Thirsty Thursday Eve - Kirkland Signature French Vodka
Two vodka options, two countries, two prices, one label. Which is the better option?
Costco does carry Grey Goose, but that’s a significantly higher premium. That would set me back closer to $45 for the same volume. Better vodka for less than half the price sounds great to me. I’ll pass on the Goose.
Good, but not great. That’s no knock on Costco or the French vodka. I’m just not a fan of vodka anyway. It isn’t bad, but I don’t go out of my way for it either. It’s great to mix with soda or anything else, as a sort of buzz maintenance beverage. But I don’t just love it either.
For what it’s worth, the bottle looks super premium. The clear glass just looks more high-dollar than the frosted glass of the American vodka bottle. And the proportions are different, so the French vodka bottle looks huge. I realize both are 1.75L but good lord, the French vodka bottle appears so much bigger. If you want to look like you have more alcohol than you actually do, maybe that’s an influence. But make sure you actually have a place to store it.
Supposedly, if you run cheap vodka through a water filter, it tastes better. I can’t say either way, and I’m not inclined to bother. That’s a whole lot of hassle for something I’m covering up with a mixer anyway. If you want to try it out, be my guest. I’ll just buy something off the shelf and use it in my drinks straight from the bottle.
If you like vodka, maybe pick up some American and French vodka from Kirkland Signature and see which one you like better. You’re still in for less than the cost of a handle of Grey Goose, and you can decide for yourself if the French vodka is worth the premium. Personally, I probably won’t bother with the French unless I’m inviting some vodka snobs over. Costco’s American vodka is good enough for my purposes.
Resources:
https://www.mashed.com/145332/the-best-and-worst-kirkland-liquors-to-buy-at-costco/
https://www.mashed.com/179570/the-truth-about-kirkland-vodka/
http://jakehennett.blogspot.com/2018/06/thirsty-thursday-eve-kirkland-signature.html
https://www.businessinsider.com/is-costcos-kirkland-vodka-same-as-grey-goose-2019-1
https://www.thekitchn.com/costco-kirkland-french-vodka-review-258060
Name: French Vodka
Source: Kirkland Signature
ABV: 40%
Price: $18.99
Volume: 1.75L
Price per oz: $0.32
I’ve been buying vodka from Costco for several years now, but I’ve always opted to go for the American vodka. I knew they offered French vodka, but it was more expensive for the same volume and proof. If I’m just mixing it anyway, why pay for a premium if they both have the same amount of alcohol?
After several sources described how good the Kirkland Signature French vodka was, my curiosity grew. I wasn’t big on vodka anyway, but this stuff was apparently legendary. Many described it as being better than Grey Goose, which is top dog when it comes to common vodka brands. Maybe that premium is worth it.
One day, I ran by Costco to restock on Evan Williams. While I was in there, I noticed the vodka area. I still had a little bit of American vodka left, but I was getting low. May as well save the trip and pick up some vodka in the same trip. And I had been meaning to try that French vodka for a good little while…
I grabbed a bottle of French vodka, in addition to the Evan Williams bourbon I originally came by for. At the end of the day, it was still south of $20 for a handle, maybe 50% markup over the already dirt cheap American vodka. Any handle of liquor for less than $20 is absurdly affordable. At that price point, the difference is pocket change.
Source: Kirkland Signature
ABV: 40%
Price: $18.99
Volume: 1.75L
Price per oz: $0.32
I’ve been buying vodka from Costco for several years now, but I’ve always opted to go for the American vodka. I knew they offered French vodka, but it was more expensive for the same volume and proof. If I’m just mixing it anyway, why pay for a premium if they both have the same amount of alcohol?
After several sources described how good the Kirkland Signature French vodka was, my curiosity grew. I wasn’t big on vodka anyway, but this stuff was apparently legendary. Many described it as being better than Grey Goose, which is top dog when it comes to common vodka brands. Maybe that premium is worth it.
