Regional Finalists Fly Beyond With GREY GOOSE® Vodka in the 2015 Pour Masters Bartender Competition

GREY GOOSE, The World's Best Tasting Vodka, announces the four regional winners who will move on to compete for the national title in Cognac, France 

TORONTO, July 2, 2015 /CNW/ - After an exciting nationwide search for Canada's best GREY GOOSE® vodka cocktail, the annual Pour Masters Competition wrapped in Vancouver on June 24, with four regional winners moving on to the national finale at Le Logis, the home of GREY GOOSE in Cognac, France on July 30, hosted by GREY GOOSE Creator and Maître de Chai, François Thibault. The four regional winners – Toronto's Juliana Wolkowski of Bar Raval, Calgary's Jeff Savage of Proof Cocktail Bar, Montreal's Jonathan Homier of Saint-Édouard, and Vancouver's Kevin Brownlee of AnnaLena – defied all expectations, impressing the judges with the most innovative GREY GOOSE cocktails.

North American GREY GOOSE Ambassador Julien LaFond hosted the competition alongside David Kaplan and Alexander Day, Co-Founders of the globally renowned New York City cocktail bar, Death & Company. Together, all three experts judged the four regional competitions in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver, where 43 of Canada's leading bartenders vied for a spot in the national finale in France. With a nod to global cocktail trends, all competitors were required to use the technique of carbonation in his or her cocktail, while at the same time, incorporating the creative use of a garden ingredient.

"Every year, we aim to raise the bar for cocktail culture in Canada with the Pour Masters competition," said LaFond. "This year's competitors went above and beyond with their creativity, demonstrating the unparalleled cocktail craftsmanship in this country."

Each winner dazzled and amazed the judges. Toronto's Juliana Wolkowski demonstrated her impeccable craftsmanship with her cocktail Absinthe Minded, while Calgary's Jeff Savage won over the crowd with his creation Family Garden Fizz. Jonathan Homier astounded the judges in Montreal with an extraordinary presentation for Cavaillon, and Vancouverite Kevin Brownlee captured the audience through his storytelling for Due South.

"I was very impressed with the high level of passion, craftsmanship and innovation," adds LaFond. "The competitors truly demonstrated their hard work and commitment to delivering results beyond our expectations, signifying the tremendous talent here in Canada. This has been one of the most inspiring cocktail competitions that I've had the honour of being a part of."

Recipes and photos of Canada's best tasting carbonated summer cocktails brought to you by the 2015 GREY GOOSE Pour Master finalists can be found here: http://bit.ly/1HqJGPp   

ABOUT GREY GOOSE® POUR MASTERS

GREY GOOSE Pour Masters offers an inside look into Canada's cocktail culture and the creative talent that is being recognized on the world stage. Unlike any other bartender event in Canada, Pour Masters gathers the nation's top talent for an exclusive and premium competition that challenges competitors to showcase their innovation and craftsmanship; each individual must apply their skills to create a cocktail that embodies the GREY GOOSE "Fly Beyond" philosophy of defying expectations and achieving the extraordinary. Four regional winners will win the opportunity to travel to France to visit the exclusive home of GREY GOOSE: Le Logis, and compete for the National title.

ABOUT GREY GOOSE® VODKA

Every aspect of the creation of GREY GOOSE® is focused on crafting vodka of unmatched quality. The creation of GREY GOOSE begins with the very best ingredients from France – soft winter wheat from the Picardie region, le grenier à blé (the breadbasket of France) and spring water from Gensac-La-Pallue, in the Cognac Arrondissement (Region), that is naturally filtered through limestone. A unique distillation process brings out the naturally superior characteristics of these ingredients. From field-to-bottle, the expertise of the GREY GOOSE Maître de Chai (Cellar Master), François Thibault, ensures an unparalleled smoothness and exceptional taste to the connoisseur palate. The GREY GOOSE portfolio is comprised of GREY GOOSE Vodka, GREY GOOSE La Poire, GREY GOOSE L'Orange, GREY GOOSE Cherry Noir, GREY GOOSE Le Citron Flavoured Vodkas and GREY GOOSE VX Spirit Drink. www.greygoose.com

The GREY GOOSE® brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

SIP RESPONSIBLY. ©2015 GREY GOOSE, ITS TRADE PRESS AND THE GEESE DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS. ALL OTHER MARKS ARE TRADEMARKS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. IMPORTED BY GREY GOOSE IMPORTING COMPANY, CORAL GABLES, FL. VODKA 40% ALC. BY VOL.; FLAVOURED VODKAS 40% ALC. BY VOL. DISTILLED FROM GRAIN.

SOURCE Grey Goose Pour Masters

MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Kwong, Narrative PR, 416-922-2211 x3384, [email protected]