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Gray Goose is a world famous brand of French vodka. The idea of creating a super premium brand belongs to the American businessman Sidney Frank, but it found its embodiment in France. The debut of vodka turned out to be extremely successful – in the very first year after entering the market (1998), Gray Goose was recognized by the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago as “the most delicious vodka in the world.” In 2004, Sidney Frank Importing Co sold the hyped brand to Bacardi Corporation, the world’s largest rum producer, for $2,3 billion. In 2016, sales totaled 4 million cases.
Historical reference. “Gray Goose” is the quintessence of an American success story, when everything turns out quickly, easily and against all odds. Businessman Sidney Frank dreamed of creating a new kind of vodka: not just expensive, but very expensive. First of all, he came up with a name for a product that did not yet exist, which he, however, borrowed from a type of white German wine that he once imported to the States in his youth. When looking for a place to organize production, the choice fell on France not by chance – Frank considered that the image of a country that knows a lot about the “art of living” will help promote the brand.
To create a recipe for vodka, which was conceived as the best and ultra-premium, they invited François Thibaut, who worked for many years as a distillation master in a famous cognac house. And Maitre-des-Shays did an excellent job with the new task. The idea to use soft winter wheat from Picardy for the production of alcohol was suggested to him by a baker friend – flour is made from such grain for the famous French pastries.
All stages of production were thought out to the subtleties: from milling wheat and fermentation to 5-stage distillation. The technological process is being completed in Cognac – the “cradle” of the French traditions of making elite spirits. Here the vodka is diluted with water obtained from a spring near the town of Gensac-la-Pallue, which is naturally filtered through the limestone rocks of Champagne.
Thibaut’s experience, coupled with Frank’s indomitable energy, paid off. During a blind tasting conducted by the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago, the vodka was unanimously recognized as the softest and most delicious among all the samples presented. The owner of the company used the chance to the fullest, investing the money received from the first sales in advertising and promotion. Gray Goose quickly took a place in the best nightclubs, at glamorous parties and charity events – that’s where the brand’s target audience was.
At that moment, when the “Gray Goose” was offered to the guests of the solemn ceremony of awarding the film award “Oscar”, it became clear that the novelty “shot”. When the heroines of the cult TV series Sex and the City began vying to order a Cosmopolitan cocktail based on Gray Goose vodka, Frank was finally convinced of his victory.
By 2003, sales reached 1,5 million cases, the company became the leader of the Travel Retail market with a 78% share. A year later, Sidney Frank received an offer from Bacardi Corporation to buy a brand that he could not refuse – he always dreamed of becoming a billionaire.
Awards
Beverage Testing Institute, Chicago:
- 1998 – Platinum medal, rating score 96 out of 100, the title of “the most delicious vodka in the world.”
World Spirits Competition, San Francisco:
- 2001 – Double gold (Grey Goose Vodka) medal.
New York World Wine & Spirits Competition:
- 2014 – Silver (Grey Goose Vodka VX France) medal.
Beverage Packaging Global Award:
- 2001 – Gold (Grey Goose L’Orange) medal for packaging design.
Interesting Facts
Swedish vodka brand Purity decided to build its advertising campaign by challenging Gray Goose. According to the ambitious producer, it’s time for Gray Goose to give up the title of “the most delicious vodka” to someone else. Why not Purity? Launched in US publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Sartorialist, the campaign aims to draw attention to an award-winning but not yet well-known craft vodka brand that has won the Grand Vodka Master title for two consecutive years.
Types of vodka “Grey Goose”
Grey Goose Vodka, 40%
Vodka of super-premium quality, recognized as “the most delicious in the world.” For production, the purest water from an underground source and selected soft wheat grown on the fertile lands of Picardy are used. Five times distillation and four times filtration complete the product creation process. Each batch of Gray Goose Vodka undergoes more than 500 daily quality control checks, including personal tasting and approval by master distiller François Thibault. In the ranking of the authoritative publication Wine Enthusiast, the drink was awarded 95 points out of 100 possible.
Grey Goose L’Orange, 40%
Flavored vodka with a mild, delicate and sweet taste. Infused with an extract that is made only from freshly picked oranges. Essential oils from the fruit are blended with an alcohol derived from selected winter wheat and distilled to achieve a pronounced citrus character in the vodka. It has a fresh fragrance with floral notes. The taste is rich in hints of orange pulp, juice and zest. Pleasant to drink neat, it will be a good base for classic Cosmopolitan and Bangkok Thailand cocktails.
Gray Goose Lemon, 40%
For the production of vodka, the famous lemons growing around the town of Menton in southern France are used. This variety is characterized by thick skin containing a large amount of essential oils. The concentrated extract produced from citrus gives the drink a rich flavor and aroma range, in which you can catch the tones of flowers, leaves and fruits of the lemon tree. Vodka perfectly maintains the balance of tart and sweet shades, giving even the simplest cocktail a refreshing taste.
Gray Goose Pear, 40%
The vodka is flavored with an essence obtained from the Angevin Beauty pear variety. As well as the soft winter wheat used to make the drink, Angevin pears are cultivated in the south of France and are an important ingredient in classic desserts, including the Tatin torte. The aroma is rich, fresh, not sharp. On the palate, there is a light spice, revealing sweet grain and fruity-honey notes. Based on the drink, you can prepare classic cocktails like Beach Bum or experiment in search of new combinations.
