Ciroc is a popular brand of vodka that is consumed throughout the world. Many people often associate Ciroc as a premium vodka brand, a brand that beats out competitors in terms of quality and taste. The company has established itself as a leading vodka manufacturer, and their vodka has famously been endorsed by American rapper/producer/actor/entrepreneur Sean Combs. A popular drink of choice for those that enjoy the night life, you will see Ciroc on all the shelves of the best clubs around the worlds. This popular French vodka is relatively new and managed to go from complete obscurity to fame in just twenty-two short years. We are going to take a look at five things that you probably didn’t know about this premium vodka brand.
5. They Are Owned By Diego plc
Ciroc is actually owned by a much larger company, Diego. Diego is a British global alcoholic beverage company that operates out of London. Currently the company is the largest producer of spirits in the world, in addition to being a large producer of beer and wine. Each year the company sees a few billion dollars in net income. Diego owns such brands as Smirnoff (the worlds best selling vodka), Guinness (the worlds best selling stout beer), Baileys (the worlds best selling liqueur), and Johnnie Walker (the worlds best selling blended Scotch), and a few other brands including Ciroc.
4. They Were a Struggling Company For Many Years
Ciroc hasn’t always been associated withe the words “premium” and “luxury”. Ciroc was first introduced in 1993 and was targeted and promoted at various nightclubs. Despite marketing efforts the early years of Ciroc were very difficult. The brand struggled to find its footing and were barely breaking even. At some points the company nearly lost it all. It was not until 2007 that the company became really successful as Sean Combs became the face and spokesperson of the company and helped them take the brand to all new heights, propelling themselves as a premium brand of vodka. He helped them go from shipping just 40,000 cases a year to over 2,000,000.
3. Earl Little Used To Be Their Promoter
Before there was Diddy, there was Earl Little. Earl Little is a former American football player who played defensive back for the Cleveland Browns, the New Orleans Saints, and the Green Bay Packers. Little played in the NFL for just seven years and saw moderate success. In 2003 he joined with Ciroc to promote the vodka at various clubs in America. Most people associate Combs with Ciroc, and rightfully so, however Little was there first.
2. Their Vodka is Made From Grapes
Unlike nearly all other types of vodka, Ciroc chooses to use grapes as the base for their product. Most vodka is made from potatoes, wheat, or rye, yet Ciroc wanted to be a little different. Vodka isn’t classified by the ingredients that is used to make the product, but rather the purirty of the final product. The U.S. Government classifies vodka as “neutral spirits, so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color”. So Ciroc is very much vodka, as it is extremely pure. Since Ciroc is a French brand, this is not unheard of as the French famously use grapes to make Cognac as well in a somewhat similar process. Ciroc uses two types of grapes for their vodka: Mauzac Blanc from the Cognac region of France, and Ugni Blanc from the Gaillac region. It is these grapes that give Ciroc a distinct flavor.
1. They Distill Their Vodka Five Times
Vodka is nearly always an extremely pure substance, as manufacturers of vodka distill their alcohol to at least 96% and do not age the product. While other hard liquors are distilled, vodka is typically distilled the most as to remove all the impurities. This is what makes vodka clear and how it pretty much has no scent to it. Well, the people over at Ciroc go to even greater lengths, as the distill their vodka five separate times. Since Ciroc uses two different types of grapes for the vodka, each grape is initially treated separately. The first four distillations occur in either a stainless steel or copper still. The Mauzac Blanc grapes are distilled in copper stills four separate times, while the Ugni Blanc grapes are distilled in stainless steel stills four separate times. After each grape batch was distilled, Ciroc then blends the two together. The final distillery process is performed in a traditional Armagnac-styled still and consists of a mixture that is 95% Ugni Blanc and 5% Mauzac Blanc .
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