[4] The name "Cîroc" is a portmanteau of the French word cime, meaning peak or summit-top, and roche, meaning rock, a reference to the high-altitude vineyards of the Gaillac region where Mauzac grapes are grown (the 'î' in the Cîroc logo is the i-circumflex letter used in the French language.

[16] A review in The Spirits Business said its taste profile has "'rich' notes of fresh fruit, vanilla and a hint of French oak".

[citation needed] On 14 December 2011, the company began airing a "Luck Be a Lady" advertising campaign for ultra premium vodka, directed by Anthony Mandler.

Other artists such as DJ Khaled (added in 2016) and rapper French Montana (starting in 2017) have also been involved in the brand's development and marketing.

[28] The brand's marketing on social media has come under criticism for a lack of adequate disclosure of paid promotional activities.

In 2017, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a letter to Puff Daddy and 45 other celebrities to remind them of legal requirements to properly disclose their paid sponsorships, and in early 2018 the Truth in Advertising watchdog organization (abbreviated TINA) sent a letter of complaint to DJ Khaled and Diageo expressing concerns about Cîroc.

Later in 2018, TINA sent a letter of complaint to the FTC, pointing out the actions of 50 influencers that it said were in violation of disclosure requirements involving their promotion of the Cîroc brand.

These influencers included Puff Daddy, DJ Khaled, French Montana, Alessandra Ambrosio, Cassie, Bow Wow, and Ashanti.

[29] DJ Khaled later removed the problematic advertisements that he was involved with, which had included more than 300 promotions of Cîroc and other brands between June 2017 and March 2018.

[30] TINA also complained that the brand's promotion activities included material likely to reach audiences who are under the legal drinking age.