Grey Goose Is Entering The RTD Game With Martinis

For any burgeoning home bartender, no cocktail provides more consternation than the deceptively simple martini. Fear not, cocktail connoisseurs. Grey Goose is looking to remedy that conundrum with their brand new ready-to-drink Classic Martini Cocktail. 

According to the press release, this is the first and only ready-made martini cocktail currently available with a large name-brand vodka, making Grey Goose a pioneer of sorts. The market is certainly ready for it. The Spirits Business reports that the martini has officially surpassed the Moscow mule as the second most popular drink order in America. In addition, the Grey Goose Vice President of Marketing, Aleco Azqueta, mentioned that research showed "a strong demand to enjoy martini cocktails at home, but because of its cultural iconography, many drinkers find the cocktail too mysterious or difficult to 'perfect' themselves." 

Thus, Grey Goose is betting that its Classic Martini Cocktail, modeled after its own Cellar Master's, Francois Thibault's, martini recipe, will fill the void home cocktail crafters are experiencing. 

A compromise between various tastes and opinions, the Grey Goose RTD martini will combine tradition and modern adaptation. Although the original late 19th-century martini was made with gin, the Grey Goose version will be made with their signature vodka (obviously), an alcohol that became associated with the martini in the '60s. The second ingredient offers an ode to tradition, incorporating a dry French vermouth that calls to mind the flavors of the martini of old. The third and final ingredient, a dash of orange bitters, is a referential nod to the cocktail's original garnish of a twist of citrus peel.

The brand currently offers the bottle in 375-milliliter and 750-milliliter sizes for $16.99 and $29.99. For the full-blown martini experience, cocktail enthusiasts can purchase the Grey Goose Classic Martini Cocktail kit for a limited time, featuring a 375-milliliter bottle and two martini glasses stamped with the Grey Goose logo for $27.99. All of this is currently available nationwide in the U.S. or can be purchased online on the brand's website.

Some purists of the James Bond persuasion may resist this ready-made cocktail as martini preferences are a sensitive subject for true aficionados. But with that in mind, Grey Goose is still leaving enough wiggle room for personalization, noting in the press release that this cocktail can be served either shaken or stirred and with whatever garnish is desired. So rest easy, Mr. Bond.