Unlike most vodka that is traditionally derived from corn, sorghum, rye, wheat, or potatoes, Cîroc Vodka is made in France from “snap frost” grapes.  The juice of Mauzac Blanc grapes from the Gaillac region and Ugni Blanc grapes from the Cognac region is extracted and cold fermented.  While the Mauzac Blanc grapes are distilled four times in copper continuous stills, the Ugni Blanc grapes are also distilled four times but in steel column stills.  They are combined together, 95% being Mauzac Blanc and the other 5% being the Ugni Blanc.  The final concoction is then distilled one last time in a traditional copper pot still.  It sounds like a tedious and drawn-out process, but the remarkable results are enough to bring a tear to my eye.

     Over ice, Cîroc vodka is truly a delight.  The five distillations allow for the vodka to go down extremely smooth, and the taste is a light and fresh one.  The finish is a sweet one with a very noticeable grape taste.  It’s not like drinking wine or anything, but this unique grape finish does an exceptional job covering the traditional vodka burn or rubbing alcohol-like aftertaste most of us expect when drinking vodka on the rocks.  This vodka stands as one of a mere handful I prefer to drink without even a splash of tonic water.

     As delicious as Cîroc is to sip on the rocks, it is even more wonderful with a little Sprite©.  It was really hard for me to muster the courage to actually mix this delicious vodka; I was terrified that it would water it down too much.  I have no problem admitting I was wrong.  I would recommend using a little more vodka than Sprite© in the mixture because the two compliment each other incredibly well.  The mixed drink tastes like a slightly sweeter variation of the soda with an extremely pleasant and light grape aftertaste.  The Coca-Cola Company should partner with the people at Cîroc to produce pre-mixed versions of this concoction.  It is truly that good.  Just try to remember that there is vodka in the drink because you will think you are sipping on a light and icy dessert.  I don’t want to be responsible for you doing something stupid like spilling your liquor.

     80-proof Cîroc gave me a nice buzz rather quickly, and after four drinks, I was floating in drunken bliss.  I was definitely intoxicated, but the alcohol sat lightly on my stomach, and I still felt as though I was in control of myself.  I was just very calm and felt warm and fuzzy inside.  Naturally, I couldn’t stop this delight at merely four drinks.  I ended up consuming about seven or eight of these delicious beverages over the course of the next couple hours.  Surprisingly, I awoke the next morning with absolutely no trace of a hangover!  My eyes were a little dry, but that is normal for me on any given morning.  There was no headache, and I didn’t even have the slightest bit of dry mouth.  I found myself completely naked and on top of my sheets with my clothes randomly strewn about the room.  I found that a little odd, but the complete lack of a hangover totally put my mind at ease about the whole situation.  I’m glad I got that off my chest.  Doesn’t that sounds sexy, ladies?

     I read that Cîroc inked P-Diddy or the artist fromerly known as Puff Daddy, or whatever the hell he wants to be called, to do advertisments in 2008.  I cringe at the thought of him talking about this stuff, but I guess they want to try to reach a younger audience or something.  I personally don’t know anyone who would listen to what he has to say about anything, but they are paying him millions.  Perhaps that’s why this vodka is steep in price.  Plunking out 30-something dollars for a bottle may seem a little ridiculous for a fifth of vodka, but if you are looking for a new vodka experience, it’s a small price to pay for Cîroc.  I’ve tasted a handful of “ultra-premium” vodkas that cost more than twice that of Cîroc that really don’t hold a candle to it.  If you’ve ever even remotely enjoyed vodka, borrow, steal, or finagle some cash for Cîroc.  You will be impressed.

Sipability - 8.0

Mixability - 8.5

Drunkability - 8.0

Hangover-ability - 9.5

Bang for the Buck - 6.0

Overall - 8.5

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     We have all heard the stories of how alcohol is bad for you and of how it makes daddy get really angry at mommy, but now science has found a positive effect of alcoholism.  Liquor does a lot of good things, such as making you funny and smart, helping that person at the bar look attractive, giving you the courage to go talk to that person, and helping you forget that person when you wake up next to him or her the next day.  The list can go on for days.  And now with science finally doing some good, it has been proven that people who have between one and three alcoholic drinks a day can reduce their risk of dementia later in life by up to 70 percent.

     A study by Dr. Monique Breteler, from the Erasmus University Medical School, found that light to moderate drinking reduces the risk of all types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease(42%) and other types of dementia caused by restricted blood vessels by almost twice as much.  Way to go science!  They say it doesn’t matter what kind of alcohol you drink; they all help.  Dementia or loss of mental clarity is a major problem among older adults, and Alzheimer’s disease alone is the culprit in more than 360,000 new cases in the U.S. each year.

