Vodka Review: Grey Goose by VodkaBuzz
- Rating
- out of 5 shots
- Bang For The Buck
- 2 out of 5 shots
- User Rating
-
3.4286 out of 5 shots
- Rate It Now!
- Average Price
- $33.32 per 750 mL / See By State / You add a price you've seen if you join VodkaBuzz.
- Percent Alcohol
- 40
- Distilled From
- Wheat
- Produced By
- Bacardi & Company Limited
- Imported By
- Sidney Frank Importing Company
- Website
- Grey Goose
- Cap Type
- Cork
Identifying Features
The bottle is frosted with a clear portion in the shape of a goose, through which can be seen a mountain with geese flying around.
Written on the Bottle
In the fine epicurean tradition of France comes a vodka of uncommon balance. Grey Goose vodka is distilled from French wheat and is made with spring water from Gensac that is naturally filtered through champagne limestone. The expertise of the Maître de Chai ensures an unparalleled smoothness and exceptional taste.
Review
Let me first make it clear that Grey Goose is a sham. It was created by an American guy, Sidney Frank, as cash grab. What I mean is that Grey Goose is the boy band of the vodka world and Sidney Frank is Lou Perlman. There is nothing inherently special about it. It has no historical recipe or special, modern processes to improve quality. It doesn't even have a heart warming story. Frank planted the distillery in France to take advantage of the perceived elegance of the country. He even jacked the price up so that people would believe it is of higher quality. Let me say it again for those hard of reading: Grey Goose is a sham.
That said, he did an excellent job with his trickery. He created a brand that made him a ton of money and is arguably thought of as the best vodka on the market by the general public. I know a lot of vodkas get made just to score some cash. The reason Grey Goose bugs me is that Frank successfully duped the American public into believing that this vodka is something special when it really isn't.
The Shot
I won't protest that Grey Goose is a smooth vodka. It certainly isn't a good tasting vodka. It's a little bitter at first. Then it gets more bitter. After it goes down, the aftertaste is even more bitter. It doesn't burn, but I've tasted better vodkas that are a lot cheaper and a lot less pretentious. That said, I've tasted worse. A chaser wasn't necessary, but I wouldn't mind one.
The Mixed Drink
I gave Grey Goose to the tried-and-true Simply Orange screwdriver. It's not horrible, but the bitters are definitely there. The sweet flavors of the juice are diluted significantly. Normally, I enjoy the high pulp, but this brew isn't very satisfying with pulp.
Opinions
Erin said, "It takes a lot of mixer to cover that up." She mixed with passion fruit juice, which is usually a pretty good mixer.
I don't expect to pull Grey Goose from its laurels in the eyes of the populous, but I do hope a few people have open eyes. Grey Goose isn't what it claims to be. It'd be a wonderful vodka in a lower price range with different expectations. Where it stands, it's simply an overstatement.
Comments On Grey Goose
Butcher Pete said on Mar 02, 2009 at 4:30 am...
Finally, someone who hasn't fallen victim to the Grey Goose cult and tells it like it is. Tito's beats Grey Goose any day of the week.
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Austin Smith said on Mar 31, 2009 at 12:38 am...
I have to set this situation up.
I had my first taste of whiskey that I can remember when I was 7. Ever since thats what I have been drawn too. One day I just happen to decide to buy a bottle of vodka, someone in the store told me Grey Goose was decent so I picked it up. Bought a shaker, mixed it up and enjoyed it. I have a hard time believing I fell into some time of marketing technique when I never really cared about vodka, and thought it tasted like rubbing alcohol before Grey Goose. If anything, the taste on the front as soon as it hits your tongue is enjoyable. Thanks to Grey Goose, I started enjoying vodka and venturing out into other tastes.
Having said that, I respectfully disagree. Some people look for different things in their drinks, I enjoy something with a little more flavor. Not sugary, or super sweet but flavor. Grey Goose does that for me in the vodka. Some people may enjoy a clean and zero favor on the tongue, such as 360 which I also recommend.
Maybe I will change my review after I finish my 1.75 of 360, who knows...
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Robert said on Mar 31, 2009 at 8:09 am...
