Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Last Updated on July 20, 2022 by

Many consumers are willing to spend money to own either Ketel One or Grey Goose, especially during important celebrations. They are among the most popular vodkas available, importing millions of cases to the United States every year.

But between Ketel One vs Grey Goose, which one is the better choice? Read on as we compare the two vodkas in great detail.

  • Ketel One & Grey Goose Vodka Compared
  • A Closer Look At Their Differences
    • Price
    • Hangover Effects
    • Flavors 
    • Taste & Aroma
    • Ingredients
    • Production Process
    • Alcohol By Volume
    • Country of Origin
    • Brand & Marketing
    • Use & Purpose
  • FAQs
  • So, Which Vodka is Better, Grey Goose or Ketel One?

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Ketel One and Grey Goose are two of the best vodkas that use premium quality winter wheat as their base ingredient. These quality vodkas have the same alcohol content and interesting history behind their big names.

Ketel One’s more complicated making process results in hints of sweetness and mint on its flavor profile.

On the other hand, Grey Goose went through exclusive processing that includes only a handful of people. It has notes of bitter flavor and a biting finish.

A Closer Look At Their Differences

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Price

The first comparison between Ketel One vs Grey Goose is the price range. Both are top-shelf vodkas imported from Europe. But Ketel One’s 750ml bottle, priced at around $20 to $25, is cheaper than Grey Goose’s price of approximately $35 to $40.

The biggest factor for Grey Goose’s expensive pricing is the exclusivity of its production process. It also came from France, home to luxurious beverages like cognac and champagne. 

Hangover Effects

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Many happy customers choose to drink vodka because it rarely gives them nasty hangovers in the morning. Among the cleanest vodkas in the market are Ketel One and Grey Goose. 

These two vodkas went through many distillations and filtrations to remove impurities, although both have the same alcohol concentration of 40% ABV. Nevertheless, Grey Goose’s meticulous process and premium raw ingredients cause less hangover than Ketel One. 

Flavors 

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Vodka companies started releasing flavored drinks best served straight or chilled with ice. Aside from releasing Ketel One’s Oranje and Citroen varieties, the company also launched the Botanical line in 2018. The flavored lines are Grapefruit & Rose, Cucumber & Mint, and Peach & Orange Blossom [1].

Compared to these Botanicals, Grey Goose Essences has offered more flavors in the market since 2001. Their six fruity flavored varieties are La Poire, Le Citron, Le Melon, Cherry Noir, L’Orange, and La Vanille.

Taste & Aroma

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Vodkas generally have a neutral-tasting character, but some big names in the market have unique flavors that set them apart during a blind taste test.

Ketel One has a smooth texture from the first sip to the finish. Its aroma has lemon and light citrus notes, with hints of sweetness and mint in the aftertaste. On the other hand, Grey Goose also has a smooth and creamy texture, but with a little biting and more bitter notes on the palate.

Ingredients

These two popular brands use winter wheat, grown in their respective countries, as their raw ingredient. Distilled wheat grains are famous for creating a soft and neutral liquor. Despite that, these two products have different water resources, contributing to their different flavor profile. 

Ketel One vodka uses demineralized and charcoal-filtered water to ensure that it does not affect the character of its products. However, Grey Goose sourced calcium-enriched and limestone-filtered water to produce a soft liquor.

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Production Process

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Ketel One’s production process includes a combination of column and copper pot stills. After distillation, the spirit will go through filtration using loose charcoal. It will rest inside tile-lined tanks for at least 24 hours to engage all the active molecules before putting them into bottles.

On the contrary, Grey Goose undergoes only one distillation process to prove that only the ingredients affect the flavor profile of the liquor. There are only around twenty people behind this premium alcoholic drink production.

Alcohol By Volume

Like most other vodkas, there is no big difference comparing the Ketel One vs Grey Goose alcohol content. The original unflavored product from the two renowned premium vodka brands has 40% ABV. 

Even their flavored varieties, such as Grey Goose’s Essences and Ketel One Botanical, contain 30% ABV. However, Ketel One’s two flavored vodkas (Oranje and Citroen), released between 2000 and 2010, contain 40% ABV,  the same concentration as their unflavored variety. 

Country of Origin

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

The comparison of Ketel One vs Grey Goose regarding their country of origin is quite interesting. The first one is a product of Nolet Distillery, established in 1691 and located at Schiedam, the Netherlands. But in 1979, Carolus Nolet took inspiration to make the vodka itself after tasting different cocktails in the United States.

Contrarily, Sidney Frank is an American businessman who conceived the idea of creating Grey Goose. He introduced this product as a super-premium vodka imported from France.

Brand & Marketing

Carolus Nolet returned to the United States in 1983 to introduce his new product to the bartenders instead of going directly to consumers. The United States market became the largest for Ketel One through word of mouth, importing more than two million cases annually. 

Meanwhile, the Beverage Tasting Institute named Grey Goose the world’s best tasting vodka in 1998. It became the brand’s advertising tagline for the following years [2]. Eventually, Bacardi bought the brand in 2004 for more than two billion dollars.

Use & Purpose

Ketel one vodka vs grey goose

Drinking Ketel One vodka with ice has smooth and clear crispiness to the mouth. It came into fruition due to Carolus Nolet’s bar research in the United States, leading to a vodka good for mixing cocktails. It goes well with almost anything, especially with simple recipes like lemon juice or lime juice. 

However, Grey Goose does not mix well with sweet-flavored cocktails because of its underlying bitterness. But you can use it for Espresso Martini, Scarlet Punch, or Vodka Soda.

Read: Number of Shots In A Martini

FAQs

Is Grey Goose considered top shelf?

Yes, Grey Goose is a top-shelf vodka made in France. Most consumers prefer to drink it straight because of its smoothness, but it mixes well with lemon juice and ice. The citrus flavor of lemon can balance the bitterness of vodka.

Which is older, Ketel One or Grey Goose?

Ketel One is older than Grey Goose. The Nolet Family introduced this vodka in 1983, while Grey Goose was only introduced in the 1990s. 

So, Which Vodka is Better, Grey Goose or Ketel One?

Ketel One is the better vodka after considering the price and flavor profile of the spirit. It is also a flexible cocktail mixer because of its smoothness and underlying citrusy notes. It has a rich history starting in 1691, and the making process of this vodka resembles the processing of gin.

Grey Goose is also an excellent vodka and a good choice as it offers more flavored varieties, although you have to spend a little more. Nevertheless, they both have an incredibly smooth and crisp texture that mixing them with lemon juice and ice already creates a refreshing cocktail.

References:

  1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/elvaramirez/2018/05/01/ketel-one-debuts-botanical-vodka-a-new-kind-of-spirit/
  2. https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/bizfinance/biz/features/10816/

Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.

Is Ketel One the same as Grey Goose?

Like most other vodkas, there is no big difference comparing the Ketel One vs Grey Goose alcohol content. The original unflavored product from the two renowned premium vodka brands has 40% ABV. Even their flavored varieties, such as Grey Goose's Essences and Ketel One Botanical, contain 30% ABV.

Is Ketel One a top shelf vodka?

Absolut, Grey Goose and Ketel One are just a few of the most popular top-shelf vodka brands. Learn about the smoothest tasting vodkas you should know.

What vodka is comparable to Grey Goose?

Pinnacle vodka is produced using French grain and water from the same region as Grey Goose. A crisp vodka, it has a fresh nose and is flavored with hints of citrus, vanilla, and wheat.

Is Ketel a good vodka?

The Bottom Line. For both price and excellent flavor and texture, Ketel One is a great go-to vodka for its smoothness and crowd-pleasing ability.