Grey Goose Vodka is a status symbol. Walk into any bar, and you’re likely to find it on the top shelf. The marketing obviously work, as folks that you used to grab Svedka or Stoli suddenly reached upward to a trend avian based vodka. It didn’t just grab vodka fans either. Beer drinkers like my father gradually moved toward martinis from what was mostly beer. As much fun as it is to discuss the malaise of chilled glasses of Grey Goose (keep that vermouth away from my [vodka] martini!), Appletinis, and Cosmopolitans – these were critical steps to revitalizing cocktails. So was Grey Goose worth the expense?
Grey Goose Vodka
Grey Goose’s origin story is that it’s an effort to make a French vodka unlike any other. They accomplish this by using winter wheat from France and water from their spring in the Cognac region of France. So does it make it better?
Sight: Clear
Smell: The nose is clean, presenting ethanol and a light about amount of vanillin and a light amount of cereal grain.
Sip: The body is rich, lanolin, and has just a slight amount of sweetness. The cereal and vanillin notes comes through once more with a hint of the wheat from the distillate.
Savor: The ending has an ethanol note that lays heavily over the top of the vanillin and wheat notes before fading.
Grey Goose Vodka is clean, with few distracting flavors. The lack of real burn or complex flavors is clearly the draw here. It’s important to note that the texture is also quite nice. There are clearly reasons to like Grey Goose if your desire is an unobtrusive vodka.
In Cocktails
In a Kangaroo the Grey Goose does what it does best, provide support. The weight of the vodka goes well with the bright character of the dry vermouth. The subtle sweetness ties it together, and that vanillin note makes it feel composed. Overall, it behaves cohesively without being obtrusive.
In Review – Grey Goose Vodka
Grey Goose Vodka is really a master class in how to create a luxury brand. As vodka goes, the smoothness of texture puts it right in line with other luxury focused brands like Absolut Elyx and Chopin. While it gets an edge over the Tito’s and Absolut of world, there is an almost 50% price increase. We have in the past said that we think the splurge is worth it to buy the slightly more expensive Absolut Elyx, and by that standard Grey Goose deserves consideration. If you really don’t want to taste the vodka, Grey Goose is something that could fit the need and your bar.