Grey Goose costs up to four or five times more than most competing vodka brands and did not reach the top 10 in a 2005 taste test of vodka brands published in The New York Times, yet has still seen "explosive sales growth" in a few short years due in large part to its being perceived as a drink of the economic elite—even more so than items like Rolex wristwatches or Mercedes Benz automobiles. Today vodka is commonly mixed with other drinks and seen to be the base of many cocktail concoctions such as vodka tonic, white Russian, Bloody Mary, and many more. Cheers! Vodkas manufactured by Grey Goose are seen as the epitome of success in the world of first-class vodkas. Best for: Unique … Smirnoff selling lower at $14 and the other retailing for $20. Only share with those of legal drinking age. Smirnoff vodka has been distilled 3 times. Both of these drinks however got the same rating from Wine Enthusiast Magazine at 4.2 stars. The Truth About Costco's Kirkland Vodka Vs. Grey Goose Vodka. Grey Goose vodka is unique as it is distilled 5 times. This is the de facto standard for vodkas, although the minimum alcohol level for a vodka is actually 37.5% ABV. In fact, Consumer Reports notes their laundry detergent works out at just 9 cents per load and is unbeatable on stains, while the Kirkland vanilla ice cream was rated in line with Ben & Jerry's but works out at just 30 cents per serving, compared to $1 for the "real" stuff. "The only vodka distilled at the plants in Picardi, France is Grey Goose, " he said. For a twist, try all the other flavors. Vodka and flavored vodkas – 40% Alc./Vol. You now have FREE access to nearly 300,000 wine, beer and spirit reviews. It's made from wheat grown in the Northwest region of the US, according to the same standards as the original Grey Goose was made in France. It is way too expensive for how it tastes and there are a lot of cheaper vodkas that blow it out of the water. It's worth noting that spirits-tasting expert Fred Minnick told Business Insider that vodka is "purely marketing," so it doesn't really matter either way. It is a spectacular vodka. Grey Goose Vodka is delightfully smooth and is best served straight, on the rocks or in a Martini but is also great in a tall cocktail. Traditionally consumed neat or not mixed with ice or other mixer, this drink is well loved by Europeans and later in its history, Americans too. Grey Goose, the geese device and its trade dresses are trademarks. The price differences are quite obvious. Goose is perfectly nice, with good ingredients and a decent enough distillation process but it's awfully bland for such a hyped up vodka and doesn't have much character. Both have an ABV of 40%. Brand Name. Between Smirnoff No. When it comes to alcohol, Kirkland-brand vodka is considered just as good as Grey Goose, which is even higher praise than their ice cream competing with the mighty B&J. Grey Goose VX does an excellent job of infusing some of the delicious flavors that cognac offers without fundamentally disrupting the vodka experience. A spokesperson for the company argued that their "water source was carefully chosen for its purity and extraordinary quality, and no other vodka brands in the region have access," so it would seem impossible that Kirkland vodka could possibly be the same stuff. Kirkland Signature French Vodka is a popular drink among Costco shoppers, and has regularly topped Grey Goose in blind taste tests. Both of these drinks are rated at 40% ABV and categorized as clear spirits. Grey Goose is distilled only 3 times (like many so-so quality vodkas) and does poorly in most vodka competitions. Between the Smirnoff and Absolut, the former scored lower than the general impression of drinkers with its 84 rating compared to the 94 rating of its counterpart Absolut. Read the Grey Goose and Kirkland Signature brand vodka the same?! Distilled from French wheat. Both of these drinks are rated at 40% ABV and categorized as clear spirits. Vodka drinkers are a funny lot. Grey goose was created to create a false premium on vodka. Back in the late 1990s, Frank wanted to come up with an appealing French vodka option for Americans. Join the discussion today. Grey Goose Importing Company, Coral Gables, FL. This vodka has a delightfully crisp taste with a hint of burnt charcoal and aniseed finishing with a clear palate. The comparison between Absolut and Grey Goose sees the former leading in the overall impression scores getting a rating of 94 compared to its competitor’s number of 82. Generally repeated distillation will produce a purer spirit that is smoother on the palate. Ketel One is an ultra-smooth vodka with no frills. Admittedly, it is a little sweeter than a true 'neutral' vodka. Grey Goose Production To ensure you the quality of their spirit, Grey Goose crafted their Vodka with wheat grown in the Beauce Region, France and then distilled in the north and east of Paris. The reason behind the cost differences is because the Smirnoff has 3 distillations while the other more expensive brand has a total of 5 which in many considerations can also produce a better tasting drink. "This is not a spirit that was meant to be tasty," Minnick advised, "It was meant to be bare — an intoxicant that you could sip without even knowing that you are sipping it." That said, there are some vodkas that have extremely high alcohol levels, up to 95%. If you ask certain people, it's actually the same stuff, just packaged differently and sold for a fraction of the price. In contrast to imbibers of other spirits, the vodka crowd seems especially attached to a particular brand, with little interest in trying something new. This can make sense of the claims of its maker and would be a good foundation on the latter head to head comparisons of these leading brands. Smirnoff however is almost half the price of Grey Goose retailing for $14 while the other brand sells for $30. Both drinks are clear spirits, which also has the same ABV at 40%. It is a very strong liquor commonly having 40% alcohol by volume. Vodka can be distilled in a good many ways, from a great many substances, including wheat, rye, beets, corn, potatoes, and sugar cane. A very good vodka, but the lighter body, which is mouth cleansing instead of coating, makes it not just a good mixer but a good choice for sipping straight. Grey Goose, which is owned by Bacardi, has, naturally, denied that it also produces the Kirkland variety. This can get you really drunk fast. Ketel One Vodka. Drinkers’ rating for Absolut is at 4.2 stars in a 5-star scale while the other brand is rated at 3.2 stars. 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