Premium ingredients and a touch of brilliant marketing turned Grey Goose Vodka into one of the world’s best known clear spirits. The French Vodka has become synonymous with luxury and carved out a space for future drinks like Patron Tequila. To this day, it remains chic and elegant with its distinctive smoked glass bottle delivering a sense of mystery.
Made of soft winter wheat from in and around Picardy (the land that stretches North from Paris’ suburbs and the vineyards of Champagne to the English Channel) and pure spring water from the Cognac region, Grey Goose was designed to bring the sophistication of Cognac to the clear spirit world.
On the nose, the Vodka is delicate and floral with notes of dusty wheat and a touch of lemon peel. The palate is surprisingly round, yet crisp with a touch of sweetness. The finish is clean with just a touch of toffee.
Grey Goose is excellent for sipping or shooting, especially if chilled, but also adds depth to a cocktail. If you’re looking to mix something up, the company recommends a Bucket List:
Bucket List
- 30 ml Grey Goose Vodka
- 20 ml French Genepi
- 15 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 20 ml Organic Honey Syrup
- + Drops of Cardamom
Add spirits, juice, and syrup to a cocktail shaker. Shake briskly and strain into a coupette. Finish the cocktail with rosemary garnish and a spritz of rosemary tincture.
Grey Goose was created by Sidney Frank (he also created the marketing that shot Jagermeister to fame), who developed the idea in the summer of 1997. He and his company (Sidney Frank Importing Co.) partnered with François Thibault (a French Maître de Chai, or, Cellar Master) with the idea of transitioning his skills from Cognac to Vodka to Vodka production. The company selected France due to the country’s culinary history. One year after its creation, Grey Goose was named the best-tasting Vodka in the world by the Beverage Testing Institute and was sold to Bacardi for $2.2 billion in August of 2004.
Besides the original Vodka, Grey Goose also makes flavored varieties, including La Poire, L’Orange, Le Citron, La Vanille, Le Melon, and Cherry Noir.