UPDATED (7/31/2020): Although many have speculated that Costco’s brand of vodka could possibly be the same as Grey Goose, this rumor is NOT true. There has NEVER been a formal comment from Costco (See this article in USA Today) and Grey Goose’s Global Head of Education has DENIED this viral claim to be true.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE (With revisions to reflect the findings above): There have been a number of rumors about what actually goes into the Kirkland brand products sold at Costco. Perhaps one of the more interesting is the possibility that Kirkland brand vodka, which is a generic brand, could be Grey Goose vodka in different packaging. Considering the fact that you spend about $20 for a 1.75 L bottle of Kirkland vodka but the same size Grey Goose will set you back $48, it’s an interesting thing to consider – but we do NOT think is true.
Costco is not going to confirm that they use the same vodka as Grey Goose for their generic vodka and Grey Goose has denied the viral claim as well.
Spirits expert, Fred Minnick, spoke with Business Insider on the subject. He is known for writing about the spirits industry and in his take, consumers shouldn’t be overly concerned about the source of Kirkland vodka. He simply says that there isn’t much difference between high and low-quality vodka brands.
According to Minnick, high-quality vodka is nothing more than a marketing ploy. All of the flavors of the ingredients in vodka are stripped out during the distilling process. That’s why vodka is often mixed with more flavorful mixers, such as orange or cranberry juice. Although they may list premium ingredients on the label, it all tastes similar to each other after the distilling takes place.
Minnick told Business Insider: “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.”
When all was said and done, Minnick NEVER gave a definitive answer to the question of whether or not Kirkland vodka is actually Grey Goose vodka. He just wants people to know that it really doesn’t make a difference because they are going to taste identical when they are mixed with whatever you choose as a mixer. In other words, enjoy the discount price and, if you want to think about Grey Goose while you are drinking it, go right ahead.