A Bourbon Expert's Honest Opinion On Costco's Kirkland Signature Selection
From highly coveted $40k wine to rare whiskeys, Costco knows how to bring in the good stuff, and the wholesaler's bourbon selection is no exception. Everything from Eagle Rare and Blanton's Single Barrel — a particularly rare bourbon that could run you upwards of $200 — have been spotted on the Costco shelves at deep discounts. But it's not all about the exotic names or high market values. In fact, one bourbon expert thinks that Costco's in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, makes bourbon that's just as much of a steal.
Chris Blatner, executive bourbon steward and creator of @?urbanbourbonist, told Tasting Table his honest opinion on Kirkland bourbon. "Costco seems to be sourcing some really good bourbon from some well-known larger distilleries," Blatner says. He's not wrong. Originally sourced by Jim Beam and then George Dickel, Costco announced in 2021 that all of Kirkland brand bourbon expressions — the mall batch, bottled-in-bond, and the single barrel 120 proof — would be produced by Barton 1792, a part of the Sazerac Company known for its Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky.
"The selections I've had have all been quite good," Blatner recalls. "They offer great value for what is in the bottle." With a bottle of Kirkland Single Barrel Bourbon going for as little as $33, the bottled-in-bond going for $25, and the small batch for $15, that much can't be argued. But do other bourbon experts agree?
Read more: The 27 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked
Bourbon Experts Agree: Kirkland Bourbon Is A Must Buy
With all of the rare bourbons that have graced Costco's store shelves, Kirkland Signature bourbons can easily get overshadowed. While on the pursuit for a bottle of Stagg or Van Winkle Special Reserve at a steal it's understandable that a Costco shopper might naively pass them by — but bourbon experts, Chris Blatner included, say that's a shame. Joseph V Micallef, judge for the Irish Whisky Awards and the International Wine and Spirits Competition and the author of "Scotch Whiskey: It's History, Production, and Appreciation" took a similar stance in his article for Forbes, stating that all three of Kirkland's bourbons "represent outstanding values" with a "consistent Barton 1792 DNA."
If that's not enough to convince you, consider Zachary Johnston, drinks editor and judge for both the San Francisco World Spirits Association and the International Wine and Spirits Competition, as well as Chief Brand Officer at Blackwood Distilling. Johnston did a blind tasting of Kirkland's bottled-in-bond bourbon for Uproxx. Put up against a list of bourbons two to five times its price, he concluded that the Kirkland's price tag was "crazy good" and that the bottle "100% held its own against some of the most award-winning bourbons on the shelf today." Blind tastings don't lie, and while Kirkland's bourbon did end up ranked in the middle of the pack, all Johnston could say was that you need to buy one — maybe even a case.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
