Updated July 2026.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature vodka is not Grey Goose. Grey Goose’s own FAQ says it “does not produce nor privately label Kirkland vodka.” The French 1.75 L bottle Costco sells as five-times-distilled vodka is attributed to Distillerie de Gayant in Douai, France (Terroirs Distillers). A separate American Kirkland vodka is tied to LeVecke / Fairmont Ltd in California on the label. Always read the back of the bottle in your cart — Costco SKUs change.
Two vodkas, one house brand. That is the whole mystery.
What the labels actually say
| Kirkland bottle | Who is named | Where | Not |
|---|---|---|---|
| French / “five times distilled” 1.75 L | Distillerie de Gayant (Gayant Distillery) | Douai area, France | Not Grey Goose, not Bacardi’s Gensac distillery as a private-label job |
| American Kirkland vodka | Fairmont Ltd / LeVecke bottling | California (Mira Loma is the LeVecke home often cited) | Not the French SKU |
| Importer of record (French SKU) | Reports differ: LeVecke vs Misa Imports (Dallas) on TTB COLA reads | US importer line on the label | Importer ≠ distiller |
Grey Goose is distilled once from Picardy wheat and Gensac-la-Pallue water. Kirkland’s French bottle advertises five distillations. Even if some older reporting claimed a shared regional water story, Grey Goose and Kirkland are not the same spirit and Grey Goose has said so in public. Snopes documented that FAQ. VinePair and Tasting Table both name Gayant for the French bottle and LeVecke/Fairmont for the American one.
ABV, size, and the Grey Goose price myth
Both Kirkland vodkas are typically 40% ABV (80 proof) — the US vodka floor for unflavored vodka. The French SKU is usually a 1.75 L handle, which is about 39.5 US 1.5-ounce shots. That is the same shot math as any 40% handle: vodka drinks, 750 mL shots. We are not going to invent a 2026 warehouse price. Costco’s tag is the price. It is cheaper than Grey Goose because it is a different product, not because Bacardi secretly bottled it.
Costco also sells other Kirkland spirits with other contract distillers. Do not copy this vodka table onto Kirkland gin, tequila, or bourbon. Those are separate labels and separate “who makes” pages.
How to verify in 30 seconds
- Turn the bottle around. Distiller, bottler, and importer lines are on the back label because TTB requires them.
- If it says Distillerie de Gayant / Douai, it is the French SKU.
- If it says Fairmont or LeVecke and a California address, it is the American SKU.
- If it says Grey Goose, you are holding Grey Goose, not Kirkland.
Why the rumor stuck
Both the French Kirkland bottle and Grey Goose are French wheat vodkas sold in tall glass. Shoppers tasted “close enough” and invented a contract. Grey Goose distills once on purpose; Kirkland’s French SKU advertises five times. That is a process difference you can read without a lab. Under the Label’s old water-source chatter, even if true, would still not make them the same distillate. Grey Goose’s FAQ is the brand speaking, not a Reddit thread.
Costco can change contract bottlers. A 2022 American label is not a 2026 French label. The 30-second check on the back of the bottle is the method that survives a SKU swap. For how Kirkland stacks up in the glass against a 40% import, Kirkland vs Grey Goose is the tasting page, not this who-makes page.
Sources
- Grey Goose FAQ: “GREY GOOSE® Vodka does not produce nor privately label Kirkland vodka.” (greygoose.com/faqs)
- Label / TTB COLA reporting: Distillerie de Gayant, Douai, France, for the five-times-distilled French bottle (Slate COLA read; Tasting Table; VinePair).
- American SKU: Fairmont Ltd, described as a LeVecke private-label bottler (VinePair).
- Importer line: secondary sources disagree (LeVecke vs Misa Imports) — the bottle in the warehouse is the primary source.
- TTB vodka standard of identity: unflavored vodka not less than 40% ABV.