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Last Updated on March 25, 2023 by Lydia Martin
There is a wide selection of bourbons at Costco, and if you’re new to the whiskey world, you might find it complicated.
Skip the hassle of getting through each liquor shelf and go straight to the best bourbon at Costco with this comprehensive guide we prepared.
Top 10 Bourbons To Buy At Costco Today
10. Kentucky Owl Batch #11
Average Price: Roughly $26.99 (Caskers)
ABV: 63.8%
Why You Should Try It:
Kentucky Owl Batch #11 is a highly sought-after craft bourbon because of its unique taste profile and rich taste.
Master Blender John Rhea carefully crafts it, and each batch sells out just by word of mouth.
Moreso, Kentucky Owl Batch #11 is a well-aged and bold bourbon. It is a blend of 10 to 14-year-old bourbons and is matured for 6 to 9 years for a unique flavor profile.
9. Jim Beam White
Average Price: Roughly $14.99 (Caskers)
ABV: 40%
Why You Should Try It:
Jim Beam White is a cheap yet full of flavor bourbon. Every sip is refined, smooth and elegant.
It has beautiful notes of nutty honey, vanilla, toasted grains, roasted oak, dried grass, and cinnamon.
It has a fairly light flavor, but the fruit, spice, oak, and earthy flavor start to open up with a splash of water.
8. John J Bowman Single Barrel
Average Price: Roughly $49.99 (Total Wine)
ABV: 50%
Why You Should Try It:
John J Bowman Single Barrel received the World’s Best Bourbon award in 2017, and it is not a surprise because it is a great-tasting bourbon.
It has an amazing flavor profile, persistent finish, and bold aroma. The bourbon commemorates Abram S. Bowman, who founded the A. Smith Bowman Distillery.
7. Blade and Bow
Average Price: Roughly $52.99 (Total Wine)
ABV: 45.5%
Why You Should Try It:
Blade and Bow is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey that uses the unique Solera System [1] in the maturation process to preserve its oldest whiskey stocks.
It has a subtle aroma of fruits, and on the palate, it has rich sweet roasted grain, dried apricot, and ripe pear taste.
6. Rabbit Hole “Cavehill”
Average Price: Roughly $56.99 (Total Wine)
ABV: 47.5%
Why You Should Try It:
Cavehill Rabbit Hole is setting a new standard on American whiskey as it contains four grains on its mash bill, which is different from a standard bourbon.
Its mash bill comprises of 70% corn, 10% malted wheat, 10% honey malted barley, and 10% malted barley.
Rabbit Hole “Cavehill” has a rich aroma of honey, spice, and fresh apples. You can easily recognize the creamy flavors of orange, mint, honey, and toasted grain on the palate.
5. Smooth Ambler Contradiction
Average Price: Roughly $40.99 (Caskers)
ABV: 50%
Why You Should Try It:
Smooth Ambler Contradiction is a blended whiskey with a mash bill combination of corn, rye, malted barley, and wheat.
It is a four-grain whiskey that is full of flavors like dried fruit notes and butter rum.
Smooth Ambler Contradiction is non-chill filtered, allowing you to savor and enjoy every single sip of two different efforts of merchant bottles.
Read: Our Favorite Bourbons For A Wedding
4. Woodford Reserve
Average Price: Roughly $48.49 (Total Wine)
ABV: 45.2%
Why You Should Try It:
When it comes to the best bourbon in the market, you can never go wrong with the Woodford Reserve.
Woodford Reserve has a perfectly balanced taste and contains more than 200 flavor notes, not to mention its affordability.
Woodford Reserve offers a great value and smooth taste. It is best to enjoy straight, but since it is a versatile spirit, it can work well with many bourbon cocktails.
3. Kirkland Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $23 (Costco)
ABV: 50%
Why You Should Try It:
Your trip to Costco will not be completed if you will not bring home their very own bourbon-Kirkland Bottled-In-Bond.
The Kirkland Bottled-In-Bond bourbon is made by a single distiller in one distilling season and aged for at least four years in a bonded warehouse [2].
On the nose, the persistent candied and dried fruit notes linger along with some clove spice and cinnamon.
2. Kirkland Small-Batch Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $21.99 (Instacart)
ABV: 46%
Why You Should Try It:
Kirkland Signature, Small Batch bourbon, is a sourced whiskey from Barton 1792 Distillery, and while its mash bill is not disclosed, it is believed to contain high rye mash bill.
It has a nice and rich aroma of oak, rye spice, caramel, clove, and cinnamon.
Kirkland Small Batch has a medium-length finish with lingering notes of cinnamon, vanilla, mild pepperiness, and caramel.
1. Kirkland Single Barrel Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $30.99 (Costco)
ABV: 60%
Why You Should Try It:
Kirkland Single Barrel bourbon is a non-chill filtered bourbon whiskey that shares a common DNA with other bourbon expressions. However, since it is a single barrel expression, it is pure, unblended and its taste varies on each barrel.
The bourbon whiskey has a rich flavor profile and aroma, and its overproof strength has a nice burn on the palate. But who makes Kirkland bourbon?
Other Bourbons You Can Try
Case Items
- John J Bowman Single Barrel – 750ml – Roughly $49
- Jeffersons Reserve Single Barrel – 750ml – Roughly $58
- Rabbithole Cavehill – 750ml – Roughly $75
- Uncle Nearest 1884 – 750ml – Roughly $35
- Angels Envy – 750ml – Roughly $42
- Michter’s Small Batch – 750ml – Roughly $42 (1 per membership)
- Kentucky Owl Confiscated – 750ml – Roughly $110
- Four Roses Small Batch Select – 750ml – Roughly $50
- H Deringer – 750ml – Roughly $85
- Blade and Bow – 750ml – Roughly $44
On Shelves
- Heaven’s Door – 750ml – Roughly $33
- Kirkland Signature Small Batch – 1L – Roughly $30 (TN, not Barton )
- Kirkland Signature Small Batch – 1L – Roughly $19 (KY, Barton )
- District Made – 750ml – Roughly $39
- Elijah Craig – 1.75L – Roughly $50
- Basil Hayden 8yr – 1.75L – Roughly $65 (prev $60)
- Bulleit Bourbon – 1.75L – Roughly $44 (prev $43)
- Makers Mark – 1.75L – Roughly $45 (prev $43)
- Smooth Ambler Contradiction – 750ml – Roughly $29
- Four Roses – 1.75L – Roughly $36
- Jim Beam White – 1.75L – Roughly $26 (prev $25)
- Jeffersons Reserve – 750ml – Roughly $33
- Knob Creek 9 – 1.75L – Roughly $56 (prev $53)
FAQs
What bourbon at Costco is good for sipping?
Woodford Reserve is good for sipping bourbon because it has a sweet and smooth flavor with hints of spice. The flavor profile appeals to the palate and is a good place to start if you are a novice drinker.
Are bourbons at Costco high-quality?
Yes, bourbons at Costco are high-quality. Since Costco is one of the largest spirit retailers in the world, it has a massive selection of bourbons from big names and well-known distillers.
Final Thoughts
Bourbon selections at Costco can be described in four words: Convenient. Cheaper. Great Selection. Whether you drop by the nearest Costco warehouse or prefer delivery, you can score the best bourbon at Costco- from bottom to top shelf.
Have you tried to score a bottle of bourbon at Costco? How did you find it? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
References:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/solera
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/06/20/why-you-should-buy-costcos-kirkland-signature-bourbon/
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
Any reason why Costco does not (or appears to not) sell Jim Beam Black??
Thanks