Giffard Orgeat 350ML

Giffard Orgeat 350ML is a non-alcoholic French almond syrup (0% ABV, 350ml) made by the Giffard family in Angers, Loire Valley, using a recipe dating to 1910. Produced with Valencia and Moroccan almonds, orange flower water, and no artificial preservatives, this syrup stands as one of the more widely available craft-quality orgeats on the bar market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 0% (Alcohol-Free)  |  Origin: Angers, Loire Valley, France  |  Style: Almond Orgeat Syrup  |  Producer: Maison Giffard

Production & Heritage

Maison Giffard was founded in Angers, France, in the heart of the Loire Valley — a region long associated with French liqueur and syrup production. The family has been producing orgeat syrup for over a century, sourcing almonds from Mediterranean groves that have supplied the house since the original 1910 formula was developed. Production involves steeping roasted almonds in sugar syrup derived from sugar beet, then filtering the mixture and incorporating orange flower water for its signature floral lift. Gum arabic (E414) serves as a natural thickener, and the finished syrup undergoes flash pasteurization rather than relying on artificial preservatives — a method that helps retain the fresh almond character while extending shelf stability.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Freshly ground almonds dominate the nose, followed by a gentle floral sweetness reminiscent of orange blossom. A subtle marzipan quality emerges as the syrup warms in the glass.

Taste: The entry is rich and creamy with a pronounced almond flavor that reads as natural rather than synthetic. Mid-palate, delicate bitter almond notes add complexity, balanced by clean sweetness from the sugar beet base. A trace of vanilla rounds out the profile without cloying.

Finish: Smooth and moderately lingering, with a sweet almond essence that fades cleanly. The orange flower water reveals itself most clearly on the tail end, leaving a fragrant, slightly floral impression.

How to Use Giffard Orgeat

Orgeat is one of the essential syrups in any serious cocktail bar, and this expression works well straight from the bottle without further dilution. Its natural almond intensity means a little goes a long way — typically 0.5 to 0.75 oz per drink.

• Mai Tai: The cocktail that made orgeat famous; Giffard's clean almond sweetness balances aged rum and curaçao without muddying the drink.
• Japanese Cocktail: A classic cognac-and-orgeat combination where the syrup's floral notes complement the brandy's fruit character.
• Scorpion Bowl: The tiki staple benefits from a quality orgeat that provides genuine almond depth rather than one-dimensional sweetness.
• Trinidad Sour: Pairs with Angostura bitters and rye whiskey; the syrup's richness tempers the drink's assertive bitterness.

Best For

• Building a home tiki bar with professional-grade ingredients
• Bartenders seeking a reliable, natural orgeat for high-volume service
• Gifting alongside aged rum for a DIY Mai Tai kit
• Adding almond depth to non-alcoholic drinks, coffee, or dessert applications

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Giffard Orgeat taste like? It delivers a rich, creamy almond flavor with subtle bitter almond complexity and a delicate floral finish from orange flower water. The sweetness is clean and balanced, avoiding the cloying or artificial quality found in many commercial syrups.

How does Giffard Orgeat compare to Monin Orgeat? Giffard uses Valencia and Moroccan almonds with flash pasteurization and no artificial preservatives, while Monin Orgeat is more widely distributed at a similar price point. In comparative tastings, Giffard has generally been rated as having a more natural almond flavor than Monin, which some reviewers find thinner in almond character.

Is Giffard Orgeat good for cocktails? Giffard Orgeat is specifically designed for cocktail use and is stocked by many professional bars. Its concentration and viscosity are calibrated for standard cocktail recipes without requiring adjustment.

Where is Giffard Orgeat made? Giffard Orgeat is produced by Maison Giffard in Angers, a city in the Loire Valley of western France. The company has operated from this location for over a century, and the orgeat recipe dates to 1910.

What foods pair well with Giffard Orgeat? Drizzle over panna cotta or crème brûlée for a marzipan accent. It complements fresh stone fruits like peaches and apricots in dessert applications. Add to iced coffee or espresso for an almond-forward sweetener. It also works in Middle Eastern and North African pastries where almond and orange blossom flavors are traditional.

What sizes does Giffard Orgeat come in? This expression is available in a 350ml bottle, which yields approximately 15 to 20 cocktails depending on the recipe's required measure.

Is Giffard Orgeat worth the price? Giffard Orgeat positions as an affordable craft-quality option in the orgeat category, sitting below small-batch artisan syrups but well above mass-market brands in ingredient quality. At roughly the same cost per ounce as many competitors, its natural production methods and preservative-free formula represent solid value for home and professional bartenders alike.

Why Giffard Orgeat?

What distinguishes this syrup from the crowded orgeat market is the combination of a century-old recipe with genuinely natural production. The use of Valencia and Moroccan almonds — sourced from the same Mediterranean groves since 1910 — gives it an almond intensity that synthetic alternatives cannot replicate. Flash pasteurization in place of chemical preservatives means the flavor stays closer to fresh-made orgeat than shelf-stable competitors. For anyone serious about tiki cocktails or classic recipes that call for orgeat, Giffard delivers the ingredient quality that bartenders expect from a heritage French producer without demanding a boutique price.