What was the original thinking about X MUSE and what you wanted to create?
My partner and co-founder in this venture Robert Wilson wanted to create something unique, something that could be done without compromising quality. This is difficult to obtain in a corporate environment where decisions are often driven by short-term objectives, choices are made by a committee satisfied with the lowest common denominator, and efficiency is the number one priority rather than the desire to create beauty and meaning.
Vadim Grigoryan and co-founder Robert Wilson the team behin X MUSE vodka
One of our guiding principles for product and brand development has been something we learnt from chemistry, the mother of distillation, and that is invisibility. We wanted to bring to light the elements of utter importance for the product and the brand, but seemingly invisible to most competitors. Namely, with X MUSE, we honour the specific varieties of heritage barley and the beauty of water, to which most vodka producers remain indifferent.
Why did you think there was a gap in the market for that type of product?
I have more than 20 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry, which allows you to have a cross-category helicopter view. In the broad white spirits category, there are many saturated subcategories, such as gin and tequila. Vodka has been neglected for a long time with little innovation.
If we look closely at the vodka category, we can identify three brands which have significantly transformed the premium market. First, Stolichnaya, which brought to light the importance of provenance and product quality. Second, Absolut, which revolutionised art and culture. Third, Grey Goose, which took inspiration from brown spirits - Cognac in its case - to drive the prestige of the white spirits brand.
With X MUSE, we wanted to use the combined power of art and culture, space left by Absolut several years ago, and the inspiration from brown spirits - such as whisky in our case. That is why X MUSE is a unique creation, strategically using the learnings from the industry's history of innovations.
How did you go about making it and pulling all the ingredients and process together?
Once we decided on our inspirations—chemistry and Scottish spirit-making traditions—our product pattern almost revealed itself. We wanted to work with barley and apply a blending approach to achieve the desired organoleptic balance. Hence, X MUSE is the first variety-specific, blended vodka inspired by Scottish spirits-making traditions.
X MUSE has been years in the making in order to find the right indgredients and blending and distillation processes
Over three years we collaborated with Heriot-Watt University of Edinburgh to perfect the taste of our vodka. We meticulously deconstructed every aspect of the distillation process to create a vodka that is perfect for sipping and excellent in noble cocktails. Our scrutiny left nothing unchecked: mashing methods, yeast types, distillation techniques and, of course, barley varieties and blending formulas.
Various vodka experts consulted during this process were surprised to find that my original hypothesis was correct: the grain variety significantly impacts the taste of vodka distillate, even when it is distilled to 96% ABV.
Why did it take so long?
The industry predominantly uses one industrial variety of barley, Concerto, known for its high yield. Yield was not our concern; our focus was on delighting the end client by achieving a perfect organoleptic profile.
This pursuit involved searching for heritage barley varieties and conducting hundreds of distillation experiments to narrow down our choices, a long and meticulous process. Ultimately, we were thrilled to spark a small revolution in Scottish spirit making.
X MUSE is a proof that Scotland can produce not only some of the most refined brown spirits but also a truly high-quality, aspirational white spirit brand.
You have had a long career at Pernod Ricard - what skills and disciplines did you learn there that has helped you in creating your own brand?
I am very grateful to Pernod Ricard for contributing to my growth as a luxury brand strategist and in marketing. Beyond gaining general management skills, industry knowledge, strategic insights and exposure to multiple categories and geographic markets, I was given the opportunity to master three particular skills:
First, an in-depth understanding of people through sociology, anthropology and philosophy. I truly believe the group was a pioneer in this field.
Second, I gained extensive knowledge of luxury culture and its fundamental differences from premium culture, which is characteristic of the spirits industry. As an international director for creativity and luxury, I had the chance to work with top experts, designers, sociologists, and luxury practitioners.
For instance, my mentor for a long time was a personal advisor to the president of Chanel, and I worked closely with the former head of innovation at Hermès. I learnt a lot from these people and applied this knowledge to X MUSE.
Third, leading all the art world activations for Absolut, I witnessed first-hand how art and culture are essential for driving brand desirability. This experience taught me a lot about the art world and helped me develop "art thinking," a brand philosophy that infuses X MUSE.
Has it felt different working with your own brand vs one someone else has created? If sohow?
