Kirkland Signature Vodka (Costco)
I finally broke into my bottle of Kirkland Signature Vodka from Costco this weekend can honestly say that it is excellent. Not only is the bottle attractive, but the stuff inside is premium vodka - clean taste, no aftertaste, and a smooth buzz (none of us had any problems the next day). Five times distilled in France. I would say this stuff ranks right near Grey Goose.
This vodka is also now sitting in both coffee (Peets) and chocolate (Scharffen Berger) liqueurs which will hopefully turn out excellent. It is $29.99 for a 1.75L bottle at Costco - if you are in one of the lucky states where spirits can be bought at Costco. The vodka compares to the Grey Goose bottle at $47.99, and is far superior to the Absolut at nearly the same price.
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Tehama
Aug 24, 2011 11:01 AM
Hi! I will be near a Costco this weekend that does distilled spirits and I am most excited to try the famed Vodka. What else should I try? I am also excited about the Kirkland champagne ... what is the price point on it? Thank you all so much!
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re: Tehama
scubadoo97
Aug 24, 2011 12:45 PM
Their small batch bourbon is similar to Knob Creek
The Kirkland Signatures / Macallan scotch is obviously made by Macallan -
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re: Tehama
Costco has a private label case of beer with four different types that isn't bad for the money. I don't remember much about it, other than it was bottled by a brewery in Utica, NY. I also buy my other liquor there, especially Conitreau [due to it being about $10/bottle cheaper than my local liquor stores].
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Okay, so I actually learned about this in culinary school. It's just like how safeway and qfc market other companies items under their own trade name... The generic brands that we all love. It really is grey goose. Costco gives grey goose lots of money to package grey goose's vodka in their own kirkland signature bottles. So when ever you see it, grab it. You will be buying grey goose for dirt cheap! :)
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re: Portal1321
StriperGuy
Aug 8, 2011 08:37 AM
WHY would they bother with Grey Goose instead of using generic ethanol from one of the big guys and then put their own label on it.
This makes absolutely no sense.
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re: StriperGuy
Why? Because Costco takes itself seriously. They sell good merchandise. They work at customer satisfaction. And they treat their employees fairly. If they can make the deal to get Grey Goose why on earth would they not? We're not talking Walmart, customers with no options and management with no ethics here.
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re: rainey
StriperGuy
Aug 8, 2011 01:49 PM
Dude, for starters it's Costco. And second, vodka is a colorless flavorless liquid. Great to see you are drinking the cool-aid (er vodka) on both accounts.
For more on Sidney Frank, the creation of Grey Goose, and the fact that it was born as an entirely marketing-driven phenom for folks who "Want to pay more" read this excellent piece about the Grey Goose founder:
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re: StriperGuy
scubadoo97
Aug 13, 2011 05:41 AM
Thanks for the article SG. I had read some of that years ago and found it very revealing.
I think people should do a few blind taste test on their own to see if they really want to pay the extra dough for a premium vodka. I recently did a blind taste test for a couple of vodka snobs who were fans of Belvedere Polish potato vodka. I had them sample both Titos and Belvedere in Glencairn crystal glasses. After a lot of swirling and sipping, both were considered good and the Titos won out on both accounts. The test was repeated and again the Titos won out by a slim margin. Actually I could tell them apart as hard as I tried and I do a lot of whiskey tastings. Both of my tasters in this test did reveal that they liked the look of the Belvedere bottle better than the Titos.
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Thought I'd chip in on some Costco knowledge. I worked there for 5 years while in college. They constantly will run out of an item and will be without that item for a week or two only to have 5 more pallets of that item come it. If you go and cannot find the KS Vodka, ask an employee to look it up in the computer to see when they're getting their next shipment or if it is in fact instock. They can tell when and if they're getting it in and what the ship date from the depot is estimated to be. This goes for anything else at Costco as well. Hope that helps.
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re: FlyerFan
The most direct way to find out would probably be to go to the member services desk (usually through the exit) and they can give a pamphlet that has a listing of all the Costcos world wide with their store numbers and telephone numbers. Then give one of the neighboring state Costcos a call and see if they carry liquor. If you know the neighboring state has no dry laws, then find a store in that state in the pamphlet and have an employee at the services desk look up the liquor dept. in the computer. They can tell you what the store has in stock.
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re: wilafur
Lovthebluz
Nov 7, 2008 07:53 AM
As far as storing that large bottle...I found some lovley bottles here and there and use them or you can water bottles...particularly good for transporting...or any other bottle with a tight close you have available.
