Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ben on March 17, 2011, 02:04:21 PM

Title: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Ben on March 17, 2011, 02:04:21 PM
I just came back from my local Costco where they have now added small batch Kentucky Bourbon to their Kirkland line. Have any of you tried it? What do you think?

I bought a bottle, but since I'm telecommuting today figure I'd better wait until after 5 O'clock (and not just somewhere) before I pour some into an Old-Fashioned glass. :)

I've been very impressed with the Kirkland wine and vodka that I've had, so I have high hopes for this. Just wondering if the APS connoisseurs have given it a go yet. I'm hoping it will be good, since they seem to have stopped stocking ginormous bottles of Knob Creek and Eagle Rare.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 17, 2011, 02:19:57 PM
The kirkland beer is good, so I can only bet that the bourbon isn't bad.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: brimic on March 17, 2011, 02:42:26 PM
Ditto.
Not a bourbon drinker myself but Kirkland is nothing more than rebranded top-shelf brands.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: cambeul41 on March 17, 2011, 03:14:38 PM

Quote
Kirkland is nothing more than rebranded top-shelf brands.

But generally top-shlf non-the-less.

Quote
The kirkland beer is good,

Can you compare it to some brand I might have heard of? I tend to favor hopsy, strong flavors.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Angel Eyes on March 17, 2011, 03:16:56 PM
Can you compare it to some brand I might have heard of? I tend to favor hopsy, strong flavors.

If memory serves, Kirkland beer is made by Gordon Biersch.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: just Warren on March 17, 2011, 04:16:54 PM
I didn't know about the Bourbon but I'll certainly look for it the next time I'm there.

Their tequila rocks the house, yo.

Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: French G. on March 17, 2011, 04:54:53 PM
Any idea on the sourcing? Probably a Jimmy Beam product.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: MillCreek on March 17, 2011, 05:08:19 PM
Unfortunately, in Washington state, the home of Costco, hard liquor can only be sold in the state liquor stores.  We can buy wine and beer at Costco, but that is it.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Balog on March 17, 2011, 05:09:37 PM
Unfortunately, in Washington state, the home of Costco, hard liquor can only be sold in the state liquor stores.  We can buy wine and beer at Costco, but that is it.

Just what I was thinking. Sad state of affairs. :/
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: AmbulanceDriver on March 17, 2011, 08:04:28 PM
Unfortunately, in Washington state, the home of Costco, hard liquor can only be sold in the state liquor stores.  We can buy wine and beer at Costco, but that is it.

Ditto here in OR
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Ben on March 17, 2011, 08:34:12 PM
Ok, as Alan Jackson said, "It's 5 O'clock somewhere" so I just popped it open and did a taste test.

Wow! Two thumbs up. I don't know who actually makes it though. I did a taste test against Maker's Mark, Knob Creek, and Eagle Rare (the only bourbons I have in the house). It tastes most like Knob Creek, but with some smokiness on top of the Knob Creek flavor -- almost like a rye. From the straight taste comparison, I have to say I actually like it better than the other three. I'm VERY impressed. We'll see how it does as an Old-Fashioned during my before bed reading hour tonight.

I'm really curious to know who makes it though. The bottle says aged 7 years, Batch B-5183. It's a Kentucky Bourbon, and it's 103 proof.

Bummer for you guys in OR and WA. :(  I knew that was a down South thing, but I didn't know any western states did it.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: PTK on March 17, 2011, 08:39:56 PM
MT does that, too. :(
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Scout26 on March 17, 2011, 09:08:47 PM
Do they only have the 55gallon size or does it come in smaller volumes ?
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: TechMan on March 17, 2011, 09:12:27 PM
OH as well. Hard Liquor = State store  Wine & Beer = Anywhere that has a license.

That is why a lot of SW Ohioans make a run for the border and buy in Kentucky.

They have a really cool place called "The Party Source".  I would call it the Kroger's of alcohol.  http://www.thepartysource.com/ (http://www.thepartysource.com/)
 
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Ben on March 17, 2011, 09:13:43 PM
Do they only have the 55gallon size or does it come in smaller volumes ?

 =D

Surprisingly, this is the smallest bottle of liquor I think I've ever bought there. 1 Liter, $19.99.

