The Bottom-Shelf Vodka That Can Easily Pass For Grey Goose, According To A Bartender

Bottom shelf, a term used in the world of alcohol to refer to inexpensive bottles, doesn't always equal lackluster quality. Vodka enthusiasts might even find themselves surprised as they take a sip of Kirkland Signature French Vodka and find it to be a worthy, more economical swap for Grey Goose, which is known for its bright and smooth finish. Even a bartender agrees. When Chowhound spoke with Torrance Coombs, a Los Angeles-based experienced bartender, for a piece about bottom-shelf vodkas that are actually worth buying, he praised how the Kirkland bottle can pass for a top-shelf version. "If you were to hand somebody a vodka soda made with Kirkland, and they'd specifically requested Grey Goose or Tito's or something, I think they'd be hard-pressed to notice you'd swapped it out for them," he said.

Enough people agree on this for there to be a rumor that the company that makes Costco's Kirkland brand vodka is Grey Goose itself, but it has long been debunked by the latter. While it's possible that both bottles source their water from the Cognac region in France, that's about it. Even so, if you want a great bang for your buck and you're not a liquor purist, the Kirkland bottle might just be good enough, considering it's more than half the price of Grey Goose. But if you want to do a side-by-side taste test, then by all means. It's a great excuse to gulp down a shot or two, and you might even find out just how good the Kirkland vodka can be.

The Kirkland Signature French Vodka has its own share of fans, and with good reason. A lot of them love it for its smooth finish, making many people who are none the wiser believe that the drink has pedigree. A smooth vodka is a sign of a good liquor, after all. Unlike a lot of cheap vodkas that taste flat, this one goes down effortlessly, minus the intense kick you'd get from those in a similar price range. It can give a slight burn, but it doesn't seem apparent to everyone who has tried it.  

It also has citrus notes and is quite vanilla forward, which is why the aroma can err on the side of cloyingly sweet. If you pay attention, you might even notice enough caramel and white pepper for them to come forward. It's certainly a drink that you'd want to taste again to explore its other flavors. 

If there's one thing to take away from this, it's that not all is lost if you're a liquor fan on a budget. The more affordable ones are also worth the attention, and by giving them a shot (literally), you might just stumble upon gems like the Kirkland Signature French Vodka. While you can usually taste the difference between cheap and expensive vodka, you might just find this one to be an exception.