Grey Goose and the New Wave of Premium Vodka

Premium vodka is steadily gaining popularity in Japan. In Western restaurants, vodka is often served as a digestif. Japanese restaurants are also turning their attention to vodka, with some offering it at the end of a meal to aid digestion and refresh the palate.

Naturally, vodka is also a captivating spirit as a cocktail base. Bars that feature Grey Goose praise it as "easy to drink, with a noticeable alcohol presence, and of the highest quality for cocktails." The Vodka Martini is a bar staple, and recently, cocktails made with fresh fruits and vodka are also gaining popularity.



"The wheat used for Grey Goose is the same as that used for world-renowned French bread. France offers a stable climate for consistently excellent wheat harvests each year, and we use high-quality mineral water sourced from limestone-rich soil. High quality is achieved through the use of superior ingredients. It's the same principle for spirits, precision watches, and houses."

Dimitri Lezinscas, Grey Goose's brand ambassador active in various countries, shared these insights. He showcased his skills as a Grey Goose ambassador at an event held in Tokyo in November 2010.

"The famous American bartender Patrick Gavin Duffy wrote in his book that when making cocktails, using cheap ingredients, even with other fine components, will result in a final product that is only as good as the cheapest ingredient. Therefore, to create a great cocktail, one must use only the highest quality ingredients. Grey Goose is ideal for this."



At the Tokyo event, Lezinscas served cocktails to guests. The event's promotion lauded his "performance, highlighted by powerful technique." He is a leading figure among mixologists, individuals who pursue new flavors by incorporating culinary techniques and drawing inspiration from various sources, unbound by traditional recipes.

A Mixologist's Approach to Enjoying Grey Goose

The Grey Goose-based cocktails prepared by Lezinscas exemplify the harmonious meeting of "premium ingredients" and "creative recipes."

Named simply "GREY GOOSE" after its base spirit, Lezinscas describes it as "created with inspiration drawn from Asia." It combines green tea and jasmine tea, carbonated using a soda siphon. Alongside Grey Goose, it features apple juice, yuzu juice, jasmine syrup, and Bénédictine. Each sip releases a unique aroma that travels from the palate to the nose.



"For Asians familiar with tea and citrus, this is an approachable flavor. While I've added various elements to enhance the tea and Grey Goose, it presents a seemingly simple taste. I believe this is the essence of a cocktail. A cocktail shouldn't require the drinker to spend hours analyzing its components." Lezinscas emphasizes simplicity when crafting his drinks.

"My motto is 'Drinking Better,' never 'Drinking More.' 'Drinking Better' means serving good spirits deliciously. 'Drinking More' means selling volume. At an event, a Japanese gentleman told me he occasionally drinks vodka cocktails but had never found a vodka enjoyable neat. So, I vigorously shook Grey Goose and served it with ice cubes. He was astonished, exclaiming, 'Delicious!' This is also 'Drinking Better' – experiencing the finest ingredients prepared in the best way."

His hand movements while shaking the cocktail shaker are powerful, and the sound of ice chunks hitting the shaker's inner wall is as rhythmic and pleasing as percussion in music. While Lezinscas is known for his prowess as a mixologist, he first recommends trying Grey Goose neat, shaken this way, to appreciate its flavor. He suggests this method can create a superb drink at home, perfect for personal enjoyment or for delighting guests.