Why Gray Whale Vodka Deserves a Place on the Cocktail Menu
An additive-free vodka with versatile cocktail potential and a conservation story operators can bring to the guest.
Vodka is one of the most versatile spirits behind the bar. For operators, that makes the liquid itself, and the story that comes with it, important. Gray Whale Vodka brings a coastal point of view to the category, with a flavor profile designed to work across familiar cocktails, modern serves and sipping occasions.
A Vodka Built for the Back Bar
Gray Whale, the award-winning spirits brand inspired by the migratory journey of the gray whale along the Pacific coastline, has recently expanded its portfolio with Gray Whale Vodka. The spirit gives operators a coastal-inspired option with a point of difference that can translate across classic cocktails, modern serves and simple pours.
Designed for everyday occasions that bring people together, Gray Whale Vodka is small-batch and distilled from grain and California grapes, offering a touch of sweetness. It is produced without additives or added sugar, resulting in a refreshing, balanced spirit designed to shine in classic cocktails and modern serves.
For operators, that versatility creates room to work the spirit across a cocktail program rather than limiting it to a single signature drink. Its flavor profile complements familiar builds while giving a menu an opportunity to tell a more distinctive brand story through coastal inspired serves.
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Gray Whale’s new vodka is small-batch and distilled from grain and California grapes, offering a touch of sweetness.
The Liquid: A Distinctive Take on Vodka
Crafted without additives, Gray Whale Vodka is clean, balanced, and made for cocktails or sipping.
Distilled from grain and California grapes, Gray Whale offers a touch of sweetness and features delicate floral notes, soft citrus brightness, and a smooth, rounded texture, with a clean and refreshing finish, great for both cocktails and sipping.
The California grapes contribute to the spirit’s silky texture and delicate flavor, while the overall profile is intended to give classic vodka cocktails a refreshing, expressive foundation.
Operator Opportunity: Build Around Familiar Serves
For operators, Gray Whale’s versatility means there’s no need to reinvent the cocktail menu. Familiar serves can take on a distinctive point of view, giving guests an approachable entry point while creating an easy story for the team to share behind the bar.
Signature Serves
Where It Fits on the Menu
From dedicated vodka sections to signature and seasonal serves, Gray Whale Vodka can be positioned wherever guests already look for approachable, recognizable vodka cocktails. Its versatility gives operators the flexibility to introduce the brand without requiring a major menu overhaul.
More Than a Cocktail: A Story Guests Can Get Behind
The story behind Gray Whale extends beyond what’s in the glass. Through its partnership with the Surfrider Foundation, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches for all people, the brand is putting its coastal roots into action.
Together with Surfrider, Gray Whale will help support a series of beach cleanups across the United States, bringing volunteers, local communities, and coastal advocates together to care for the shorelines that inspire the brand.
Gray Whale’s support will also advance Surfrider’s initiative to remove more than 750,000 pounds of trash and plastic from United States coastlines over the next three years, helping create a healthier ocean and cleaner beaches for coastal communities and wildlife.
Environmental stewardship has been central to Gray Whale since the brand launched in 2016. Gray Whale has been a longstanding proud member of 1% for the Planet, committing at least one percent of annual revenue to environmental organizations dedicated to protecting the natural world.
Every bottle of Gray Whale supports ocean conservation.
A Brand Story Operators Can Bring to the Table
The Surfrider partnership gives operators another layer of context to share with guests: a vodka rooted in the Pacific Coast, paired with a tangible conservation story. For a cocktail menu, that can turn a familiar order into an opportunity for discovery without requiring guests to know the full brand history before they take the first sip.
Inspired by the 12,000-mile migration of the gray whale along the Pacific Coast, Gray Whale has built a loyal following by combining premium spirits with a sense of environmental responsibility and coastal lifestyle. The addition of vodka allows the brand to extend that identity into new occasions and cocktails, while maintaining the integrity that has defined its approach since the beginning.
Gray Whale announces new partnership with the Surfrider Foundation to protect the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches for all.
Ready to explore what Gray Whale can bring to your cocktail program? Click below to learn more about Gray Whale Vodka and availability in your market.
About Gray Whale Spirits Co.
At Gray Whale Spirits Co. we produce small-batch, refreshing coastal spirits that celebrate the Pacific Coastline and the migratory path of the California gray whale. We believe in good times shared with friends and family, embodying the beautiful and refreshing vibe of the California coast, while doing good in the world.
For more information, please visit graywhalespirits.com.
About Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over one million supporters, activists, and members, with more than 200 volunteer-led chapters and student clubs in the United States, and more than 1,000 victories protecting our coasts. Learn more at surfrider.org.
About Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits
Initially called W.J. Deutsch & Sons Ltd., the company was founded in 1981 by Chairman Bill Deutsch to market quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. In 2009, it announced the expansion of the award-winning company to include a spirit’s portfolio. Today the company is renowned for its brand-building prowess and its ability to meet the needs of the modern consumer. Bill’s son Peter Deutsch is CEO; thus, two generations of the Deutsch family work side by side in their continuous quest to build strong brands and relationships throughout the wine and spirits industry.
The portfolio features award-winning wines, including Josh Cellars, Josh Cellars Reserve, The Calling, The Crossings, Barone Fini, Fleurs de Prairie, Cave de Lugny, and Clos de los Siete, as well as award-winning spirits from Redemption Whiskey, Gray Whale, Cantera Negra Tequila, and Bib & Tucker Bourbon.
