Created by self-made billionaire Sidney Frank and sold to Bacardi for US$2.4 billion in 2004, Grey Goose vodka hit the market in style with ingredients such as alpine water from the Massif Central and winter wheat from south of Paris continuously distilled in the Cognac region of France.

Initially aimed primarily at the US market, this super-premium brand is also now aiming to up the ante in the UK by building on its Grey Goose Character & Cocktail parties through a celebrity-fuelled initiative during 2008.

Grey Goose is joining forces with David Furnish and leading celebrities to create "dream home bars" and cocktails to benefit Elton John's AIDS foundation. Celebrity guests from the worlds of fashion, art, design and jewellery - including David Furnish, Patrick Cox, Theo Fennel, Giles Deacon and Gavin Turk - have been tasked with designing a home bar and cocktail which reflects their individual style and tastes. Inspirations apparently running from dripping diamonds to Bollywood spice will be unveiled in October.

Each celebrity designer is being teamed with acclaimed bar icons, gurus and mixologists, with partners including Simon Difford of Difford's Guides, and bar fraternity leading lights Alessandro Palazzi, Jason Fendick, Chris Edwards and Toni Conigliari.