Ciroc breaks from how most vodka is made: instead of grain, it starts as wine, distilled from Mauzac Blanc and Ugni Blanc grapes grown in French wine country. The base wine goes through cold maceration and controlled fermentation, wine making techniques rather than typical vodka production, then is distilled five times in total: four passes through column stills, followed by a fifth and final distillation in a traditional copper pot still at Distillerie de Chevanceaux in the south of France. That grape base, rather than a grain one, is what gives Ciroc its citrus forward character rather than the grain sweetness common to most vodka.
CHARACTER
Lemon: crisp citrus zest runs through the nose, palate and finish
Honey: a light sweetness on the palate
Peach: a stone fruit note in the mid palate
Apricot: a second stone fruit note alongside the peach
Black Pepper: cracked pepper spice on the palate, returning again at the very end of the finish
Fresh Herbs: covers the sage spice and lemongrass character noted on the nose
TASTING NOTES
NOSE- Clean and lifted, opening with lemon zest and lemongrass before sage spice and faint florals come through.
PALATE- Crisp lemon and light honey sweetness with a silky mouthfeel, developing stone fruit (apricot and peach) alongside cracked black pepper and gentle spice.
FINISH- A smooth, clean fade with trailing citrus zest, and cracked black pepper spice returning at the very end.
