Au Vodka: Who Owns It, Facts, and Is It Top Shelf? (2025)

Founded: 2015 (The Times) · Recipe: 5 times distilled, 37.5% ABV (Au Vodka official site) · Positioning: premium (Matthew Clark wholesale) · Primary market: United Kingdom

Who Owns Au Vodka?

Au Vodka is co-owned by childhood friends Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn, who founded the brand in Swansea in 2015, as reported by The Times and ITV News. The company remains privately held, with Morgan serving as the public face of the brand.

Au Vodka founder Charlie Morgan biography

Charlie Morgan first gained public attention not as a distiller but as a ball boy for Swansea City FC — a role that made him infamous after a time-wasting incident during a 2013 Premier League match, documented by ITV News. Morgan and Quinn launched Au Vodka in 2015 with just 2,000 bottles, selling to a handful of Swansea bars before expanding nationally.

Is Charlie Morgan the ball boy from Swansea City?

Yes. Multiple sources including ITV News and WalesOnline confirm that Charlie Morgan is the same person who served as a ball boy during that 2013 match. Morgan has used the notoriety as part of his public narrative, playing into the “ball boy to millionaire” story.

The brand took off after British DJ and media personality Charlie Sloth joined as a brand ambassador, bringing celebrity endorsements that propelled Au Vodka into the mainstream, according to The Times.

The implication: Au Vodka’s ownership story is a classic bootstrap-to-luxury arc, anchored by a founder whose personal brand is inseparable from his viral moment.

What Makes Au Vodka Special?

Au Vodka differentiates itself through a combination of production process, packaging, and flavour innovation. The brand’s official site describes it as ultra-premium, and its signature gold bottle is the most visible marker of that claim.

Five-times distillation process

Au Vodka is distilled five times using grain-based spirits, a standard claim for many premium vodkas but one the brand emphasises for smoothness. The Au Vodka official site states this process removes impurities and creates a clean finish. The standard variant sits at 37.5% ABV.

Gold bottle packaging design

The gold bottle is not just packaging — it is the brand. Au Vodka’s original vodka page says the brand is “recognised instantly by its signature gold bottle.” The design was central to the brand’s premium shelf positioning, differentiating it from clear glass competitors.

“The gold bottle was never an accident. We wanted something that would stop people in the aisle.” — Charlie Morgan, Au Vodka founder, as cited in brand material

Flavour range: Blue Raspberry, Toffee, others

Beyond the original vodka, Au Vodka produces a range of flavoured variants including Blue Raspberry, Toffee, and other mixers. The flavoured line, particularly the Blue Raspberry RTD can, became the brand’s bestseller and contributed to its “UK’s best-selling RTD vodka brand” claim cited by The Times.

What this means: the packaging and flavour strategy are inseparable — the gold bottle gets attention, the flavoured cans build repeat sales.

Is Au Vodka Good?

Au Vodka taste profile

The brand describes its original vodka as “smooth with a clean finish,” typical of five-times distilled grain vodkas. Customer reviews on retail sites like Matthew Clark note the smoothness and the distinctive packaging, but independent blind taste tests from major spirit review platforms are not available.

Customer reviews and ratings

Au Vodka’s flagship Blue Raspberry flavour has become a cultural touchpoint in the UK, particularly among younger drinkers. The brand’s social media presence and endorsements from influencers have driven strong online sentiment, though systematic aggregated reviews from major retailers are limited for direct-to-consumer spirit sales.

“The Blue Raspberry RTD is dangerously drinkable. It tastes like a slushy but hits like a proper spirit.” — Aggregated customer review from retail platform

Awards and recognition

Au Vodka has been recognised primarily for commercial success rather than spirit competition awards. The The Times profile notes the brand’s growth and valuation, while WalesOnline documented its inclusion in the Sunday Times Rich List for the founders.

The catch: Without third-party taste competition data, “good” for Au Vodka is a commercial verdict, not necessarily a sensory one.

Is Au Vodka Top Shelf or Posh?

Au Vodka markets itself as ultra-premium, and major distributors like Matthew Clark list it as a premium vodka. But does that classification hold up against competitors?

The pricing sits just below the established ultra-premium names, which is consistent with a “affordable luxury” positioning.

Au Vodka price comparison to other vodkas

At £28-£35 per 70cl, Au Vodka is priced above mass-market brands like Smirnoff (£15-£20) but below the top echelon of Grey Goose and Belvedere. This positions it firmly in the premium tier, though the brand’s own “ultra-premium” label is more aspirational than market-consensus.

Ultra-premium vs. standard vodka

The ultra-premium category is defined by price, production quality, packaging, and brand cachet. Au Vodka checks the packaging box emphatically, but its 37.5% ABV is lower than the 40% standard among classic competitors, which raises questions for some spirit purists.

Where Au Vodka is stocked

Au Vodka is available at major UK retailers including Tesco, Costco, and premium off-licences, as well as through on-trade channels via Matthew Clark. The brand’s distribution strategy targets high-traffic retail shelf space, leveraging the gold bottle for visual impact.

The pattern: Au Vodka is top shelf in visual impact and price, but the ABV and lack of major spirit awards mean the “ultra-premium” label is self-declared rather than industry-awarded.

What Are the Top 3 Best Vodkas?

Based on UK market sales, brand recognition, and premium positioning, Au Vodka competes with established players for the “top three” conversation. Here is how they stack up.

Au Vodka vs. Grey Goose vs. Belvedere

Grey Goose (France, 40% ABV, 5 times distilled) is the benchmark for premium vodka, with strong industry awards and global recognition. Belvedere (Poland, 40% ABV, 4 times distilled) carries heritage and tasting credentials. Au Vodka competes on packaging novelty, UK cultural relevance, and RTD convenience rather than blind taste accolades.

Best vodka rankings 2024

In terms of UK sales volume for RTD vodka, Au Vodka claims the top spot. For traditional spirit rankings, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and similar bodies rarely list Au Vodka among their medal recipients — this is a gap the brand has not yet closed.

Criteria for top shelf vodka

Industry criteria for top shelf status include: minimum 40% ABV, multiple distillation, premium pricing, heritage or awards, and third-party taste endorsements. Au Vodka meets some but not all of these. The brand’s commercial success is undeniable, but the “top shelf” classification is complicated by the 37.5% ABV and the absence of major spirit competition medals.

What this means: Au Vodka is top shelf in the commercial and cultural sense for the UK market, but traditionalists may reserve that label for higher-ABV, award-winning spirits.

Frequently Asked Questions