Vodkas are often similar to each other and they rank as the one type of liquor that many people have difficulty telling apart. I drink an occasional vodka martini or similar cocktail and when I do, I reach for a vodka that is superior in taste to others so that I can enjoy the flavor of the vodka in my cocktail. One vodka that I frequently use for this type of drink is
Grey Goose Vodka, a premium vodka produced in France
Basic Characteristics of This Liquor:
Grey Goose Vodka is completely clear and flows as smoothly as a glass of water. The vodka has little smell, with the scents of smoke, vanilla and alcohol prevailing along with a touch of cooked grains.
The taste is typical of most vodkas in that it isn’t extremely complex, but this vodka is more complex than others, with a body that is clean and crisp along with a distinct bitterness and a slight taste of charcoal. There is a peppery sensation at the end which quickly fades into an aftertaste of alcohol and a small amount of vanilla extract. The aftertaste doesn’t last long. The vodka is so clean it leaves the taste buds after a minute or two.
Grey Goose Vodka is made using wheat, barley, rye, and corn along with natural spring water filtered through champagne limestone. It is imported by the Grey Goose Importing Company of Miami, Florida. It is 80 proof (40 percent alcohol), which is the ordinary strength of most vodkas and other distilled spirits. There are about 60 calories in a one ounce (30 ml) serving.
Drinks Made with This Liquor:
Here are a few tasty drinks to make with Grey Goose Vodka:
Vodka Martini
1.5 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
.5 oz. Dry Vermouth
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Add olives or a twist of lemon for garnish.
Memorial Day Martini
2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
.25 oz. Dry Vermouth
.5 teaspoon salt
.5 teaspoon pepper
2 dashes orange bitters
2 dashes hot sauce
Mix spices, then rub a lemon wedge on the outside of a cocktail glass and roll it in the mixture of spices. Combine vermouth, bitters, hot sauce, and a small amount of juice from the lemon in a shaker with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass, then add the vodka to the shaker. After a few good shakes, pour the vodka into the cocktail glass and serve.
Kyoto Martini
3 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
1 oz. Melon Liqueur
.5 oz. Dry Vermouth
2 ml (about 1/8 teaspoon) Lemon Juice
Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.
Final Thoughts:
Grey Goose is one of the world’s premiere vodkas. This pure grain vodka goes through a five step distillation process as it makes its way from France to your home or favorite restaurant/pub. Distilled in the Cognac region of France, Grey Goose was created by entrepreneur Sidney Frank: A man who wanted to manufacture vodka that would be premium in taste and would be highly coveted by upper- end U.S. consumers. Grey Goose was the result of his work. It is still popular today, even though Frank sold the company to Bacardi for $1.6 billion dollars.
Grey Goose is known for several things. One is its bottle. It features an interesting design with an etched figure of a goose transposed over a mountain and water scene with five geese flying on the air on one side of the bottle and eleven geese flying on the other side. The goose may not be the most sophisticated choice for a bottle design but the bottle is very distinct and people have grown to associate it with Grey Goose quality.
The most important quality of Grey Goose and the reason it is so highly sought after is, of course, its taste. This vodka doesn’t seem much different from others when you judge it by appearance and aroma. Where you notice the difference is in the flavor. Grey Goose starts out subtle and then finishes with a bang, followed by a quick mellowing period where the aftertaste fades away into nothing, leaving your palate feeling clean and pure. As you take small sips of this vodka, you will notice more and more a slight citrus taste in the background. I couldn’t detect this at first, but it started to some through with additional sips, piquing my interest to sample a little more.
Because the taste of Grey Goose is different from other vodkas and so good by itself, it is best served in drinks that call for a larger amount of vodka than mixer. Martinis are an excellent choice, and this is precisely why I chose to include recipes for different type of martinis in my selections above. With this type of taste, one doesn’t want to block the good flavor with excessive sugar or fruity mixers. Grey Goose would taste fine in these and other drinks, but it is best suited in a drink that calls for more vodka than any other ingredient. It is also a good choice of vodka for a shot or on the rocks. This way, you can experience the interesting taste qualities of Grey Goose without any interference from neutral mixers.
One thing that vodka drinkers know all to well about Grey Goose is that it costs more than most vodka. It is sold in five package sizes: 50ml, 375ml, 750ml, 1000ml, and 1750ml. The standard 750 ml bottle sells for about $29- a price that is more than three times more costly than other popular brands like Smirnoff. Because of the higher price, many people partake in Grey Goose vodka only on special occasions or when visiting fancy restaurants. It certainly isn’t a casual vodka to be used in fruity mixed drinks. It is designed to appeal to more sophisticated tastes.
Overall, Grey Goose is an excellent choice when it comes to vodka. It offers an interesting taste that is clean and pure, with only a small amount of alcohol burn and minimal aftertaste that fades away very quickly. It is one of the most praised vodkas produced around the globe and many consider it the very best the world has to offer. Try some Grey Goose, and taste for yourself why this vodka is rated so highly.
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