Grey Goose
TypeVodka
ManufacturerBacardi
Country of origin France
Introduced1997
Alcohol by volume 40%
Proof (US)80 proof
VariantsL'Orange, Le Citron, La Poire, Cherry Noir, Le Melon
Related productsList of vodkas
Websitegreygoose.com

Grey Goose is a brand of vodka produced in France. It was created in the 1990s by American businessman Sidney Frank, who sold it to the multinational company Bacardi[1] in 2004. The Maître de Chai for Grey Goose is François Thibault, who developed the original recipe for the vodka in Cognac, France.

Company history

Grey Goose was created by Sidney Frank Importing Co (SFIC). Sidney Frank, founder/CEO of the company, developed the idea in the summer of 1997. SFIC partnered with cognac producer François Thibault (a French Maître de Chai, or, Cellar Master) in France in order to transition his skills from cognac to vodka production.

The company selected France due to the country's culinary history and it was to differentiate itself from other vodkas produced in Eastern Europe. The water used to produce the vodka came from natural springs in France filtered through Champagne limestone, and made with locally produced French wheat. The company also developed its distinctive smoked glass bottle, featuring French geese in flight and delivered its product in wooden crates similar to wine.[2][3][4]

In 1998, Grey Goose was named the best-tasting vodka in the world by the Beverage Testing Institute.[3] In 2001, Grey Goose released its first flavor, L’Orange, followed by Le Citron in 2002.[5]

The company was eventually sold by Sidney Frank to Bacardi for a reported US$2.2 billion in 2004.[1] That year, Grey Goose was the best-selling premium brand vodka in the United States,[2] selling more than 1.5 million cases that year.[6]

In 2018, Grey Goose partnered with Jamie Foxx for a nine-part online series called Off Script.[7]

Product description

A bottle of Grey Goose Vodka.

The wheat used in the creation of Grey Goose vodka is grown in Picardy, France. It is distilled it in the Northeast of Paris, then sent to Cognac, France. Once received, the distillate is blended with a mix of spring and bottled water. Grey Goose uses soft winter wheat,[8] sown in October and harvested in August, which provides it with four additional months of growth in comparison to summer wheat.

Even though Grey Goose distills their vodka from wheat, it is gluten-free.[9] The distillation process removes the gluten from the final product.[10]

During the distilling process, Grey Goose uses enzymes to break down carbohydrates into fermentable sugars. The fermentation takes place continuously over six cascading tanks, producing a 20-proof beer. The wash is then distilled into spirit using a five-step process. The water used in the vodka comes from a natural spring 150 meters (500 feet) below the blending facility in Cognac, which is lined with limestone, providing calcium-rich spring water. That water is then filtered to remove impurities. After the filtration, the vodka is bottled in a plant dedicated solely to Grey Goose. Grey Goose vodka is bottled with a replaceable cork rather than a screw-top cap.[11][12]

References

  1. 1 2 MarketWatch, C. B. S. "Bacardi acquires Grey Goose". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  2. 1 2 Jim Rendon (October 31, 2004). "Want to Profit From Vodka? Follow That Grey Goose". The New York Times. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Seth Stevenson (2004). "The Cocktail Creationist". New York. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  4. ↑ Ivan Drapeau (September 22, 2011). "La fabuleuse aventure de la vodka de Cognac". Charente Libre. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  5. ↑ Tom Bruce-Gardyne (January 8, 2015). "Grey Goose: a brand history". The Spirits Business.
  6. ↑ Matthew Miller (September 10, 2004). "Grey Goose Billionaire's Second Act". Forbes. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  7. ↑ Nicola Carruthers (May 8, 2018). "Jamie Foxx to host Grey Goose online series". The Spirits Business.
  8. ↑ Katie Kelly Bell (August 7, 2018). "Why The World's Best Martini Starts In A French Wheat Field". Forbes.
  9. ↑ Hare, Holly Van (2018-05-22). "Is Grey Goose Gluten-Free?". The Daily Meal. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  10. ↑ "Which Alcohols are Gluten-Free? | BeyondCeliac.org". Beyond Celiac. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  11. ↑ Camper English (October 4, 2012). "How Grey Goose is Made". Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  12. ↑ Kathryn Jezer-Morton. "A Man's Guide To Premium Vodka". AskMen. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
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