range, awarding the XO 15 Year Old 97 points for its “unbelievable quality at this price,” and describing the 30 Year Old, also released in 2025, as a “truly world-class brandy” with 98 points.
The centenary year has been a standout for the Renmark distillery, which also received a gold medal at the 2025 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition, and triumphed on the world stage to be named Brandy Taste Master at The Spirits Business Brandy Masters in London earlier this year.
Closer to home, the St Agnes XO Brandy 15 Year Old was crowned Champion Spirit at both the 2025 Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show and the Perth Royal Distilled Spirits Awards, as well as claiming Best Brandy trophies at every major capital city competition.
Photo: Richard and Victoria Angove.