ophistication made simple

By Michael Tulipan

Grey Goose Sets The Standard For A Return To Classic Luxury

With ubiquitous versions of the iconic Martini cocktail (made with and without espresso) appearing on menus across the country, this year may go down in history as the “Year of the Martini.” This return to the classics continues to drive strong growth in the premium vodka segment led by standard-setting brands like Grey Goose.

Grey Goose Vodka celebrates its French heritage with every bottle. Made with just two ingredients, single-origin Picardie winter wheat and natural spring water from Gensac-la-Pallue, the vodka is 100% traceable from crop to cork, with harvest, distillation, and bottling all taking place in France under the company’s careful control. The soft winter wheat used to make Grey Goose is sourced from Picardie in Northern France, which is known as the breadbasket of France. All the wheat grows within 50 kilometers of the distillery, and some of the company’s partner farmers have worked the land for eleven generations.

From the beginning, Grey Goose was designed to harness the flavors of its two ingredients, bucking market trends, then striving to create pure, odorless, and tasteless vodka through multiple distillations. Entrepreneur Sidney Frank and cellar master François Thibault set about creating a new standard in vodka, launching the brand in 1997. From the start, they decided to only ever distill their vodka once to celebrate its natural characteristics. The practice of single distillation continues today, setting Grey Goose apart from its competitors, and Thibault even continues to taste each batch of Grey Goose.

While staying true to its roots, Grey Goose has continued to innovate, introducing new products including flavored vodkas using only all-natural ingredients. Grey Goose L’Orange, is made from freshly-picked Florida oranges, while Grey Goose Le Citron highlights Southern France’s famed Menton lemons and Grey Goose La Poire uses French Anjou pears. Grey Goose VX is finished with a hint of Cognac, while a collaboration with the world’s most Michelin-awarded chef Alain Ducasse yielded a “vodka gastronomique” called Grey Goose Interpreted by Ducasse in 2016.

This year, Grey Goose is proud to return as the official spirits partner of the 2023 Grammy Awards, continuing an innovative partnership that has resulted in original music content and conversations around the art of music and cocktails, as well as exclusive drink recipes. For the 65th Grammy Awards, Grey Goose has created drink recipes for every type of music, from rap to rock to pop to country to jazz.

In many ways, the founders of Grey Goose anticipated today’s audience of cocktail and spirits enthusiasts interested in authenticity, high-quality ingredients, and provenance. For the Grey Goose team, however, this is not following trends. Instead, it’s part of the DNA of their vodka and proudly presented in every bottle.