     It’s funny that liquor helps with Alzheimer’s disease since when drinking, I can barley remember what happen the night before, if at all.  I guess the liquor’s role is reversed in your later years.  This study doesn’t say it’s good to go getting drunk-happy.  There is an actual medical condition called alcoholic dementia that only we excess drinkers get.  It’s kind of like a exclusive disease for people of our exclusive club, but don’t worry, it takes a lot to get this one.  As long as you are averaging around two drinks a day, you should be able to reap the benefits of drinking.  So next time little know-it-all, tree-hugging, annoying fools tell you liquor is bad, tell them you’re trying to prevent dementia, and then punch them in the head.

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     After falling in love with Flor de Caña Gold Rum, the BoozeBasher crew salivated at the opportunity to try the more mature seven year creation.  Grand Reserve Rum is a full-bodied, premium rum that is aged seven years in Nicaragua using Flor de Caña’s proprietary slow-aging technique.  This seven years of aging gives the Grand Reserve its rich mahogany color and an extremely smooth taste.  The fine folks at Flor de Caña suggest it be consumed neat or on the rocks with soda or water.  We elected to follow a more traditional American path in our tasting by consuming it on the rocks and then with Coke©. 

     The Grand Reserve has a scent similar to its younger brother, but it has a more prominent coffee and caramel-like essence.  You can definitely tell that this is a much more mature rum than the Gold.  When sipping it on the rocks, the Grand Reserve has a very flavorful and rich taste.  Admittedly, none of us here at BoozeBasher are the biggest rum drinkers, but this stuff has a very smooth and pleasant taste.  If you enjoy sipping rum on the rocks, Flor de Caña Grand Reserve will be a tasty treat for you.  After the drink gets a little watered-down, it becomes even smoother without detracting much from the rich taste.I can tell why they suggest drinking this stuff with a little water.  It honestly goes down as smooth as water, and it leaves you with an awesome barrel-like aftertaste.  The experience is like no other rum I have ever consumed.

     If Flor de Caña Grand Reserve falters anywhere, it would have to be in its mixability.  Though a little bit of water created a spectacular drinking experience, mixing the spirit with Coke© detracted from it’s taste.  The cola actually made the Grand Reserve taste more watered-down than when mixing it with a splash of water.  Don’t get me wrong, this stuff mixes very well with cola, but it honestly tastes a little better without all the mixing.  If you want a good dark rum for mixing, I would suggest Flor de Caña Gold.  While the Gold seems to accent the cola beautifully, the cola holds back the flavors in the Grand Reserve.  After a few drinks though, all I really tasted was the Coke©, so it was easy to knock back enough of the cocktails to get me where I wanted to be…and fast.

     Just like its little brother, Flor de Caña Grand Reserve really took care of me when it comes to drunkability.  It gave me a speedy buzz, and after four drinks, I had a jolly and elated drunk.  I felt relaxed and energized at the same time.  I almost felt like running naked through the streets and singing.  Luckily for everyone within my maximum running distance of one block, I just sat at my computer and continued drinking.  Even though my motor skills were slightly impaired and I had a slight drive to de-pants myself, I was more than happy to continue my night drinking out at my favorite local bar.  Combine the smoothness of the Grand Reserve with its happy and rewarding intoxication, and you have an excellent liquor.  It would be perfect for any tropical-themed party that may wish to incourage nudity.

     Even with the good intoxication that came with this spirit, I didn’t really have much of a hangover.  I had the usual dryness in my mouth and a mild headache, but they both diminished promptly after a few glasses of water.  However, I will admit that my memory from the previous night was very hazy.  I tend to have trouble remembering nights filled with heavy drinking, but this stuff really did a number on the memory front.  Come to think of it, I may have actually run around naked and singing, but if I don’t remember, it never happened.  Isn’t that how it works?     

     With the damage done to Nicaragua by Hurricane Felix in September of 2007, we selfishly worried that there might be a shortage of the fine Flor de Caña rums, but they still seem to be abundant and resonably-priced here in Florida.  At around $25 for a 750ml bottle, Flor de Caña Grand Reserve is very affordable for a sipping rum.  Its wonderful smoothness when mixed with a little water make it a steal for this price.  I would urge all rum drinkers, and anyone who generally likes the taste of alcohol on the rocks to give this stuff a try.  $25 is a small price to pay for happiness in a bottle.

You may also want to read our reviews of Flor de Caña Gold and Flor de Caña Extra Dry. 

Sipability - 7.5

Mixability - 7.5

Drunkability - 8.0

Hangover-ability - 8.0

Bang for the Buck - 7.0

Chick-appeal - 7.0

Overall - 8.0 

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