Kirkland French Vodka

For value, this vodka is great. Super smooth. Best bottle for $20 price range.

I'm not going to become obsessed with vodka, but my recent consumption of Cajun martinis has me leaning in that direction at this moment in time. While at Costco, I just couldn't resist taking a shot at this expression, reported to be the equivalent of Grey Goose at half the price. I wouldn't know, I don't drink a lot of vodka so I will compare this to the Sobieski, Luksusowa and Smirnoff Blue I've recently reviewed on this site. Tasted in the aforementioned Cajun Martini, 4:1 Vodka Martini, Reverse Martini and neat. On the nose this is slightly sweet, otherwise very neutral. On the palate this retains the sweetness of the nose and adds a rich 'bready' note that reminds me of the center portion of grocery store white bread. It's subtle but adds a "comfort food" vibe to the experience. Of particular note is mouthfeel, which is silky and rich. Nicely creamy with very little pepper or heat, this is a clean and delivers a fast, muted finish. Overall I like this the most of the four vodkas I've examined recently. This is the best balanced by far, and the most interesting on its own. It is at least equal to the Sobieski in the jalapeno concoction where the rye vodka's spicy DNA works with the vegetal elements of the pepper. The Kirkland is better in the other applications where I've tried it. Good price, good value, definitely recommended as a quality house vodka. At $21 for a 1.75 liter bottle, this is an easy buy. One thing I'll add to this - the bottle is stupidly large and heavy. It's tall enough to potentially present some storage issues, as if finding a spot for the Luxardo Maraschino wasn't annoying enough. I score on a simple scale that follows a bell curve. A 1 on this scale is well below average, most mass market offerings will cluster around 2.5. Kirkland French Vodka is a bit ahead of the curve.

Kirkland spirits (sold at Costco) are actually good, or at least more decent than some brands at higher prices, and this Vodka is no exception. It’s not the best vodka but, the price-quality ratio makes it a terrific purchase. It’s certainly not “Grey Goose” but, that’s not the best vodka out there either.