What Is Grey Goose Vodka?

Production, Types, and Recipes

Grey Goose Vodka
Bacardi Limited

Grey Goose is a premium brand of French wheat vodka. Its name is synonymous with quality vodka, and the bottle is prominent in bars and liquor stores worldwide. The brand's naturally-flavored vodka portfolio includes citrus fruits, melon, and vanilla, and their cherry and pear vodkas are the most impressive you will find. No matter the flavor, each is reminiscent of the clean, smooth taste found in the original clear vodka.

Considered one of the best, Grey Goose is often used as a benchmark when comparing other brands. Whether or not it really is the best or smoothest vodka is a matter of opinion. Yet, if you're looking for a quality vodka that is reliable and at a reasonable price, then this is an excellent option. It's a nice one to keep in your bar to create clean, smooth vodka cocktails.

Fast Facts

  • Ingredients: French wheat
  • Proof: 80
  • ABV: 40%
  • Calories in a shot: 96
  • Origin: France
  • Taste: crisp, smooth, delicately sweet
  • Aged: unaged
  • Serve: straight-up, on the rocks, cocktails, shots

What Is Grey Goose Made From?

The Grey Goose brand was launched in 1997 and created by Sydney Frank and Francois Thibault. Owned today by Bacardi Limited, it is still made entirely in France.

The vodka begins with a selection of French wheat grown near the distillery in Picardy. Grey Goose is distilled one time through a five-column distillation process. Once distilled, it is moved to a bottling facility in the Cognac region and blended with limestone-filtered spring water from Gensac-la-Pallue. All Grey Goose vodkas (including the flavors) are bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV, 80 proof).

As with any flavored vodka, the base liquor establishes and either makes or breaks the entire portfolio. In keeping with the clear vodka's top-shelf quality, the ingredients used in each flavor are natural, and the vodkas are free of other additives. Grey Goose flavors use French names.

What Does Grey Goose Taste Like?

Grey Goose tastes like a quality vodka should: crisp, clean, and smooth. There is a hint of sweetness from the wheat and a gentle alcohol taste. The finish is crisp and smooth, lacking the burn found in many of its competitors.

Types

Nearly every vodka brand dives into the flavored vodka market, and Grey Goose is no exception. Several changes have been made over the years, with flavors coming and going, though this brand has always kept it rather simple. There are no whipped cream vodkas or other wacky flavors that seem to be more gimmick than anything else. Instead, all of Grey Goose's flavors are practical and useful in real-world cocktails that any drinker can appreciate.

  • Le Citron: Citrus vodkas are among the most commonly used flavors in cocktails like the cosmopolitan and kiwi martini, and Grey Goose offers two options. Le Citron is flavored with the natural essential oils from select varieties of lemons. It has the bright flavor of lemon zest with waves of lavender and rose.
  • L'Orange: The other citrus vodka features orange essence. Bright, crisp, and zesty, L'Orange is a delicate balance of sweet oranges backed by a bright herbal bouquet.
  • La Poire: Infused with ripe French Anjou pears' natural essences, La Poire is a fine balance of sweetness and enduring flavor. It was released in 2007, just as pear vodka started to make a splash, and Grey Goose's interpretation of the flavor is among the best.
  • La Vanille: Discontinued for a period of time, Grey Goose's vanilla vodka is back. Flavored with vanilla beans from Madagascar, it is one of the freshest tasting vanilla-flavored vodkas on the market.
  • Le Melon: Flavored with the French Cavaillon melon, which is known for its high sugar content, Le Melon is naturally sweeter than the average melon vodka. With its bright flavor and honey-like richness, it can find a home in any summer cocktail.
  • Cherry Noir: Cherry Noir is the most welcomed addition to the Grey Goose family. Before this, cherry vodka was disappointing as the fruit flavor becomes very medicinal when mixed with grain alcohol. As the French name indicates, this vodka is made with black cherries, and there lies the biggest difference.
  • Grey Goose Essences: Unlike the flavored vodkas, this series features delicately flavored infusions that marry a single fruit and herb. The flavors include strawberry and lemongrass, watermelon and basil, and white peach and rosemary. These vodkas are 30 percent ABV (70 proof), contain no sugar or carbs, and a 1 1/2-ounce shot is just 73 calories.

How to Drink Grey Goose

Any Grey Goose Vodka is perfectly enjoyable on its own when served ice-cold. These vodkas really are best as a base for cocktails, though, and nearly any recipe will work out very well. Mix it into a vodka soda or play with the flavors and various fruit juices in highballs like the madras. The clear vodka makes an excellent vodka martini, while any of the flavors work well in fruity cocktails.

Cocktail Recipes

It's difficult to find a cocktail in which Grey Goose Vodka would not be a good fit. Mix it into one of your favorite vodka cocktails or explore the brand's flavors in these brightly flavored drinks.