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OT: Ketel One or Gray Goose? Is there really a difference?

GeorgeStreet

GeorgeStreet

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Jul 27, 2001
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Vodka drinkers are either very selective or will choose any crap they can afford. I'm asking the first type if the Dutch vodka or the French vodka is really distinctive. The problem is that advertising propaganda really distorts our tastes, like it or not.

For example, media advertisements would have you believe that Ketel One is a man's vodka, and Gray Goose is a woman's vodka. This very probably is all advertising bullshit.

What do you think?
 
When a mixer is added I can't tell the difference between Ketel One or the House brand at any big Liquor store. With a Martini I can of course.
 
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Out of those two, I personally prefer Grey Goose.

However, both pale in comparison to what would be considered a much better vodka to people in the know- Russian Standard.

It isn't expensive, and blows both of those out of the water. Smooth and silky, perfect for sipping, a martini, or anything want to mix it with. Someone who would know turned me onto it a few years ago and I never looked back.
 
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Ahhhh, this brings back memories of me and a couple buddies drinking Ketel One Martini's in the club house at Troon North CC in Scottsdale. I also recall losing the flip and had to pay the $518.00 bar tab.:(
 
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Caliknight - I think your reply was serious, but Russian vodka? You realize, I hope, that the principal reason we won the Cold War was not why you might think. We won because our adversary was too looped on Russian vodka to continue the fight. We were only slightly less looped, so we were able to somewhat gracefully accept Gorbachev's offers.
 
I agree with the Russian Standard.

It is a very good Vodka for in expensive price.

I recommend trying the Russian Standard Platinum. It is very smooth.
 
Since the goal of vodka distillation is to produce a completely clean base spirit, most of the difference between premium vodkas is how it's treated post-distillation.
 
Saw a special on 60 minutes or some other news magazine some years ago where they did blind taste tests with premium brand vodkas vs house brands and other low cost brands. The testers included non vodka drinkers as well as casual vodka drinkers and also a representation from avid drinkers of all the premium brands. The results clearly showed that no one could tell the difference. None of the premium brand drinkers could tell the difference from the cheap vodkas to their preferred brand. It was pretty comical how these folks who were so adamant ahead of time how their brand was superior were selecting the cheaper brands or saying there was no difference at all. Loved the looks on their faces when they were told which brand they selected.
 
Former bartender here. first time I ever heard of Tito's was from a scientist. He spent 20 minutes explaining to me why Tito's is one of the least toxic liquors to your system that ate out there. I turned a lot of customers on to it. And it's inexpensive.
 
Tito's used to be relatively inexpensive. Price is now some 35-40% higher than where it was 2 years ago.
 
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RU_DIO said:
Former bartender here. first time I ever heard of Tito's was from a scientist. He spent 20 minutes explaining to me why Tito's is one of the least toxic liquors to your system that ate out there. I turned a lot of customers on to it. And it's inexpensive.
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This I gotta hear...
 
Count me as a Tito's guy too. However, compared to Scotches and Bourbons there is very little difference between the top brands imho.

I am a scientist and have heard the Tito's distillation story and it seems to make sense, but I was drinking and not in the lab when it was told to me so .....
 
GeorgeStreet said:
Caliknight - I think your reply was serious, but Russian vodka? You realize, I hope, that the principal reason we won the Cold War was not why you might think. We won because our adversary was too looped on Russian vodka to continue the fight. We were only slightly less looped, so we were able to somewhat gracefully accept Gorbachev's offers.
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Of course I was serious. Russians know vodka. The fact that they love it isn't a surprise. If you like vodka, try Russian Standard Platinum. I guarantee if you did a blind taste test, you would know the difference.

Tito's isn't bad, but it isn't Russian Standard.
 
Caliknight said:
Of course I was serious. Russians know vodka. The fact that they love it isn't a surprise. If you like vodka, try Russian Standard Platinum. I guarantee if you did a blind taste test, you would know the difference.

Tito's isn't bad, but it isn't Russian Standard.
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If you are using a mixer go with the costco brand. Comes from the same distillery as Grey Goose
 
vkj91 said:
If you are using a mixer go with the costco brand. Comes from the same distillery as Grey Goose
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I have a former student who is from Minsk and has brought me back a lot of different vodkas from her trips home. Some interesting stuff.

Have not tried Tito's or Russian Standard. I really like Ciroc. We keep a bottle in the freezer. It's kind of expensive in NZ, so if either of the two above are as good, will be good to make a shift.
 
I drink WAY too much vodka. Tito's is great. Small batch (or at least it used to be) from Texas. This one kicks my butt. Goose is my absolute (no pun intended) favorite. NEVER a hangover and like drinking water.

I prefer Potato based vs. grain. Kettle has a burn I don't prefer. Polish over Russian..especially given the situation with Putin right now. Belvidere (sp) is supposed to be even better than Goose. Finlandia is my favorite mixer brand.
 
From a born Russian: Russian Standard > Ketel One >>> Grey Goose

All you need to do is go out to a Russian restaurant in south Brooklyn on a Friday/Saturday night..
 
RU_DIO said:
Former bartender here. first time I ever heard of Tito's was from a scientist. He spent 20 minutes explaining to me why Tito's is one of the least toxic liquors to your system that ate out there. I turned a lot of customers on to it. And it's inexpensive.
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Soon to be former bartender here. Tito's has become very popular for the reason you stated. Like 3 Olives a few years ago who developed a following with all their flavors then raised the price. Still cheaper than Goose, Ketel or Stoli.

It seems that Ketel is more an olde time vodka drinkers choice. Goose is more popular with young folks and especially women.

The bartending profession lost one of the best with your "retirement". You're a legend.
 
