Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby trumpstylz » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:05 am

You don't need a costco membership to buy booze in IL (only booze- its illegal to charge for a membership to buy liquor). Many states are like this, but not all (I would think you would know this though- being that you work for the major competitor who has to play by the same rules).

Just tell the person at the checkout to get the manager. They will accommodate you.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby gauze » Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:34 am

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?


you can't make me learn, cowdery.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Bourbon HQ » Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:40 pm

If the barcode starts with 80686 it's Jim Beam. Also, Costco here in Louisville, KY sells liquor.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Rotgut » Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:51 pm

I asked the cashier at Costco if the Kirkland Bourbon (K? KB?) was a one-off or would be a regular product. She said she didn't know - the vodka was supposed to be a one-time buy but they've had it ever since. She looked the bourbon up and told me it wasn't "pending delete," which would mean when it's gone, it's gone, but said that that didn't necessarily mean they'd continue to have it.

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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby techne » Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:13 pm

I'm having a watered-down taste of it now, and have to say it rings a bit like Black Maple Hill. Do admit the rye reminds of Old Grand Dad, but there's something BMH-leaning about it in the esters/grains. YMMV.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby sailor22 » Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:08 pm

I got a call from the Costco liquor manager for the east coast after I contacted them about this product. It's a Beam product but he was coy about how they sourced it. He kept trying to tell me that it was a "premium, special, distilation" designed by Costco, and as such really wasn't like anything in the Jim Beam line up. That wasn't what a taste revealed. In two blind tasting I did here it slotted in between JBB and KC just as you would expect.

Decay nailed it with this;
Myself I'd place it in quality somewhere above JB Black (more character) and a little rougher than KCreek.

as thats the result we got in both the blind tastings. As in all things Bourbon YMMV
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby bluedog20175 » Sun Apr 24, 2011 6:49 pm

I brought 2 bottles back from a FL Costco while I was on vacation. My bourbon buddy and I are going to crack into one this weekend to do a somewhat less than scientific testing alongside the other bourbons in our cabinets. So far there was lots of it in on display in Costco's liquor department at a reasonable $21 per bottle.

Un-tasted, I do like the rich color but I presume burned sugar and shoe polish in rubbing alcohol could product something that looked as nice, so at least Mr Cowdery can take solace in the fact that it wasn't pronounced remarkable based on sight and bottle design alone :)

The Costco vodka has a better bottle, tall and slim, in a half gallon size, so I'm presuming it is a much better product :lol: At least it doesn't have shoe polish in it. :shock:
“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 Bas.nl » Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:11 pm

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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby bluedog20175 » Fri May 06, 2011 7:43 pm

Well, gentlemen, I tried it. I was so anxious to try it that I had a friend come along for the ride.

Remember that comment about rubbing alcohol and shoe polish? Well, I was near right.

Actually it smelled pretty good when we uncorked it, except for the hard smell of alcohol in the background.

First a short taste sans ice. Color is tobacco'y, aroma woody enough to know it is oak, but still that strong background of alcohol. A deep breath and a sip. Go ahead, don't let it kill you all at once, roll it around in your mouth a bit, like rinsing after the dentist and nearly as painful to my taste buds. Like swallowing a flaming burnt marshmallow, followed by a feeling like someone pouring gasoline on an open wound.

Maybe it is Ice that it needs to mellow it out? One cube each. wait. Watch the streams, swirl a bit and then sip. Ok, not as bad as straight, but still painful. But for $20 I expected not to be bludgeoned.

I believe the great philosopher Monty Python phrased it best: This is not a bourbon for drinking. This is a bourbon for setting down and avoiding. The bottle is best used for hand-to-hand combat.

This has got to be what bathtub gin tastes like, especially if the maker left his shoes in the tub.

There are plenty of decent bourbons for day to day drinking. This is not one of them.
“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 May 09, 2011 9:40 am

I accidentally watered some down to probably about 80 proof and I thought the flavor was very similar to BH, just slightly more of it (BH doesn't make any of my top 10 or 25 lists. It's not awful but I don't buy it). I expected the sweetness I usually find in OGD and KC but it's not there.

At 80 proof it still has a little roughness but it's not too bad. I tend to like a little roughness around the edges at times. Straight or with a drop of water it's OK. Maybe you couldn't fool me into thinking it's KC.

Overall so far I'd say it's not great but it's not bad. I like lots of variety so I'll probably keep some around but I won't stock up. I can get OGD BIB for slightly less and I prefer it by a long shot.

For as long as it lasts it's nice to have another label available.

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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby Bourbon HQ » Mon May 09, 2011 11:56 am

What is BH?
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby gauze » Mon May 09, 2011 3:34 pm

Bourbon HQ wrote:What is BH?



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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby BourbonKiller » Wed May 11, 2011 10:55 am

Fortunately or unfortunately here in Texas this is unavailable. The TABC decided to not allow Costco's ad-hoc tack on the side of the club liquer stores to bring this in.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby LeCarre » Sat May 14, 2011 10:39 pm

Well, some expert on government regs found the answer here.

https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/v ... 5000000034

It's official; it's made by Jim Beam.

I would think the price point would too low for it to be Basil Hayden, but who knows what deals Costco makes.
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Re: Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon at Costco

Unread postby LeCarre » Sun May 15, 2011 4:15 pm

It is by Jim Beam.
See this government document.

https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/v ... 5000000034
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