Costco is that mecca of savings and a sea of humanity at its … well, not finest, but certainly not its worst. Home of the $1.50 hot dog and the $4.99 rotisserie chicken, the latter of which I admit instantly made me a member for life, Costco hosts a cornucopia (Costcopia?) of superb products at fairly reasonable prices. And that includes wine, beer, and spirits — notably, whiskey, my favorite spirit.
I am, much to my partner’s gentle, minimalist chagrin, a collector of things — comics, Monokuro Boo plush pigs, kitchen gear, and booze. I have a hefty collection of liquor and wine, but the crown jewel has to be my selection of whiskey. I have somewhere north of 40 different bottles of whiskey, from Jameson to Chivas Regal to rare Japanese bottles and even a couple of vintage bottles from the ’60s and ’70s. Like Moira Rose’s wigs, I find each has their own personality and purpose, and I pour based on my mood.
When I was challenged to find the best whiskeys in Costco, I wondered what I’d find at my local warehouse. I’d heard that many of the Kirkland Signature (Costco’s store brand) bottles were actually worth trying, especially for the prices, so I gathered a selection of those, made note of what other whiskeys were in stock that I had at home, and had myself a little taste test. My partner Theo aided in creating a masked test, pouring many sips in little glasses and keeping a log of which was which as I sipped and made notes. Once they revealed the identities of each sip, I was genuinely surprised at some of the results.
As you’ll see, Kirkland made the cut more than a few times, much to my surprise and delight. Here are my favorite eight whiskeys available at Costco right now.
1. Suntory Toki Whisky, $26.99 for 750ml
Truly my favorite entry-level Japanese whisky, and at the price I remember paying for it before Japanese whisky became all the rage and the prices soared. (Remember the Suntory shortage that caused the company to stop selling its aged Hakushu and Hibiki? I sure do.)
Toki is gentle and crisp, with hints of apple and light floral notes. It’s fine for sipping, and really shines in a highball. One of my local bars serves what it calls a Toki Chico, a mix of Toki Whisky and Topo Chico with ice and a lime wedge — an excellent summer drink. At $27, this is cheaper than you’ll find it at most liquor stores, where prices hover right around $40 for the same bottle.
2. Kirkland Signature Canadian Whisky, $18.99 for 1.75L
I admit to feeling a little bit of sticker shock (the good kind) when I found this bottle under $20 with claims that it was comparable to Crown Royal. This was one I immediately clocked in the test as the Canadian whisky — it’s sweet, but not cloying, with a strong vanilla flavor and, I swear, a hint of maple (sorry, Canada, but even your $100 bill smells like maple).
Of all the whiskeys I tried, this was definitely the sweetest, which is something I often crave. As to the claims that it’s comparable to Crown Royal? It is! And for less than half the price for the same-size bottle, this is an absolute steal.
3. Larceny Straight Bourbon Whiskey, $38.89 for 1.75L
This bourbon entry was my second favorite of the roundup because of its strong notes of toasted nuts. It was rich and deeply aromatic, probably the most unique of the bunch. Of all the whiskey I tasted, this was the one I couldn’t stop writing about in my notes, and the one I wanted to keep sipping. Like a meandering mystery novel, I wanted to keep reading and rereading to see what other clues (tasting notes) I could pick up. Toasted nuts, toasted bread, vanilla, almond, sweet but not overly so — I went on and on.
Surprisingly complex, I was really happy with this bourbon, and would be very fine drinking it neat or with a single ice cube.
4. Kirkland Signature 12 Years Old Blended Scotch Whiskey, $36.49 for 1.75L
I was quite taken by how smooth this whiskey was in the taste test. The nose was very pleasant with fall vibes, think brown sugar and warming spices.
It had a strong oaky flavor and was relatively light on the smoke with a subtle sweetness and notes of dried fruit. Again, the smooth character was what really took me, and I loved the rich consistency. I never thought I’d describe a scotch as cozy, but … yeah, wrap me up in a blanket of this any crisp fall evening, and I’ll be very happy, especially at the price.
5. Tullibardine Artisan Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, $21.49 for 750ml
The nose on this whiskey is STRONG and screams scotch, but on the palate, I found it to be much gentler. Stronger smoke than the Kirkland 12 Year, and a much peatier flavor, but I found that gave way to a really lovely cooked apple flavor with hints of caramel and cookies, without the sweetness. For the price, I think this is a lovely little scotch.
6. Basil Hayden 10 Year Aged Bourbon, $69.99 for 750ml
The first note I wrote about this during my taste test was, “Mmm, warm,” which spoke to both the notes of warming spices throughout the nose and palate, but also the pleasant trail of warmth it left as it drifted past my tongue and into my stomach. Warm, but not burning, and quite smooth with all of my favorite bourbon notes: vanilla, caramel, stone fruits, but with some surprising peppery flavor.
It seems like most other liquor stores sell this for about 10 bucks more, so I felt like this was a good value for a very decent bourbon.
7. Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels, $38.99 for 750ml
This was a really fun bourbon because it’s so fruity (like me!) — think dark fruits, like cherries and red berries, along with vanilla and caramel, and the dried fruit notes you’d expect from the port wine barrels. It’s sweet, fruity, and luscious on the palate, but has a dry finish for a nicely balanced sipping bourbon. It does have a little bit of bite at the start, but it mellows quickly, giving way to a smooth, almost honeylike sip.
It’s a decent value at Costco, where you’ll save between $6 and $10 compared with other retailers.
8. Kirkland Signature Irish Whiskey, $28.99 for 1.75L
When I tried this, I felt transported to my late 20s, when I would stay at my friends’ home during San Diego Comic Con. Every year we’d have incredible food, go to the con, and then stay up far too late drinking Jameson, only to do it all again the next day, and the next, and so on.
My notes on the first sip? “Smooth, smooth, smooth, and SO familiar …” I found it to be very clean, smooth, with zero bite, and a hint of vanilla. After the test, I broke out a bottle of Jameson to compare and found them very, very similar, but not identical (I had to make sure).
I’ll admit that it might be nostalgia that put this whiskey on the list, but if you’re looking for a well-priced whiskey comparable to Jameson, look no further.
Did your favorite Costco whiskey make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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