Spirit. Gary + Grisha is a handcrafted spirit created to bring people together. But to us, it’s so much more than that.

Well, if it were up to us, both. An inseparable, boundary-crossing blend of vodka and whiskey flavours. A Wodsky, if you will.

But since the world of spirits is, quite rightly, governed by strict regulations, here’s the official answer according to EU spirits regulations: Gary + Grisha is a vodka aged in a bourbon whiskey barrel.

Vodka made from wheat, not potatoes. In our case, that makes it noticeably smoother than many other vodkas.

Gary + Grisha gets its flavour entirely from the original vodka and its ageing in a whiskey barrel. The same goes for its colour. No additives, artificial flavours, added sugar, or any other weird stuff goes into our spirit. By the way, before bottling, we only filter out larger bits of wood from the whiskey barrel using a simple mechanical process. Animal products like gelatine or egg whites, sometimes used to clarify wine or beer 🤢, are definitely not our thing. That’s why Gary + Grisha is vegan, too.

We use nothing but former bourbon barrels – barrels from the US that were previously used to age bourbon whiskey. By law, bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. These are typically made from American white oak and charred on the inside. The combination of charred oak and fresh wood gives bourbon its signature sweet, smooth notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. And by ageing our vodka in these very same barrels here in Germany, we bring those flavours into our vodka.

If you ever spot a teeny-tiny black speck floating in your bottle, don’t worry. It’s just a little piece of charcoal from the whiskey barrel. Before bottling, we filter out larger particles. But the finer the filter, the more flavour we’d lose from our spirit. So, just like with a good single malt whisky, a tiny speck of charcoal from the barrel is more a sign of genuine craftsmanship than a flaw.

3,50 €? Afraid not. After all, Gary + Grisha is a handcrafted spirit produced in small batches – one barrel at a time. That’s why a bottle of Gary + Grisha costs 34,90 €. That’s 69,80 € per litre, including MwSt. (VAT), of course. You’re more than welcome to send us your money here. We’ll send you a bottle in return.

Drink. Where do I drink it? At your friend’s place, at the park, at home, wherever you like. If you want, we have put together a few ideas for delicious drinks for you here.

With a lot of hands-on work. And we mean a lot. If you fancy lending a hand, we can always use some help sticking on labels, writing on every single bottle by hand, and even with quality control. 😉 There’s just one catch: No tasting on the job. We usually put the finishing touches on our bottles at a friend’s café in Berlin. But at least the coffee’s damn good.

Vanilla, fudge, caramel, and oak – with the smoothness of vodka. After all, it’s not some sickly sweet liqueur. By the way, the flavour can vary. The next bottle you order might taste a little different. Just like a handcrafted whisky can taste different from one bottling to the next, Gary + Grisha varies slightly in flavour from batch to batch. That’s because the vodka ages differently in every single whiskey barrel. And that’s what makes it so exciting.

From a small canister. Through a funnel. Simple as that. The vodka for our first two small batches came from a German distillery we’re friends with, which prefers to remain anonymous for now. Who knows, maybe they’ll reveal themselves one day, when Gary + Grisha is as famous as those big vodka brands that have even made it into Germany’s collective memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall. From Batch 3 onwards, our vodka is distilled to our specifications by Nordbrand Nordhausen, in the town of the same name in Thuringia, Germany. We then handpick the whiskey barrels in which the vodka is left to age.

Preferably from a glass, not straight from the bottle. Gary + Grisha is great for mixing, and we’ve put together a few cocktail recipes for you here. But since we set out to create a spirit that can hold its own, you can also enjoy it neat.

Well, you could order a bottle from us here, wait patiently for the post to arrive, open the parcel with a pair of scissors, unpack the bottle and give it a good, thorough inspection, eagerly twist out the cork, pour some into a glass, and finally bring the spirit to your lips in small, deliciously expectant sips. Or you could check our homepage to see where Gary + Grisha is already available – or simply ask us.

Grrrrr, like the bear does.
“ee”, as in “eagle”.
And “sh”, as in “shenanigans”.

... and if they haven’t died, they’re still drinking happily ever after.

Because!

Yes, tunnels like these between East and West Berlin really did exist. Most were dug by brave, desperate people trying to escape to freedom. In one case, even spies dug their way beneath the border. Or were you actually asking whether the incredible story of Gary and Grisha is true – or whether it’s really a subtle nod to the importance of standing up for openness, tolerance, and togetherness in today’s world? Well, yes. Of course. Exactly that! True story.

That’s up to you to decide. We want to give you a story that doesn’t spill everything right away. Something you have to explore, figure out and make your own – just like the booze in your glass. Drinking culture isn’t about being expensive and exclusive – literally keeping people out. Spirits have been bringing people together for centuries. Getting them talking. Getting them closer. Especially people who didn’t understand each
other before. That’s the real magic of a spirit. And what could be more relevant today?

We think drinking is fine. Getting soused isn’t. Of course, alcohol is a risky pleasure. And for many people, the best choice is to steer clear of it altogether. But spirits have also brought people together in positive ways throughout history. And if there’s a good reason for a drink like this to exist, surely that’s it. And that’s the very idea we’ve built Gary + Grisha around.

You might think so if you only took a quick glance, right? And that’s precisely one of the central problems we’re all facing today. The simpler the answers seem, the more closely we should look. Gary and Grisha were, in principle, expected to shoot each other. But like so many others, perhaps they found the courage to choose otherwise.

At Checkpoint Charlie, Americans and Soviets from many different countries faced each other. We actually didn’t make that up. Besides: Where there’s a lack of sense, we believe in a little spirit. And when the world goes mad, it takes some pretty crazy ideas to set things right. If you’re looking for inspiration, just take a look at the history of Berlin, Germany, and Europe. It’s full of inspiring moments and courageous people who chose to bring others together rather than drive them apart.

At Checkpoint Charlie, Americans and Soviets from many different countries faced each other. We actually didn’t make that up. Besides: Where there’s a lack of sense, we believe in a little spirit. And when the world goes mad, it takes some pretty crazy ideas to set things right. If you’re looking for inspiration, just take a look at the history of Berlin, Germany, and Europe. It’s full of inspiring moments and courageous people who chose to bring others together rather than drive them apart.

We won’t let anyone spoil our love of beautiful colours like blue or red – or even particularly meaningful ones like black, red, and gold. After all, colour is for everyone. And that goes especially for those who insist on seeing everything in black, white, and red.