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Just tried it side-by-side with Ketel. Pretty good. I DID detect a slightly stronger aroma from the Kirkland (which isn't the greatest sign), and overall it tasted a teensy bit more medicine-y than the Ketel. But for the price, it's great. Good bargain.
I will now be pouring it into my empty Ketel bottle, like a complete fraud, and serving it to my alcoholic guests.
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I love Grey Goose but we had a vodka tasting with a couple of friends last night and Kirkland was one of the brands. This is some very smooth stuff. I think it might have a little more sweetness than the Grey Goose but straight up or on the rocks it goes down real easy. And you're right - no aftertaste, and a smooth buzz (none of us had any problems this morning). I could just pour this into a glass decanter and label it private stock.
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mrkinla2
May 14, 2007 06:18 AM
Just to report that the Costco in Marina del Rey had it this weekend... vaguely remembered reading raves of it here so picked up a bottle. Wish I'd picked up more than one now, as everyone is right - this is great stuff. Only minor complaint is that the bottle is so tall -- not the easiest to store for those of us with normal-sized, already-stocked freezers but found a way to make it work. I'm a fan of Ketel One and Grey Goose, but for the price, this has got them beat hands down.
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re: mrkinla2
Marcharlan
May 14, 2007 04:53 PM
So has anyone yet found out who the private label producer is? I realize they deny that it is the Grey Goose folks, but how many vodka distillers can be using the same source of water in France??
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re: Marcharlan
There are not too many French vodka distillers, but I do not think it is GG. It appears to be in regular circulation now. I am finishing off a bottle of Ocean Vodka from my Maui trip now, but the Kirkland Vodka is on my list for next time. Unfortunately, I overheard some people joking about the vodka last time I was at Costco. Many people still believe that house-brand items can never be as good as name-brand items. Kirkland Vodka is as good if not better than the other ultra-premium vodkas, with a price closer to a 750 mL bottle for a 1.75 L!
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re: Bighead
I am a regular buyer of ketel one and occasionally stoli vodka but read the reviews for the kirkland brand on here...bought a bottle today and everyone is right...it is fantastic and was there for $26.99 for a 1.75L (i think someone said they paid $29.99). Wow...I'm impressed and will be buying more....the downside is that it doesn't fit in my freezer either haha....oh well
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re: mrkinla2
Bob Mervine
Aug 18, 2007 09:20 AM
I've been told by several good sources -- I write about the industry -- that the makers of Grey Goose also make the Kirkland product and it has only a very slightly different flavor profile, too subtle for most people to even taste. (One you have tasted one vodka your taste buds are burnt out for a comparison anyway).
The explanitory flyer on the product distributed to employees and sometimes posted on the shelf gives its derivation and filtration process, identical to Grey Goose -- at half the prife.
BTW, please advise your secret for making the large bottle fit in a normal freezer, mrkinla !!
Bob
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The Kirkland Signature Vodka is back in the stores! There was a huge display of the bottles on an end cap, still $29.99. Get it while it lasts.
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re: kcchan
They had limited amounts of the excellent champagne; it was in the wooden cases instead of on the pallets - probably just depleting the stock. I did not see the Scotch. I am now waiting on their next attempts like Kirkland Anjeo Tequila, Kirkland Single Barrel Bourbon, even Kirkland Cognac.
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re: Sacto_Damkier
Das Ubergeek
Mar 26, 2011 04:18 PM
Kirkland Single-Barrel Bourbon is out. It's not bad stuff. Distilled by Jim Beam, 103 proof, age 7 years. At $19 a litre it's well worth it.
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re: Xericx
Just went to Costco today, and the Kirkland Vodka is completely gone! I was hoping it would stay around, but at least I had some. The Kirkland Champagne is also dwindling, so I got a few bottles since it will likely suffer the same fate. I really wish Costco would keep their alcoholic beverages in stock on a more regular basis! Now if they would make a Kirkland Lager...
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When we went to the Costco out here in Indiana, they were out of stock, and they said they wouldn't be getting any more in (they only produced a certain amount of cases). The same goes for their Scotch - which we recently tried and is very very smooth. Excellent deal - $70 for a 19 year Scotch from the Macallan reserves.
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I agree that the Costco vodka is an excellent value. If you happen to see it again I'd suggest picking up a stash of it..we went to Costco recently to purchase another bottle and they were out. We were told that it is not a permanent item and led us to believe they would not be getting any more in (at that particular Costco location, anyway.) Haven't been to another location since to check their stock...
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