Episode 181
François Thibault and Joe McCanta – Master Distiller and Global Director of Brand Experience for vodka brand, Grey Goose – join us for Episode 181, while in Melbourne for the Australian Open.
As the Australian Open wraps up for another year, the energy of the tournament lingers—not just on the court, but in the experiences that surrounded it. One of the most notable was the presence of Grey Goose, a brand that has long positioned itself at the intersection of sport, culture and luxury.
During the tournament, Master Distiller François Thibault and Global Director of Brand Experience Joe McCanta sat down to discuss how a bold idea in the 1990’s became one of the world’s most recognisable vodka brands. Their insights reveal more than just a story of spirits—they highlight the strategic evolution of a brand that continues to innovate while staying true to its roots.
At the heart of this evolution is Altius, Grey Goose’s latest release, inspired by the purity of the French Alps. It signals a shift in the ultra-premium vodka category, one that aligns with growing consumer demand for provenance and quality. But while Altius looks upward, McCanta was focused courtside, crafting the Lemon Ace, a cocktail designed to encapsulate the essence of the Australian Open. More than just a refreshing drink, it represents a deep understanding of how brands can enhance live experiences in meaningful ways.
For hospitality operators, marketers and industry insiders, Grey Goose offers a compelling case study in brand longevity. How does a company maintain relevance in an increasingly crowded market? How does an iconic product evolve without alienating its core audience? And as premiumisation continues to reshape consumer expectations, where does vodka go next?
If Grey Goose’s track record is any indication, the answers lie not just in what’s in the bottle but in the world built around it.
In The Interview
A Bold Experiment In Cognac
Grey Goose began with an unusual challenge. In the 1990s, an American distributor approached François Thibault—a seasoned cognac producer—with a proposition: craft an ultra-premium French vodka tailored for the U.S. market. Despite never having made vodka before, Thibault saw an opportunity to redefine the category.
His approach was unconventional. Instead of sourcing neutral spirits, he insisted on starting from scratch, selecting soft winter wheat from Picardy—the same grain used in France’s legendary baguettes.
Precision, Not Repetition
Many vodka brands tout multiple distillations as a marker of purity. Thibault took a different path. Grey Goose’s process aims to minimise impurities from the start by relying on a single, meticulously controlled distillation with five precise stages — attempting to ensure character without compromise.
Elevation With Altius
Grey Goose’s latest innovation, Altius, pushes vodka even further. Inspired by the purity of the French Alps, it uses high-altitude glacial water, lending it a crisp, mineral-forward profile. The spirit is rapidly chilled to -24°C during filtration, mimicking the natural refinement of mountain springs — and resulting in what McCanta calls “a glacially smooth experience.”
Reinventing Luxury Drinking
While Thibault perfects what’s in the bottle, McCanta is focused on how Grey Goose is experienced. With a background in jazz piano, he sees cocktail bartending as an art form—blending technical mastery with improvisation.
That ethos was on full display at the Australian Open, where he developed the tournament’s partnership cocktail, the Lemon Ace — a bright, citrus-forward serve designed to capture the energy of the event.
