La Croix vs. Kirkland Signature Sparkling Water Blind Taste Test
The Definitive, Yet Unscientific Taste Test
Shots fired.
Costco is coming for you, La Croix.
I was picking up my normal 24-pack of La Croix at Costco last weekend when I saw something new sitting right next to it.
Kirkland Signature Sparkling Water 32-pack with three very familiar flavors.
Lime. Lemon. Grapefruit.
That is La Croix’s corner.
I informed Stacy we would be conducting an official blind taste-test this weekend because we had a few left-over La Croix’s from the last 24 pack.
Unfortunately, we were out of lemon and pamplemousse from the OG pack so our test was strictly limited to lime.
Format
I poured each can into a clear glass and indicated the brand with sticky notes.
K = Kirkland Signature
L = La Croix
I folded and taped them to the bottom of their designated glasses. Stacy, did not watch this process. She then mixed up the glasses so neither of us knew which was which.
We tasted in silence which made for a really fun lunch. We each jotted down our notes in the following categories:
Categories
- Mouthfeel a.k.a Fizzyness
- Flavor Essence
- Refreshment
- Preference
- Prediction
Mouthfeel a.k.a. Fizzy-ness
Drink #1: We both felt #1 was lacking in mouthfeel. Didn’t fizz much.
Drink #2: Stacy commented, “Bubbles were much livelier and more apparent.” I concur. Can’t argue with my bride.
Flavor Essence: Rated 1–10
Drink #1: Stacy gave it a 3 on essence. I also awarded it a 3, but I don’t think our scales were calibrated consistently. That was Stacy’s 2nd place drink and my higher. We both had drink #1 on the low end but isn’t that what the essence should be? Otherwise it would just be flavor.
Drink #2: Stacy had it higher at a 5 out of 10 while I only had this at a 2. Head to head I got much less flavor essence on #2 than Stacy did.
Refreshment
Both drinks rated high because they are sparkling water and refreshment is the entire point of the beverage. They both tasted like you were at a spa. High marks all around.
Preference
Me: Drink #1. For me it came down to #1 having the right amount of flavor essence for my taste.
Stacy: Drink #2. They were similar but the bubble liveliness set it apart for her.
Prediction:
We both thought #1 was Kirkland Signature and #2 was La Croix. I wasn’t totally sure but Stacy was adamant that #2 was La Croix.
Reveal:
#1 = La Croix
#2 = Kirkland Signature
Sorry, honey.
Qualifier: Our La Croix sample was pretty old. It could have lost a little mouth-feel sitting in the fridge for a month.
The $0.08 Question. Which to buy?
Last time I was at Costco, both packs were priced at $7.49.
La Croix had a 24-pack weighing in at $0.31 per can. Kirkland Signature’s 32-pack was just $0.23 per can.
For me, I’m always going value. Kirkland Signature all the way. 10 times out of 10. The taste differences were minimal. The other point for Kirkland is they don’t have the plastic rings around each 6-pack, like La Croix does. This always bothered me.
C’mon La Croix. This is 2018. Get with it.
Stacy said, “I’d probably pay the extra 8 cents for a cooler looking can.”
There you have it.
