From a life as a jazz pianist to sommelier and bartender in his native California and then New York, Joe McCanta went on to become a global brand director for Grey Goose and now plays his way through vodka’s mightiest bar notes; taking the premium drop around the world.
He spoke to The Write Drop for our At The Bar series while in Australia for a new partnership deal with the Australian Open – a multi-year agreement that kicked off in January 2025.
Expanding its footprint in the premium space, Grey Goose also opened its first stand-alone bar Le Martini in Melbourne.
MY CITY
London is home. It’s one of the most globally diverse cities I’ve ever lived in and truly celebrates this melding of so many cultures in such a unique way.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
A year ago, Grey Goose launched an exclusive vodka with Chef Alain Ducasse and I got to travel the world working side by side pairing my cocktails with his incredibly exquisite dishes. It was like being in a dream.
FAVOURITE BAR
Seed Library in Shoreditch is consistently one of my all-time favourite spots for every reason – and their martinis are perfect with a capital P.
DRINK THAT DESCRIBES YOU
A Gypsy Queen -classic, spicy, sassy, sophisticated, enough said.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
I created my own soda water for this! Coast Japanese Soda which is made with white tea, yuzu and pine will sort you out, I swear by it.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
Icebergs in Sydney – you cannot beat the location but it’s the incredible attention to detail of the hospitality that I always remember.
OVERSEAS BAR
Sip&Guzzle from the mighty Steve Schneider and Shingo Gokhan – worth the cost of a flight just to experience it.
FAVOURITE WINE
I was lucky enough to taste a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem from 1875 – prephylloxera. It was the most astounding flavour I might have ever experienced.
FAVOURITE WINERY
As a Californian, Pride Mountain which sits right on a mountain smack bang dividing Sonoma and Napa….it’s magical.
NEXT DESTINATION
Courcheval in the French Alps for the launch of Grey Goose Altius.
