The world’s first standalone GREY GOOSE bar – Le Martini at Crown Melbourne – has officially opened, with cocktail menus by iconic international guest bartenders including Dale DeGroff.

Le Martini is an intimate 34-person space that aims to immerse guests into the euphoria of the Martini’s craft. Bartenders carefully guide guests to understand their preferred style and curate Martinis matched to their personal desires.

Award-winning industry icon Dale DeGroff (pictured main) has curated three exclusive martinis for guests to sip on for the next three months. Known for transforming cocktail culture in the 1980s while working at New York’s legendary Rainbow Room, DeGroff recently paid a visit to Melbourne to develop the menu.

The cocktails include Harry’s Original, a zesty twist on a classic inspired by the 1888 Harry Johnson martini – the first-ever, five-ingredient, Martini recipe to be featured in print; the Grey Goose Millenium Dry featuring a crisp profile that pays tribute to the new millennium; and the opulent Grey Goose Martinié Speciale, celebrating all things French with equal measures of blanc vermouth and Sauternes, served with a juicy Sicilian olive.

“We’re living in the most extraordinary time when it comes to cocktails and so I’m delighted to create the opening menu at Le Martini, a bar that is dedicated to this iconic drink,” DeGroff said.

“I wanted to show the evolution of the martini — from what was served in 1888 to the 19th and 20th centuries and paying tribute to the new millennium and so we’ve made that happen, all using the exquisite Grey Goose vodka, which has been my go-to vodka since I participated in the world release in New York City in 1997.”

Guests at Le Martini are greeted with the intimate warmth and cosy feel of a speakeasy, evoked through Le Martini’s plush velvet drapery and banquette seating in deep blue hues, elongated bar with soft curves inspired by organic natural forms and subtle nods to the iconic French vodka via aged mirrors etched with geese and opulent glass chandeliers.

Head of Marketing at Bacardí-Martini Australia & New Zealand Sander Janmaat said: “We are delighted to open the doors to Le Martini, the world’s first GREY GOOSE bar, here in Australia, with such an exemplar of luxury, Crown Melbourne.

“Le Martini has been designed as a retreat where guests can celebrate, reminisce and create memorable experiences, sipping on the very best expertly crafted GREY GOOSE martinis while immersed in luxury; we can’t wait for you to join us.”

Crown Melbourne Executive General Manager, Food and Beverage, and Retail Enda Cunningham said:”We are thrilled to welcome our guests to Le Martini to experience Crown Melbourne’s world-class hospitality.

“Le Martini is a fantastic addition to Crown Melbourne’s notable bar offering, providing our guests with an intimate venue, perfect for a pre- or post-dinner cocktail. We look forward to our guests embracing Le Martini and celebrating one of the world’s most popular cocktails, the martini.”

Le Martini is located on Ground Floor, Crown Melbourne.