Six toasts to the House of Bourbon

BACARDI (Thailand), importer and distributor of Grey Goose premium vodka, recently introduced the third year of its popular “Secret Journeys” campaign with an extravagant dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok.
Hosted by marketing director Jeremy Briscoe and Grey Goose brand manager Kasinsook Maklamthong, the dinner was themed “French Dialogue” and saw the hotel’s ballroom transformed into the royal French court of King Louis XV of France circa 1715, where art, the luxurious lifestyle and high fashion were the stars.
Six celebrated vintage cocktails reinvented by Grey Goose mixologists were also introduced during the evening.
The dinner kicked off with a fashion show on the theme modern French Rococo with Thai model Kusuma “Kung” Chaodon sashaying down with catwalk to the sounds of “Like a Grey Goose Fly” sung by Tang Mo The Voice.
VIP guests, among them Milin Yuwajaraskul, Chanont Poorananda, Niks Anumanrajathon, Ploy Horwang, Pitch Kachai, Apiwat Toothongkham, Monpat Techakamphoo, Pakphoom Mitranont, Prapat Somboonsit and Ekkaphum Treechairatsamee, then sat down at table to enjoy a sumptuous dinner prepared by the hotel’s French chef, with each course paired with one of the new cocktails.
Diners munched on freshly baked bread as they savoured the Grey Goose D’Anjou, a perfumed heady mix with chai tea and fruits. The velvet mouthfeel is created by a 12-minute marathon shake of egg white and cream with St Germain Elderflower Liqueur added at the end to deliver a lingering and sweet floral nose.
The second course, prawns salad with blossoms and green citrus dressing and golden toast, made for a perfect match with Silver Linen – a classic Moscow Mule with a ginger liquor and sparkling apple to add fruitiness and fizz. Served in copper mug, the cocktail refreshed and prepped the palate for the next course, Lobster bisque and lemon foam, which was paired with the delicate Angelique. Inspired by the classic gin-based Bramble, Angelique has Grey Goose Original as the base spirit, with blackberry and various fruit syrups adding depth and complexity.
Guests were then invented to cleanse their palates not with a sorbet but with Grey Goose Amour Rouge, the reinvented version of Kir Royal, France’s timeless champagne cocktail. The sensually red cocktail blends the vodka with creme de Cassis, vanilla syrup, lemon drops and cranberry bitters. A dash of club soda adds the bubbles.
The main course, white Asian seabass with baby vegetables, seaweed and ginger lemon beurre blanc, was matched with the stern Beaufort, with Grey Goose Original replacing gin and softened round the edges with Noilly Prat Vermouth and bell syrup.
The dinner ended with peach and liquorice vacherin, paired with the smooth but strong Grey Goose Royale. The luxuriously dry cocktail is served in a crystal coupe glass with pistachio crumbs and gold leaf.
All six cocktails are now available at the Bamboo Bar of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.