There have long been rumors that Costco's vodka is the same as Grey Goose - but here's one expert's opinion on why that doesn't matter
- There has long been a rumor that one of Costco's Kirkland brand vodkas, which is imported from France, is produced by high-end brand Grey Goose.
- Vodka enthusiasts say that this is why Costco's Kirkland bottle tastes so good. It has frequently beat out Grey Goose in blind taste tests despite costing a third of the price.
- Grey Goose has denied that the company produces Costco's Kirkland blend.
- One spirits expert explained that it is not worth paying for premium vodkas because the spirit is, by definition, odorless and tasteless.
There has been a long-standing rumor that one of Costco's vodkas, which is imported from France, is produced by the high-end brand Grey Goose.
Vodka enthusiasts say that this is why Costco's Kirkland bottle tastes so good. It has frequently beat out Grey Goose in blind tastings despite costing a third of the price.
A bottle of Costco's 1.75-liter French vodka costs $19.99, while you can expect to pay around $60 for the same-sized bottle of Grey Goose, which is owned by Bacardi.
Read more: 22 secrets to save time and money shopping at Costco
On Grey Goose's website, the process of making the spirit is poetically described: Single-origin soft wheat is picked in a region in the north of France known as Picardy, or "the bread-basket of France," distilled once, then sent to Cognac to be "perfectly blended with spring water" from the brand's own well.
Joe McCanta, global ambassador for Grey Goose, told Business Insider that the company does not produce the Kirkland blend and that Grey Goose has exclusive access to its own well, which is located directly beneath the Grey Goose blending facility.
"This water source was carefully chosen for its purity and extraordinary quality, and no other vodka brands in the region have access," a Grey Goose spokesperson told Business Insider.
A spokesperson for Costco declined to comment on this.
While the internet is still adamant that it could be true, one expert told Business Insider that it ultimately doesn't matter because there isn't much difference between expensive and cheap vodkas anyway.
"Vodka is purely marketing, there is nothing special about it," Fred Minnick, best-selling author and spirits-tasting expert, told Business Insider. "It is meant to be thrown in without something else and take on the character of whatever it is mixed with."
Minnick said that vodka is, by definition, an odorless and tasteless liquor. It is distilled at the same proof point as ethanol, meaning that it has the same alcoholic content. The higher you go up with distillation, the more character you strip off the base, which means the taste of the ingredients won't shine through, he said. Therefore, there is no real benefit in spending more on brands that claim to use premium ingredients.
"When you buy vodka, you are basically paying for someone's fat salary and the marketing associated with it," he said. This could be why Costco's Kirkland vodka, which costs under $20, frequently gets rave reviews and beats out more expensive brands in tastings.
"This is not a spirit that was meant to be tasty, it was meant to be bare - an intoxicant that you could sip without even knowing that you are sipping it," Minnick added.
McCanta disagrees. He said that Grey Goose is known for having a rich and full body because of its unique production process.
Plus, "all spirits start off as a vodka," he said. "Essentially you are saying that the base ingredient doesn't matter for every single spirit and I think many fine spirit producers would disagree with that as well."