One day, I ran by Costco to restock on Evan Williams. While I was in there, I noticed the vodka area. I still had a little bit of American vodka left, but I was getting low. May as well save the trip and pick up some vodka in the same trip. And I had been meaning to try that French vodka for a good little while…
I grabbed a bottle of French vodka, in addition to the Evan Williams bourbon I originally came by for. At the end of the day, it was still south of $20 for a handle, maybe 50% markup over the already dirt cheap American vodka. Any handle of liquor for less than $20 is absurdly affordable. At that price point, the difference is pocket change.
 |
| Product of France Bottled by Distillerie de Gayant, Douai, France Imported by Misa Imports, Inc, Dallas, TX |
Costco does carry Grey Goose, but that’s a significantly higher premium. That would set me back closer to $45 for the same volume. Better vodka for less than half the price sounds great to me. I’ll pass on the Goose.
After I got home, I did a not-so-blind taste test of American vodka and French vodka. The American vodka has a very astringent smell, not unlike rubbing alcohol. It doesn’t taste much better than it smells. Mind you, I almost never drink it straight. You mix it with just about anything, and you can hide that odor and flavor.
With a refreshed sense of the American vodka, I tried the French vodka. I uncorked the bottle and took a big whiff. The smell was…. Did it have a smell? I inhaled deeply, over and over. I couldn’t place if the smell was leftover from the American vodka, or just really faint. In either case, there was almost no discernable scent to the premium spirit. I poured some and tasted it. The flavor was still vodka, but much more muted. I couldn’t tell you if the mouthfeel was specifically silky, but it wasn’t offensive either. All in all, it was good.
With a refreshed sense of the American vodka, I tried the French vodka. I uncorked the bottle and took a big whiff. The smell was…. Did it have a smell? I inhaled deeply, over and over. I couldn’t place if the smell was leftover from the American vodka, or just really faint. In either case, there was almost no discernable scent to the premium spirit. I poured some and tasted it. The flavor was still vodka, but much more muted. I couldn’t tell you if the mouthfeel was specifically silky, but it wasn’t offensive either. All in all, it was good.
Good, but not great. That’s no knock on Costco or the French vodka. I’m just not a fan of vodka anyway. It isn’t bad, but I don’t go out of my way for it either. It’s great to mix with soda or anything else, as a sort of buzz maintenance beverage. But I don’t just love it either.
For what it’s worth, the bottle looks super premium. The clear glass just looks more high-dollar than the frosted glass of the American vodka bottle. And the proportions are different, so the French vodka bottle looks huge. I realize both are 1.75L but good lord, the French vodka bottle appears so much bigger. If you want to look like you have more alcohol than you actually do, maybe that’s an influence. But make sure you actually have a place to store it.
Supposedly, if you run cheap vodka through a water filter, it tastes better. I can’t say either way, and I’m not inclined to bother. That’s a whole lot of hassle for something I’m covering up with a mixer anyway. If you want to try it out, be my guest. I’ll just buy something off the shelf and use it in my drinks straight from the bottle.
If you like vodka, maybe pick up some American and French vodka from Kirkland Signature and see which one you like better. You’re still in for less than the cost of a handle of Grey Goose, and you can decide for yourself if the French vodka is worth the premium. Personally, I probably won’t bother with the French unless I’m inviting some vodka snobs over. Costco’s American vodka is good enough for my purposes.
Resources:
https://www.mashed.com/145332/the-best-and-worst-kirkland-liquors-to-buy-at-costco/
https://www.mashed.com/179570/the-truth-about-kirkland-vodka/
http://jakehennett.blogspot.com/2018/06/thirsty-thursday-eve-kirkland-signature.html
https://www.businessinsider.com/is-costcos-kirkland-vodka-same-as-grey-goose-2019-1
https://www.thekitchn.com/costco-kirkland-french-vodka-review-258060
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