Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

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Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Back Door Santa » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:14 pm

Anybody know what this really is? I know the Kirkland vodka is Grey Goose so I'm thinking it might be something decent like Bakers perhaps. The bourbon is aged 7 years and made in Clermont,KY. Thanks.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby gauze » Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:56 am

has to be a beam distillate, if it's 80 proof I am guessing it's Basil Hayden.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Birdo » Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:33 am

How much is it? Me bet it aint nothing special. Probably Beam Black. WIth the Kirkland label, they can't over price it.

Buy some and report back. Costco can't sell booze here in Kentucky.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby gauze » Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:14 pm

Birdo wrote:How much is it? Me bet it aint nothing special. Probably Beam Black. WIth the Kirkland label, they can't over price it.

Buy some and report back. Costco can't sell booze here in Kentucky.


well it's small batch and aged 7 not 8 years so it's not JBB, could be same mashbill though since almost everything is over at beam. (but I'm sticking with BH leftovers)
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Birdo » Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:40 pm

well it's small batch and aged 7 not 8 years so it's not JBB, could be same mashbill though since almost everything is over at beam. (but I'm sticking with BH leftovers)[/quote]


Forgot to say I do like JBB, its respectable stuff. "Small Batch" seems like an ambigous sort of claim, and I'm not sure it has a legal definition or if its just advertising jargon.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Back Door Santa » Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:57 am

It's $19.99. Basil Hayden was what I was thinking. I know a woman who drinks BH. I'll get her a bottle and let her decide if it is.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby gauze » Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:47 pm

I don't think the costcos in mass sell booze. If it's just BH I'd rather stick to Old Grand Dad 100+.
nice price though.

birdo 100% right on small batch having no legal definition, and to jbb as a respectable daily pour. $14/750 here, and speaking of advertising it's "double aged" you know.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby bluedog20175 » Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:11 pm

So If it is Jim Beam product and is 103 proof, & "Premium Small Batch" & "aged 7 years" then it is like Baker's?

Only some Costco's sell liquors. I'll have to rustle one up when traveling
“Sure I eat what I advertise. Sure I eat Wheaties for breakfast. A good bowl of Wheaties with bourbon can't be beat.” -- Dizzy Dean
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Rotgut » Mon Mar 21, 2011 12:27 pm

I picked up a bottle of this. I'll have to do a little more tasting, but it's not too bad. On opening the bottle I got a blast of scent that is definitely Beam. First impression is the taste is a lot like KC but without some of the warm honey / sweet flavor I usually notice. And it's got a little more rye bite. Or maybe that's the alcohol and / or a little roughness. The finish had a hint of the yeast (I think that's what it is) that I get from the finish of the Distiller's Series 7-year.

You could probably pass this off as KC to a lot of people. Me, for one, at times, but not likely most of you guys & gals.

But that's a rough first take. I'll have to see if it makes in into my normal Beam rotation. I'd say if it does, it'll be above JBB and below KC, 'specially if the price of KC keeps going up. I'd rather Costco carried KC, but they might not do better on the price than I can find it elsewhere on sale, so this is a nice alternative.

It's nice to have a new product available.

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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Decay » Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:36 pm

Hi, I'm a newbie here but couldn't help but joining in. I bought a liter bottle of Kirkland/Costco 103 proof bourbon and last night gave it a first try. I was pretty pleasantly surprised, and I agree with folks who taste this as a Beam product. Myself I'd place it in quality somewhere above JB Black (more character) and a little rougher than KCreek. But the bite is pleasing (for a guy who likes real tannin in his Cabernet). Could it be that Beam had an excess of KC in seven-year barrels? This stuff tastes like it could have been on its way to becoming KC someday. I doubt this was a planned product, hashed out 7 years ago, more like Beam and Costco saw a supply, an opportunity, a market niche and distribution infrastucture all coming together. I'll check back after I and friends try a little more.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby northernjerry » Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:53 pm

Hey all. I saw this at costco Alaska today and thought I'd see what it was so I came here. My first thought was Knob Creek because of the shape of the bottle. Aged 7 years so maybe young KC?. At $19.99 it's worth a try, but my go to bourbon is wild turkey 101 which retails $22 here. I'll stick with that till I know more.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby RJW » Mon Mar 28, 2011 5:37 pm

Just did a taste test, KC, Bh and JB Black along with Kirkland. Kirkland has a lot of corn whiskey test taken neat. An ice cube reduced the proof a little and smoothed it out. Pretty close to the JB Black in taste notes and overall taste. $20 for a full liter makes it go on the everyday rotational shelf.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby cowdery » Tue Mar 29, 2011 7:24 pm

Come on, people! Use your heads. Why in the world would you think that bottling proof is a tip-off to the source of the whiskey? Have you learned nothing?

