- Wayne Griffiths’ new gin is limited to 500 bottles in Austria.
- Gin Wayne uses pears and apples from Austria’s Carinthian region.
- Each bottle is made in small batches and priced at €182 ($213).
Less than nine months after stepping down from his role as CEO of Seat and Cupra, Wayne Griffiths is back in the public eye. However, rather than remaining in the car industry as is often the case with former executives, Griffiths is venturing into the competitive world of alcohol, launching his very own gin, fittingly named Gin Wayne.
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According to Griffiths, his wanted to launch his own gin for several years, “but the timing was never right.” Given that he no longer needs to lead to VW Group-owned brands, he has obviously found the free time to make his dream a reality.
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Gin Wayne is crafted with what Griffiths calls the “quintessence of natural alcohol and botanicals.” There are no artificial flavorings in the mix, only whole ingredients. Production takes place at the Pfau distillery in Klagenfurt, Austria, and the initial run is being limited to just 500 bottles.
The spirit is distilled in small batches using regional fruit from Carinthia, including pears and apples. It’s also infused with a blend of juniper, spices, blossoms, herbs, and cucumber, then redistilled to refine the profile.
Griffiths emphasizes the importance of local ingredients and careful process, something that seems to mirror the attention to detail from his automotive days.
Even the bottle reflects that mindset. Designed by Viennese architect Gregor Eichinger, it features a distinctly Art Deco-inspired silhouette, with clean lines and deliberate flair that align more with high-end perfume than bar cart staple.
And the price? Well, a single bottle of Gin Wayne will set you back €182 ($213). With that in mind, it certainly won’t be on our shopping list, but we’re sure there are plenty of people who will be willing to spend that much.
Wayne Griffith’s departure from Seat and Cupra on March 31 came as a surprise in the industry. He was tapped for the top job in late 2020 and led the expansion of the Cupra brand, establishing it as a standalone brand with EV and hybrids.
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He was also positioned to lead Cupra’s future expansion into the United States, a strategy originally set for 2030, though that timeline has since shifted. Whether or not Griffiths will return to automotive in some future form remains to be seen, but for now, it appears he’s more focused on botanicals than batteries.
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