Some people can taste the difference between vodka and toilet sanitizer. I am not opposed to vodka, but mostly, it goes into drinks that have enough hot sauce or fruit juices to mask the fact that it tastes like, I assume, Liquid Plumbr might.
Costco has had to recall its popular Kirkland Signature American Vodka, yes American, due to a taste one Redditor likened to urinal cake. The "American Vodka" is rumored to be the same as the brand Grey Goose, much like every Kirkland brand alcohol is rumored to be some other noted brand. My friends insist their Whiskey is Jameson and their Scotch is Macallan.
Following hundreds of Redditors sharing their recent experiences of the Kirkland Signature American Vodka tasting "terrible," "like a weird chemical" or having "a bathroom urinal puck vibe," Costco reportedly sent a product information notice to customers who had purchased the product. To be clear, this is the brand's cheaper American vodka, not its slightly higher-end Kirkland Signature French Vodka, which is often rumored to be Grey Goose in disguise (not true, according to Vice).
SFGATE called LeVecke Corporation, the producer of Kirkland Signature American Vodka, and was directed to an automated voicemail about the product.
"Please know that the Kirkland Signature American Vodka concern is an isolated event and is not a food safety issue," said the voice message. "The product is vodka, the distillery has not changed and the product is safe for consumption. However, we have found that bottles with the lot code specified on the notification you may have received from Costco had a taste profile that was not consistent with the product Costco members have grown to know and trust."
Customers who purchased a bottle of vodka with one of the affected lot codes can return it to Costco for a full refund. According to a screenshot on Reddit of Costco's product information notice, only bottles purchased between between June 12 and Aug. 10 were affected, although this information was not included in the LeVecke voicemail.
A Redditor shared that the Vokda was contaminated with Rum:
"I work at the regional office! Apparently it has hints of rum due to a container not being completely cleaned before it was used for vodka during transport. It has no health risks or implications, but it gave the vodka notes of rum! Hope this helps explain why it tastes off :)"
