Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby fredmad » Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:34 am

can't reach the original doc. sorry.
so what was Jim Beam's point i wonder?
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Donb44 » Tue Oct 04, 2011 11:42 pm

Just tried Costco small batch side by side with Buffalo Trace. Bad news for Costco. The Trace is so much better, smoother. I'm also a Makers fan and the Costco is very high alcohol and quite harsh. I bought it on a whim and am sorry I didn't opt for the big jug of Makers. I won't be fooled again. Try again, Costco.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Gene_Miller » Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:28 am

fredmad wrote:can't reach the original doc. sorry.
so what was Jim Beam's point i wonder?


If I read that right and you're talking about the point of Beam doing this, it simply comes down to sales and profits. Even if their name isn't on it by being the private label distributor for for Costco, they can guarantee a large amount of sales through a major retailer that they might not have been able to get into otherwise, with little addition to their costs. In addition, if they didn't do it, another company would. I know a lot of you mention for various reasons Costco can't sell liquor in your state, but here's an interesting tidbit for you:

Issaquah, Washington-based Costco is the U.S. market’s largest beverage alcohol retailer with 424 stores in 38 states. Costco also has more than 150 stores outside the U.S., including operations in Canada (80 stores), Mexico (30), U.K. (22), Japan (9), Korea (7), Taiwan (6) and Australia (1). Total global beverage alcohol revenues are projected to be up 6.4% to $2.5 billion in Costco’s fiscal 2011, which ends August 31. (leasingnews.org/PDF/CostcoProjects.pdf)
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Fyn » Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:15 am

I have seen the trade and tax bill, this is from a Jim Beam distillery. It isn't great, but isn't bad. I have been a Wild Turkey 101 drinker for 30+ years so the 103 proof is fine, it is drinkable and mixable - better on rocks than not. It doesn't have the most noteworthy notes nor distinctions but has rather become my 'well' bourbon. Ater a long day, mid-week and just want to have decent whiskey to knock back the day, this serves well. to sit back in under the stars on a friday night and sip slowly with some whisky loving friends, I will pull something better. Give it try, not a lot to lose here.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby ScurvyDog » Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:53 pm

I'm a bigger coffee snob than bourbon snob. I like this bourbon. It is my manhattan bourbon. I think it is very similar to woodford in tastes. I do pour it into a decanter... No kirkland bottles in my bar!
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Byron67 » Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:08 pm

I just ran this against Beam's KC with a JD Single Barrel Select devider, and it's finish is running really close to Beam's KC. I say its a 7 yr. Beam.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby MauiSon » Mon Jul 09, 2012 4:58 am

I guess I should begin with my humble origins. I've killed 3 bourbon soldiers - Jim Beam Black, Old Crow Reserve and Evan Williams Black. I've also started a bottle of Elijah Craig 12.

I wasn't really in the mood tonight, but my SO wanted to have something on ice while watching 'Wedding Crashers' (I remained neat). After a pour of EC12, I had 2 pours of Kirkland Small Batch. I would suggest KSmB is a very good pour for this movie. I found it very sugar-forward with a thin middle and a mild, white oak finish compared to EC12 - not too hot (despite it's being my highest proof pour to date). The EC12 tasted much richer, with a strong oak finish, but the KSmB was just right for this silly, rom-com, pseudo-philosophical farce. The higher proof, along with the light body was just what the doctor ordered to help get me through this one. I did detect one off-note (soapy?), but I'll have to try and pin that down in the future. Those 3 pours left me more inebriated than I've been in quite a while (yeah, I'm a lightweight). The other tasting opinion was,"Hey, I want my own bottle of this KSmB - I like it a lot (more than EC12)!"
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Bourbon Joe » Mon Jul 09, 2012 6:06 am

Now just imagine how good Military Special would have been for that venue.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby MauiSon » Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:41 pm

I realize you're just being facetious or maybe throwing a snobbish comment out there, but I really enjoy this juice. It's light and uncomplicated, but it's real bourbon, it tastes good and it's inexpensive - that's a powerful combination. I have 2 opens right now, this and EC12, and I won't decide their rankings until I finish 'em both off, but they're both running above all 3 of my previous bottles. :wink:
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Bourbon Joe » Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:08 am

You're right. I was making fun. Sorry for that. I keep forgetting that a lot of people don't agree with my tastes. Glad you like something for less than 60 bucks a bottle.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Ettore » Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:40 pm

I have to agree that I enjoy the Kirkland. Even when not considering the excellent value it would have a place in my collection. I was intrigued with the comparison to Buffalo trace (a few posts up). Perhaps it is because I have only had a 50ml bottle of BT (that I sampled three different times) but it has an odd vegetal (sp?) component that I couldn't get past. I have not encountered that taste in any of approximately 30 bourbons/whiskies/ryes.

I think the Kirkland would do very well in blind tests.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Ettore » Thu Aug 16, 2012 1:07 pm

...oh, one more thing...remember the COSTCO warning: if you are considering it buy it NOW because so many products become discontinued without warning. (I noticed that J Walker Gold has disappeared)
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby SWC » Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:41 pm

For what it's worth, I tried this stuff and it wasn't bad at all. A bit bland but fairly drinkable. I wasn't in "evaluation" mode when I drank it (at a friends house, with a sturdy tumbler), so I reserved a quick, critical judgement at the time for a worthwile review later on.

After three glasses it was tasting like friggin nectar from God's own garden flowers, so I will relax a bit with my glencairn next time.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Ettore » Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:49 pm

SWC wrote:For what it's worth, I tried this stuff and it wasn't bad at all. A bit bland but fairly drinkable. I wasn't in "evaluation" mode when I drank it (at a friends house, with a sturdy tumbler), so I reserved a quick, critical judgement at the time for a worthwile review later on.

After three glasses it was tasting like friggin nectar from God's own garden flowers, so I will relax a bit with my glencairn next time.


Insightful feedback...and hilarious!
Thanks! :D
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby MauiSon » Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:38 am

Extensive comparison to WT101 showed a resemblance, but from every subjective perspective I preferred the dirty bird.
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