@Austin, I don't think you personally fell into a marketing scheme, but you may have been indirectly influenced to purchase Goose because of the mythology surrounding Grey Goose. The person you asked about the vodka may be one of at least three things: A died in the wool Grey Goose lover, someone who isn't a lover of vodka and is repeating the common misconception that Goose is The Best, or a shop keeper that'd rather sale a $35 bottle of Grey Goose over a $13 bottle of Sobieski (or $20 bottle of Tito's Handmade Vodka). I'll let you come to your own conclusions about that.
Having said that, I want to reiterate that Grey Goose is not a bad vodka. I'd take it over Smirnoff any day. I may even take it over Stoli (though it's been ages since I've had Stoli or Goose). So, the fact that you like it isn't surprising. You're probably better off for having tried a good vodka first. However, I think you'll find something you like more if you keep looking.
What I want people to know is that Grey Goose is an over priced good vodka. I want to eradicate the myth that Goose is the best vodka out there because it isn't. The price is inflated to make people think it is, but it certainly covers the cost of advertising to help perpetuate the myth. There are quite a few other vodkas out there that are better than Grey Goose. There are more vodkas out there that are worse. Grey Goose belongs in the upper-middle shelf or the lower-upper shelf, not the top shelf. Again, Grey Goose is a good vodka but it is not the best vodka ever made.
I agree that different people want different things from their alcohol. I think this is why most Eastern European vodkas have a bite and why other vodkas from the Netherlands, Western Europe and America aim for flavorless.
If you prefer a bite, you may want to look into Russian vodkas instead of French vodkas. If you want interesting flavors in the vodka, try Blavod or something like Bison Grass Vodka. I haven't reviewed Bison Grass here yet, but both are good vodkas atypical flavors without being flavored vodka.
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Rich said on Apr 20, 2009 at 2:49 am...
Since I have read this and it might influence my opinion I am now out but I plan to do an experiment of my own on Grey Goose. For my graduation my parents and a few friends are coming down. I plan to serve them half shots of at least 3 different vodkas (unknown to them what vodka each is) and ask them to rate each one with one of them being grey goose. I am thinking Sobieski would be one good one to put against it being of a much lower price range and I am undecided on the third. I considered Tito's but I want to use a more well-known vodka to put it up against as I am curious to see how the comparison results. Suggestions on what third vodka to use as well as what to serve between to clean the palette are welcome. :)
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Robert said on Apr 20, 2009 at 10:04 am...
@Rich, Svedka is more well known, costs about the same as Sobieski, and has a very clean flavor. You could, however, compare it to Stoli or Smirnoff for a much more popular brand. If you want an upper-shelf, Chopin is good. If you want a really good upper-shelf, Jean Marc XO is amazing, but it's about $50 for a 750 (worth it, though, as you'll read in a few weeks). Of course, you could get some bottom-shelf vodka to see the reaction of that against the other vodkas.
I'm interested to hear how it goes. The reason I haven't done any blind or double blind tests is because I feel like vodka requires an adjusted palate (just like wine or beer) to really appreciate the subtle differences. I feel like most people can't tell a big enough difference. If you go through with it, write up an article about it. I'd be happy to post it on the blog, or link to wherever you blog it.
That said, I'm planning to have a shoot out between three vodkas at some point in the near future, but it's not like what you're going for.
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Rich said on Apr 20, 2009 at 1:39 pm...
I don't really expect scientifically valid results, I'm more curious about it because I've showed the site to a few friends and they all act like you've committed blasphemy for not praising goose. I figure by their arguments if I do a blind test against two mid-shelf vodkas I would expect everyone to pick out goose as noticeably better. If they can't tell or if they like it less or equally that should make them think a bit.
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Robert said on Apr 20, 2009 at 1:46 pm...
That's a good premise for a test. My guess is that they won't be able to tell a difference. Unless, of course, they drink a great deal of straight vodka.
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chuckers said on Apr 22, 2009 at 9:44 pm...
i seen on the news one time they did a blind taste test of vodka, and like everyone picked different brands. They had people who drank nothing but grey goose and they didnt pick it. I am gonna buy a few more vodkas and have a friend pour shots and see what ones i pick and even see if if after a few rounds i would pick the same vodka over and over again or not.
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Robert said on Apr 23, 2009 at 6:55 am...
I think that's part of the problem with "laymen" being taste testers. If the palate isn't sensitive to vodka, most vodkas will taste pretty much the same. That's why my prediction with Rich's experiment was that no one will know the difference. MythBusters, for example, did a double blind taste test on the whole vodka filtration thing that popped up on the 'Net awhile back. They had Anthony Dias Blue, executive director of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, that was able to put the filtered vodkas in order of filtration, where Kari had the top shelf vodka at the bottom. I couldn't find a video, but it's Episode 50, though, where the experiment is done.