Much easier to handle than the three foot high bottle of Grey Goose.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Ben on March 17, 2011, 09:14:41 PM

They have a really cool place called "The Party Source".  I would call it the Kroger's of alcohol.  http://www.thepartysource.com/ (http://www.thepartysource.com/)

We call that "BevMo" in CA. :)
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: SADShooter on March 17, 2011, 09:41:51 PM
Better than Makers or Knob creek? Impressive. And the price is a steal for any decent whiskey. Any Texans know if Costco has liquor licenses? Never been in a store, may have to go.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: French G. on March 17, 2011, 09:56:53 PM
I've poked around some bourbon blogs...Which I didn't know existed. Gee thanks, you ruined me. Seems it is a re-badged Beam product.
Also seems I forgot that I live in VA, so ABC store only for now, they're talking about privatizing.

 I've run through pretty much all the Beam specialty stuff, Knob Creek, Bakers, Bookers Basil Hayden. Not going down the Red Stag path, not my thing. Killed the last of my Blantons recently. Might have to depart and break into the next state, one more bottle of Single Barrel Jack left. Want to keep it, group buy as a cruise commemorative which I think is a fine way to mark a deployment.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Ben on March 17, 2011, 10:36:45 PM
I shoulda done some of that there Googling that you did French G. :)

I only found one seemingly reliable source. The consensus seems to be a Beam product, but there's some back and forth on that. One post mentions that this is a one time deal for Costco. Don't know why they would go through the trouble of making it a Kirkland brand if that were so, but just in case I'll have to pick up another couple of bottles to store with my Zombie Apocalypse stash.  :laugh:

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14449
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: French G. on March 17, 2011, 11:21:21 PM
That would be the way to do a Zombie Apocalypse. Just need more bourbon, got plenty of cuban cigars and ammunition. Now if you had a flat roof, a beach chair and a belt-fed on a tripod the Zombie Apocalypse might be quite fun.

Probably hard to get a "straight" answer on the sourcing, my initial guess at Beam was based who the heck else has the production capacity to meet that demand?

I did get to tour the Maker's Distillery, pretty cool. Maker's not bad, not at the top of the list for me though.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Scout26 on March 18, 2011, 12:34:19 AM
Not going down the Red Stag path,

Good choice, that way evil lies......



[and it leaves more for me  =D ]
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: AmbulanceDriver on March 18, 2011, 09:06:25 AM
And me!   (since you are an evil man and got me addicted to it!)
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 18, 2011, 09:24:16 AM

Can you compare it to some brand I might have heard of? I tend to favor hopsy, strong flavors.

Middle of the road beer easy to drink alot of.  I'd compare it to Shiner or Yeungling.  Several yummy varieties, the Brown Ale being awesome.  Not skunky at all, smooth, no bitter aftertaste.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: brimic on March 18, 2011, 11:30:08 AM
Kirkland beer iz teh good stuff. I buy a case of it every time I go there. >:D
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: RoadKingLarry on March 18, 2011, 01:32:40 PM
You guys all got it better than here in Okie land. We can only get 3.2 cold at C-stores or grocery stores, no wine, >3.2 beer (not cold) or hard liquor anywhere but a liquor store. Liquor store can't sell anything but alcohol products, no mixers, no pop, not even so much as a bottle opener.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: French G. on March 18, 2011, 03:11:27 PM
Gotta be careful with all you crazy injuns and the firewater.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Balog on March 18, 2011, 03:16:19 PM
Does Costco have house brand wine as well as beer and liqour?
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Ben on March 18, 2011, 03:20:51 PM
Does Costco have house brand wine as well as beer and liqour?

Yup. I've only tried a couple of the reds, but they are quite good. I'm really impressed with how Costco does booze.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Balog on March 18, 2011, 03:27:40 PM
Yup. I've only tried a couple of the reds, but they are quite good. I'm really impressed with how Costco does booze.

Nice. :) Are they very (what's the fancy wine snob term) dry? The red wines I've tried were like biting into an unripe persimmon; left me all puckery.
Title: Re: Costco Bourbon?
Post by: Ben on March 18, 2011, 05:00:10 PM
I know zero about grading wines. My only criteria are, "does Ben like the taste" and/or "does Ben's date like the taste enough to drink lots of it so Ben has a chance at getting lucky."  :laugh:

I rarely just drink wine, except for sometimes a Port with a cigar. I generally have wine with a meal, usually with steak, so it has to be something that washes the steak down well.