Tito's is a marketing story, plain and simple. Now that they're producing something like 14 million bottles a year, there's nothing about their process that differentiates them in the market and there's certainly NOTHING truthful or realistic about some erstwhile notion that it "contains fewer toxins".
 
RU4Real said:
Tito's is a marketing story, plain and simple. Now that they're producing something like 14 million bottles a year, there's nothing about their process that differentiates them in the market and there's certainly NOTHING truthful or realistic about some erstwhile notion that it "contains fewer toxins".
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As with everything, whether or not it's true is not important. It only matters that the buying public BELIEVES it's true. Trust me, they believe.
 
knightfan7 said:
As with everything, whether or not it's true is not important. It only matters that the buying public BELIEVES it's true. Trust me, they believe.
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Because, at the end of the day, P.T. Barnum was right.

Oh, and the whole "gluten free" thing? ALL distilled spirits are gluten-free. Due to TTB labeling requirements most distillers don't bother putting "gluten free" on their labels because they don't want to be bothered with the requisite testing and analysis. Tito's puts "gluten free" on its label because the source grain (corn) is gluten free.
 
I like Ketel a little better, I also like Belvedere.

Titos is definitely good for the price.

I live walking distance from the biggest liquor store in the Northeast, so I I have tried a bunch of random ones and we may have access to less common brands so recommendations are always welcome.
 
RU4Real said:
Tito's is a marketing story, plain and simple. Now that they're producing something like 14 million bottles a year, there's nothing about their process that differentiates them in the market and there's certainly NOTHING truthful or realistic about some erstwhile notion that it "contains fewer toxins".
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Interesting. The scientist swore up and down about why the process they used kept.the impurities to a Minimum and made it less toxic to your system. The impurities from what I understand make you more prone to hangovers and such. Surprised such a highly intelligent person believed the propaganda.


Knightfan7

We should meet up in 'SquaN. Be o. The beach there fishing soon.
 
GeorgeStreet said:
Vodka drinkers are either very selective or will choose any crap they can afford. I'm asking the first type if the Dutch vodka or the French vodka is really distinctive. The problem is that advertising propaganda really distorts our tastes, like it or not.

For example, media advertisements would have you believe that Ketel One is a man's vodka, and Gray Goose is a woman's vodka. This very probably is all advertising bullshit.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

Drank Gray Goose for years until a friend forced me to try Titos. Now I'm a convert. Just as good and cheaper.
 
I taught at a Russian university for 2 summers and the good stuff never makes it to our shores. Svenishnaya(not for export) was the best in terms of being smooth with no aftertaste and it was dirt cheap as are the Russian vodkas we know here. What makes them expensive is import duties.

As someone who used to go through vodka like it was water, once you add a mixer you cant tell the difference no matter what the vodka snobs say. I used to have taste tests at my parties and PUBLIX brand at $10 a 1.75L often won over Ketal One and Grey Goose...the latter 2 just have snob appeal.
 
RU_DIO said:
Interesting. The scientist swore up and down about why the process they used kept.the impurities to a Minimum and made it less toxic to your system. The impurities from what I understand make you more prone to hangovers and such. Surprised such a highly intelligent person believed the propaganda.


Knightfan7
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What kind of scientist? If he's a marine biologist, I wouldn't expect him to have any expertise in vodka.
 
I think he was a marine biologist. Name was Costanzo or some thing. Joe or George maybe was the first name.
 
A friend of mine from high school started distilling his own vodka after college. If you ever come across it, give it a try, it is the best vodka I've had.

Link-----> Twenty Two Vodka
 
RU_DIO said:
Interesting. The scientist swore up and down about why the process they used kept.the impurities to a Minimum and made it less toxic to your system. The impurities from what I understand make you more prone to hangovers and such. Surprised such a highly intelligent person believed the propaganda.
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Scientist or not, familiarization with the definitions and requirements as relates to distilled spirits isn't something commonly understood.

Vodka is a sub-type of the TTB category "Neutral Spirits or Alcohol". The definition is:

Neutral Spirits or Alcohol: Spirits distilled from any material at or above 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof), and if bottled, bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).

Vodka: Neutral spirits distilled or treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials so as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color.
​
Vodka differs from most other distilled spirits such as whiskey, rum and tequila in that the definitions for those spirits include the phrase, "having the taste, aroma and characteristics generally attributed to __________." Vodka must be without any of those things.

Taste, character and aroma come from two things - the cogeners present in the distilled spirit and the taste, character, aroma (and color) imparted by the wood upon which the spirit is aged. Vodka is un-aged and the requirement that it be distilled at or above 95% ABV guarantees that no cogeners are present in the finished spirit.

Without entering into the debate over the "toxicity" of cogeners, we can state with certainty that the production process of vodka - ALL vodka - renders it completely free of "toxins".
 
RU_DIO said:
I think he was a marine biologist. Name was Costanzo or some thing. Joe or George maybe was the first name.
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Wait. I just hired an architect by the same name to draw up the plans to remodel my house. He did the new wing of the Guggenheim so I figure a house should be a breeze for him. He did say it won't take long.
 
I buy Pinacle vodka fro France at $19 for 1.75 Liters. Smooth as hell. After the first drink, you can't tell the difference from any other premium vodka. Why pay over $30 for kettle one or gray goose,
 
Anyone have links to legitimate double blind taste tests where the taste testers could consistently name what they were drinking?
 
knightfan7 said:
Wait. I just hired an architect by the same name to draw up the plans to remodel my house. He did the new wing of the Guggenheim so I figure a house should be a breeze for him. He did say it won't take long.
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Think its the same name of the guy I buy all my latex from.
 
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