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chuckers said on Apr 28, 2009 at 12:58 am...
Ya me and my friend over the weekend poured each other shots and then we would write down a rating and guess what vodka it was and didnt have much sucess, I served him the same vodka twice and one time he gave it a 6 then the next a 3. I rated the brand nikolia the best and it was the cheapest in the test and comes in plastic bottle. Ya in the pennsylvania state stores there are lots of brands i never seen anyone talk about online, like vladimir it is like 10 bucks for a 1.75 bottle and alchol is expensive in pennsylvania compared to other states. I usually buy whatever vodka I heard good things about that is like on sale for like 3 or 4 bucks off and i try it. The other night we drank the nikolia, pinnacle, svedka, titos and 3 olives. I went a lil crazy at the store, all this taste test stuff caught my interest, I bartend part time for extra income and I think I might have more alcohol at my house then the bar. I just started drinking most these brands so will have to get some more reps in then see if I can detect which is which.All seem to be pretty good, seems like the titos though at first opinion burns more then all the others? I put that down on the taste test and was like has to be the cheap nikolia and turned out being the titos, it tasted good just burned more than the others, then drinking it later same thing. Most the vodkas are pretty close in price so I am just gonna see if I find one that really seperates itself from the others. The smirnoff though I was stunned, I drank it before but never as a shot, I usually drink cocktails with so many parts to them dont really matter what you use just too much going one. I know everyones taste is different, but that was my first shot of it and it was by far the worst vodka I ever drank, people drink it up though. My next purchase once I drink a few bottles of these others will be the sobiski, everyone seems to love it. The vodka industry should send vodkabuzz a check though for boosting their sales haha
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Robert said on Apr 28, 2009 at 3:23 pm...
@chuckers, I'll take a check any time, if they are listening...
It took several years and a consorted effort to get my palate to where it is. I probably have a long way to go, but I think the important thing is to try to savor the flavors, even if your first reaction is to vomit, in order to get your taste buds accustom to the nuances. You also pick up a lot of the quality based on the mouth feel and how it goes down that you miss if you knock back a shot and chase it really fast. I'd probably have started this site years ago if I'd done that in college instead of what I actually did.
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chuckers said on May 01, 2009 at 12:26 am...
Ya I try to do it pretty objective, I never chase a shot with anything no matter how bad it is, then I wait a while for the next one. A lot depends on personal taste, but it would be nice to get your taste buds where you could tell that a vodka hasnt been filtered good. And be able to tell what they ran it through to filter it.
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jawamboldt said on May 19, 2009 at 8:11 am...
Good to see other people realize what a ripoff this crap is. It's not that its a bad vodka, but there's dozens of better brands for the same price and less. Anyone who thinks this is one of, if not the best, isn't a real vodka drinker.
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Robert said on May 23, 2009 at 9:16 pm...
@jawamboldt, friends don't let friends drink goose!
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Reyka said on May 25, 2009 at 7:57 pm...
Grey Goose is definitely the Target of the Vodka world; very expensive but has a decent taste. I'd recommend this Vodka as a last resort without delving into the world of 5 Vodka or other cheap brands sold at Wal-Mart.
The first experience I had with Grey Goose was at a Casino-on-a-boat and it hit the spot well there; I finally got a chance to really test a bottle when I was in the middle of a poker-tournament and ran out of other brands. With 15 minutes until the tournament was to re-start, I ran to Wal-Mart (I detest Wal-Mart, btw), and was disappointed to find that the best they had to offer was Grey Goose. For lack of a better choice, I picked up a bottle and made it back within 10 seconds of the start of the tournament.
I was pleased, although, with the taste of this vodka. It didn't have much of a flavor, but was smooth and acceptable none-the-less. I personally liked it much more that Svedka, but I agree that the price tag leads to purchasing another bottle as unacceptable if there are any other options available.
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wattsprodigy said on Jun 03, 2009 at 2:13 am...