Vadim Grigoryan says his experience working at Pernod Ricard has been invaluable in helping create and position X MUSE in the market
Absolutely. This is a dream come true. I was lucky to meet my business partner, Robert Wilson, who embraced almost all my daring ideas. He also helped us surround ourselves with an incredible team of creatives, such as Formafantasma design - the duo who created our brand world - or A Practice for Everyday Life, who developed our visual identity. Seeing one's ideas successfully implemented and thriving in the world, with minimal compromise, isn't it a marketer's dream? And when you co-own the project - this is even more gratifying.
What have been the big breakthroughs for the brand so far?
I think any brand launch seeks to have recognition and market validation. So far, we have received recognition from some of the UK’s most prestigious on-trade venues. We are loved by many of the best bartenders.
For example, when I see the passion with which Stevie Burton, a bartender at Raffles in London and the winner of our Art of Bartending competition, talk about X Muse, it brings the confidence that what we did is in the zeitgeist.
X MUSE has worked hard to produce luxury glassware and packaging to complement the unique blended vodka
We have been acclaimed by various prestigious media as "best sipping vodka" or "best vodka for a martini", or "best bottle design". We have received recognition from the world of art, where X Muse is solicited as a signature drink for events at the world's best art festivals, biennales and art galleries. And we have received recognition from our end clients who just love X Muse martinis and other creative cocktails we bring to life, often through the lens of contemporary art and culture.
What have been the biggest challenges?
Making a vodka in Scotland is a challenge, as there were no benchmarks for what we wanted to achieve. Distribution is also sometimes challenging because big brands often pay significant sums to on-trade accounts for category monopolies. These brands understand they would lose in a fair competition based on product quality and brand appeal when facing authentic, high-quality aspirational brands like X MUSE.
Many bartenders have confided in me, describing these cash-rich, well-known brands as a ‘necessary evil’ due to the substantial listing fees. In contrast, we do not rely on such payments, instead we rely on the superiority of our product and the strength of our brand story.
You have had some high profile brand associations with events such as Venice Biennale/ Frieze - why did you want to work on that sort of event and what does it bring to the brand?
X MUSE has art in its DNA. We are born in Jupiter Artland, an incredible, award-winning sculpture park in Edinburgh. Everything in our brand is inspired by artists. Our brand name, X MUSE ('tenth muse'), refers to the combination of powers of nine original Muses of Antiquity. But it is also the title of a sculpture by Ian Hamilton Finlay, one of the greatest Scottish artists, poets and gardeners.
The shape of our bottle is reminiscent of land art by an American artist and architect, Charles Jencks. It also frames an ancient aquifer that gives the water we use for our vodka. Our brand symbol is treated through the lens of Marcel Duchamp, the father of contemporary art.
So, it is natural we partner with the best art-world institutions and galleries, such as Kunst Museum Basel, Lisson or White Cube gallery, we support the Museum of the Year award conducted by Art Fund and Edinburgh Art Festival, or create a pop-up bar during Venice Biennale.
Do you have other similar event partnerships planned and why are you doing them?
We have some exciting partnerships coming up. First, we're thrilled to announce our collaboration with the renowned Edinburgh Art Festival for its 20th edition this August. We'll be serving as their official drink partner, crafting art-inspired signature cocktails which pay homage to exhibiting artists and performers.
Additionally, in October, X MUSE will be joining creative endeavours with existing partners to create art cocktails inspired by performances and art at the event.
What is the distribution of the brand looking like?
We are exclusively focused on prestige distribution channels, including top hotel bars, Michelin-starred restaurants, specialist merchants such as Amathus and Hedonism and department stores such as Selfridge's, Harvey Nichols and Fortnum & Mason.
What are the next steps for you and the brand?
We continue to drive passion and love for X MUSE in London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, while also pursuing careful geographical expansion in Europe. Starting this year, we have been taken on by La Maison du Whisky in France. Italy, Spain, and Austria are set to follow quickly.
Anything else to say?
I believe the changing socioeconomic landscape demands new types of brands—brands driven by authenticity, generosity, beauty, and meaning. Moreover, high-quality aspirational brands must become cultural agents to maintain their desirability and aspiration. I hope X MUSE is in the vanguard of these developments.
* You can find out more about X MUSE at its website here.
