Belvedere Vodka vs Grey Goose: Compared (2023 Updated)
Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by Lydia Martin
When Grey Goose won the title of the “Best Tasting Vodka” in a blind tasting room, Belvedere filed a complaint about the “disingenuous” decision. This incident might have started a rivalry between Belvedere vodka vs Grey Goose in 1998.
More than twenty years later, the world of spirits still has an undecided winner. So, our team of experts decided to serve you one.
Grey Goose or Belvedere: Which Vodka Is Better?
Grey Goose is better than Belvedere when it comes to smoothness.
Although both top-shelf vodkas have lower-calorie alcohol and are among the healthiest vodka brands globally, Grey Goose has a more meticulous way of processing.
It uses French wheat and water that came 500 feet below their main facility, while Belvedere follows the strict rules of Polish vodka.
Grey Goose considers France home, known for alcoholic beverages such as Cognac and Champagne.
And with more distillation processes involved, Grey Goose has a more biting finish than Belvedere.
Key Differences
History & Country of Origin
The distillery of Belvedere has a long and illustrious history as it was built in 1910, making it one of the oldest in Poland.
Although the production of this top-shelf brand only started in 1993, it is still ahead of Grey Goose, which only began in 1997.
Sidney Frank has dreamt of creating Grey Goose as a premium vodka. Then he decided to market this with a story that this high-end vodka came from France.
But who owns the prestigious Grey Goose vodka now?
Branding
Belvedere is also under the luxury brand of LVMH like Hennessy, Ardbeg, and Dom Pérignon.
Phillips Millennium first introduced this high-quality vodka to the United States in 1996, and in April 2005, LVMH officially acquired this company.
In 2004, Bacardi Limited set a record for buying Grey Goose at around two billion dollars [1].
Sidney Frank, the previous owner, believed that Bacardi would further advance Grey Goose’s strong reputation of being a smooth vodka through this deal.
Alcohol By Volume Level
A classic good vodka in a liquor store in the United States has a minimum of 40% ABV, like Tito’s handmade vodka.
And the same goes for both Belvedere vs Grey Goose, although there are some exceptions. But, how many vodka shots will get you drunk?
Belvedere Intense has 50% ABV, a strong alcoholic drink, and a limited-edition release. In comparison, the Grey Goose’s Essences line has only 30% ABV, which falls under the flavored vodka category.
These two high-end brands created different varieties over the years, but Belvedere has consistently followed through with the standard 80-proof alcohol for classic vodka.
It even launched the Belvedere Intense in 23, the first luxury brand to have a 100-proof alcohol concentration.
On the other hand, Grey Goose launched a flavored product line with only 60-proof.
The low alcohol vodka proof and fruity essence make each Grey Goose variety a good mixer for a dessert-style cocktail.
Production & Distillation Process
Belvedere is under the strict rules of Polska Vodka, which means that the whole production process took place in Poland.
To Belvedere, to be considered the best vodka, it should not contain any additives and went through four distillation processes.
On the other hand, Grey Goose went through a five-column distillation process in Picardy, but the bottling process took place in the Cognac region of France.
There are less than twenty people behind the production of this drink, which adds to the brandʼs exclusivity.
Find out if Grey Goose vodka is gluten-free here.
Raw Material
The materials used for producing Belvedere include specific Polish rye and Polish water.
This grain can withstand cold temperatures and gives a soft texture to the spirit.
On the contrary, Grey Goose vodka purchased winter wheat from the Picardy region of France as their main ingredient.
One kilo of this wheat, along with natural spring water, is enough to make one bottle of vodka. But, how long will vodka last?
Taste & Flavor Profile
Contrary to the tasteless drink that many people associate vodka with, distinctive flavors are present in the spirit that differentiate the brands [2].
Belvedere smells of fresh grass and has a faintly sweet taste. It has a clean finish and mild spiciness.
Meanwhile, Grey Goose prides itself in its exclusive ingredients that give the smell of black pepper and rye to their classic vodka.
It crawls in the throat in a creamy but biting finish.
Available Flavors
Recently, Belvedere vs Grey Goose released a variety of flavored vodkas to compete in the market against Bakon Vodka, Cupcake Frosting Vodka, and the popular Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka.
However, these brands were considered the worst vodkas, especially Bakon Vodka, because they prefer their bacon in its chewable, fat-laden form.
Belvedere’s Maceration Line has eight available flavors, including the Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka, Mango Passion, and Ginger Zest.
On the other hand, Grey Goose released the flavored varieties first. It only has six flavors, including La Poire (pear), Le Citron (lemon), and Strawberry & Lemongrass.
Also Read:
Aging Process
It is very unlikely for a neutral spirit like vodka to undergo an aging process, and the same goes for these two popular vodka brands.
The bottling process starts right after distillation, as purified spring water will help to tone down the high alcohol content instead of barrel-aging.
Grey Goose spends more time in this process because the main distillery is in Picardy, while the bottling facility is in Cognac, about 600km apart.
Price Point
Grey Goose and Belvedere are among the best vodka products from Europe, making them more expensive than domestically-made ones like Tito’s Vodka.
The prices depend on the variety released by each company.
Belvedere Original is available for around $26 to $50, with its Maceration line ranging from $30 to $40.
While the flavored line of Grey Goose is around $27 to $42, the original vodka’s price can reach up to $41.
*Average prices are based on Drizly online. Prices may vary in local liquor shops.
FAQs
Which is smoother, Grey Goose or Belvedere vodka?
Grey Goose is smoother than Belvedere because it uses wheat as the main ingredient.
Wheat makes vodka smoother than using other grains, and it also leaves an excellent taste to the spirit.
In what way is Belvedere vodka similar to Grey Goose?
Belvedere and Grey Goose are top-shelf vodka brands available to drink straight or on the rocks.
Both have the same alcohol concentration on their original variety, and they are under popular and respected companies such as Bacardi and LVMH.
And the Winner is…
Although both are considered the world’s best vodka brands, our team chose Grey Goose vodka as the winner after carefully considering their differences.
It may be quite confusing to smell vodka, but most of our votes went to Grey Goose because of its incredibly smooth content during the blind test tastings. Grey Goose still took on the winning spot with the exclusive ingredients and production process that involves at least twenty people.
However, Belvedere is worth considering when it comes to price and their unique bottle presenting the presidential palace in Warsaw, Poland.
References:
- https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5256874
- https://www.winemag.com/2020/05/28/is-vodka-flavorless/amp/
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.
In our house in Brentwood Ca. We prefer 1 Absolute 2 Kettle 3 Belvedere 4 Stoli 5 Grey Goose. Thank you for this article..SCGall