My twin brother likes this stuff. I mean...its ok. It has a very strong scent of sterilizing alcohol that you would experience in a hospital. That taste is middle of the road at best. It has a very warm sensation. As I let it rest in my mouth it starts to tingle my tongue similar to experiencing tongue bite from smoking a pipe too fast. Once I swallow it gets even warmer...I mean...my breathe literally feels like if I held my Zippo in front of my mouth I would breath flames. In a mixed drink it's...ok. There's a bitter component to it and that sterilizing alcohol note comes through in the flavor as well. I have tasted other Vodkas that have better followings and cost a quarter to a fifth of the price. This is not to say that this Vodka sucks, it's just not for me, others may like it though.
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Robert said on Jun 03, 2009 at 7:23 am...
I think the key is that Grey Goose is a good vodka in a vacuum. It's when people really try alternatives that Goose's reputation starts to tarnish. So far, a lot of people never bother to try anything else.
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ddo said on Jun 24, 2009 at 5:12 pm...
Yes, but I think the question was " can you tell the difference", not which one is better. The guy tastes vodka all day, of course he can pick out brands.
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Kim said on Jul 08, 2009 at 8:35 am...
I would classify myself as a regular drinker, on average 2 times a week, I am not a light weight I can drink shots of tequilla with absolutely no side effects. I recently had 3 shots of grey goose vodka and I can't remember a thing. I am a 41 year old women and I weigh about 136 pounds. Has this ever happened to anyone else, I am concerned that maybe someone put something in my drink.
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Robert said on Jul 08, 2009 at 8:47 am...
Grey Goose is the same proof as any other vodka. If you're used to drinking a few shots without problems, it is possible someone drugged your drink, especially if you were at a crowded club where it's easy to pull that kind of thing off. However, there are several factors other than weight that can contribute to how fast and how much you need to drink to get drunk. The most notable one is food. If you didn't eat much that day, the alcohol will be absorbed faster than if you had eaten recently because food slows the absorption rate.
That said, I have been around people who drink a pretty fair amount who inexplicably and randomly get much more intoxicated than they normally would if they had consumed the same amount of alcohol. These happenings occurred in controlled settings where I don't feel drugging is possible. So, you may have just had a bad night.
As long as nothing happened to you, I wouldn't worry about it now. Do keep a close eye on your drink next time if you're drinking at the same place. And, it's always a good idea to bring a friend if you drink out in the event that you need some assistance. Hope that helps!
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Kim said on Jul 08, 2009 at 12:41 pm...
Thanks for the input maybe it was just a bad night but I will tell you that's the end of me and vodka.:)
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Ike said on Jul 20, 2009 at 6:39 pm...
I just don't like this stuff. I've had it several times and its just average and definitely not worth the money.
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Robert said on Jul 27, 2009 at 2:48 pm...
That's exactly the sentiment that I'd like to convey to people. You summed it up very well.
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vegasvodkalover said on Sep 13, 2009 at 7:51 pm...
To say that I absolutely HATE this vodka would be an extreme misunderstatement. Obviously the fools who think this is a great vodka really do not know vodka at all. This crap is HARSH to say the least. It has a considerable burn, and a horrid aftertaste. Not to mention leaving one with one of the worst hangovers humanly possible - it rates at the very bottom in quality on the vodka scale. It is also extremely overpriced. Some of these grey goose fanatics should really try some higher quality lower priced vodkas such as svedka, skyy, and ketel one - they are far superior to what this "french" company will ever be capable of producing.
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skiseiw9 said on Oct 01, 2009 at 2:07 pm...
I agree with your review, its definitely OK when you drink it on the rocks not excellent though since it doesnt "burn" at all, so if you are not used to the taste of vodka and don´t mind spending a couple of bucks try it. I personally hated it with mixed drinks I could hardly taste it and usually I pour enough vodka on my drinks.
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Robert said on Oct 02, 2009 at 7:05 pm...
Eh. I'd barely suggest it. There are far better vodkas for less money. It's not a bad vodka, but it's the last thing I suggest to people.
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john3254zx said on Oct 28, 2009 at 2:31 pm...
Over rated!
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Robert said on Oct 28, 2009 at 3:08 pm...
Hopefully not by us!
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Ben said on Nov 16, 2009 at 3:05 am...