Best evidence seems to be that it's standard Beam mash bill. People who have tried it agree based on the taste. What's confusing about the label is that the "Clear Creek" DBA is registered to Buffalo Trace. But the mention of Clermont on the label can't be anyone but Beam. The conclusion is that it must be an old label. A bigger mystery would be why the Clear Creek DBA was transferred to BT in the first place, since Beam has a history with that name going back to before Prohibition when the family still owned the business.

Beam produces the OGD/BH recipe in such small quantities that it is inconceivable that they would have a load of it at 7 years old to sell to Costco for the kind of money Costco undoubtedly pays. Beam is a good example of a company that doesn't sell bulk whiskey except when they do. I assume that, for some reason, they found themselves with more 7-year-old bourbon than they needed or, perhaps a more likely scenario, this particular batch didn't really meet Beam's standards for any of their brands that could have used it so they unloaded it to Costco.

It sure has created a buzz, though.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Birdo » Tue Mar 29, 2011 7:32 pm

cowdery wrote:Come on, people! Use your heads. Why in the world would you think that bottling proof is a tip-off to the source of the whiskey? Have you learned nothing?

Best evidence seems to be that it's standard Beam mash bill. People who have tried it agree based on the taste. What's confusing about the label is that the "Clear Creek" DBA is registered to Buffalo Trace. But the mention of Clermont on the label can't be anyone but Beam. The conclusion is that it must be an old label. A bigger mystery would be why the Clear Creek DBA was transferred to BT in the first place, since Beam has a history with that name going back to before Prohibition when the family still owned the business.

Beam produces the OGD/BH recipe in such small quantities that it is inconceivable that they would have a load of it at 7 years old to sell to Costco for the kind of money Costco undoubtedly pays. Beam is a good example of a company that doesn't sell bulk whiskey except when they do. I assume that, for some reason, they found themselves with more 7-year-old bourbon than they needed or, perhaps a more likely scenario, this particular batch didn't really meet Beam's standards for any of their brands that could have used it so they unloaded it to Costco.

It sure has created a buzz, though.


Include me in the skeptic camp. Who wants generic bourbon that says "Costco" when for a few bucks more they can have the real mccoy. Look like a cheapskate with costco bourbon on hand, might as well be Evan Williams. Why would beam sell good stuff for discount just to have costco undercut them? It makes no sense at all.

Come over to my house and you will be served a truly good bourbon that doesn't say costco. Me like a Knob Creek, Rare Breed and Buff Trace. Good bourbon is a good value, unless you are a lush, then you would need cheaper stuff.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Dana » Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:06 pm

Just to let you know, if you (me included), really want to know who makes and bottles this bourbon for Costco, you need to go on Costco.com and email customer service. I am a vendor for the major competitor of Costco. And in my world, any customer service request (trouble ticket) fielded by my account must be answered within 48 hours- I’m fairly certain that Costco has similar policies. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Costco membership so I can’t go thru the customer service process because it asks for a membership #. If I could, I would ask for the “adult beverage” buyer to get back with me on the particulars of the Kirkland Bourbon brand – such as: who is the distiller, and what is the comparable name brand product. I can guarantee you that the Costco buyer knows everything there is to know about this product and would be happy to share his/her knowledge with us.
Here is the link to Costco’s customer service https://costco.egain.net/system/selfser ... COUNTRY=us
By the way, I’m heading up to Chicagoland this coming week to buy a couple bottles (using my friend’s membership). I would love to find a $20 bottle (full liter) that I enjoy as much as my KC.
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