I grabbed some of this since I had Chopin and Belvedere on hand, and it seemed too good of an opportunity to have a battle of expensive vodkas, with some cheaper ones (Svedka and Sobieski) thrown into the mix. I tried it versus Belvedere. Both were good, but I found Belvedere to be a little more refined/mellow with less residual afterburn and bitterness. Svedka seemed about the same quality as Grey Goose to me. (Although I wouldn't say they taste exactly the same.) Overall, I came away feeling that if I had to spend $30 for 750mL, I'd pick Belvedere over Grey Goose and Chopin. I also came away with the opinion that there are cheaper vodkas that can do just as well. Overall, I feel it is over-rated for the price, but not bad. My friend tried the same stuff I did, and he really couldn't give an answer on which he liked the most between Svedka, Grey Goose or Belvedere.
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taffyg2003 said on Jan 10, 2010 at 9:30 pm...
I am relatively new to vodka drinking, and usually drink it in vodka martinis straight up with olives. Occasionally, I have a small shot, or a vodka tonic. Regardless, Grey Goose was the first "good" vodka that I was introduced to a few years ago. I had little experience, so that I was very impressed how smooth it was in a martini compared to any other I had previously.
I discovered this forum when I was curious how Grey Goose really stacked up to other vodkas, and was a little surprised to find out that I apparently had gotten caught up in Grey Goose's marketing "scam", and that there were many other vodkas superior to it. That said, I still like Grey Goose, but I have had some others that were recommended on this forum that I now feel are, in fact, superior to the Goose, after all. I have also come to realize that the way a martini is prepared can make a big difference, too. So far, the best vodka martini that I have had has been made with Grey Goose at a restaurant with a heralded "martini bar".
I plan to try some of the well reviewed vodkas and post my impressions as I experiment. Cheers!
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Jason said on Feb 04, 2010 at 2:10 pm...
If you have any Costcos in your area, their Kirkland Signature brand is reportedly the equivalent of Grey Goose, distilled in the same place, same country, same water, ingredients, etc.
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Robert said on Feb 04, 2010 at 2:36 pm...
We do have Costco around here, but I feel pretty confident that they won't be allowed to carry liquor in Alabama. Someone has suggested it to me before. The next time I get to a more liberal place with Costcos, I'll definitely check it out.
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Jason said on Feb 16, 2010 at 5:39 pm...
The review on Grey Goose is spot on, it is by no means a bad vodka, but it's definitely overrated. It's smooth but gets fairly bitter. It's bested by lesser priced vodkas such as Tito's, Russian Standard, Sobieski, etc. Not worth it!
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Jason said on Apr 02, 2010 at 2:41 pm...
I picked up a bottle of Costco's Kirland Signature vodka as described in one of my posts above. I'd say it's BETTER than Grey Goose! Very clean and flavorless, very very mild burn, and less of an aftertaste than Grey Goose. I didn't see any other bottle sizes as it was right there in the front and I grabbed one, but $26.99 for a 1.75 bottle? Do the math, that's quite inexpensive. I might have found a new favorite! Too bad it's still French...
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Frolly said on Apr 21, 2010 at 5:40 pm...
I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed with how this vodka was rated. First of all let me say that I am, while new to the vodka degustation scene, an avid vodka fan, and have tasted only a few yet very different vodkas.
I'm not here to say that Grey Goose is an amazing vodka, it's not. It's good, some (me amongst them) would say it's very good, and while there are more interesting vodkas out there at a more affordable price, Grey Goose is still better than many. However in your review you (correctly) argue that a lot of it's fame comes from advertising hype, and that it is therefore (in my opinion, highly) overpriced, shouldn't it therefore get a 1 star for bang for the buck?
My personal opinion of this vodka is that it is definitely smooth and therefore worth a taste for those who are new to enjoying nice vodka as opposed to simply mixing it with whatever will hide the taste and drinking as many as possible. It has the strong feel of vodka without any of the chemical harshness that you will find in cheap brands and leaves you with an open mind as to what flavour variants are available when moving on to other vodkas. For that reason I would give it a 4/5 rating, 1/5 value for money, and 3/5 overall score. If someone offers you a taster, go for it, but don't get yourself a bottle unless you're getting it duty free (as I did).
Worth a quick side mention, the best bang for the buck good tasting vodka I've come across so far has got to be Smirnoff Black Label, it's got a considerably hint of spices which lingers after you drink it, delightful!
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Fat Matt said on Aug 11, 2010 at 2:02 am...
I haven't had every vodka listed here (I am working on it :P) but so far, Grey Goose is by far the best Vodka I have had.
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