Here at Delish, we're always wondering: Can it Kirkland? Overwhelmingly, Kirkland can.
Whether we are loading up our wine stash or stocking up on party food, spotting Costco's signature Kirkland brand is pretty much always an add-to-cart moment. And that's absolutely the case with their liquor section. Think about it: All your favorite gin and tonics, whiskey sours, and strawberry daiquiris for a fraction of the price? We're there.
Much like other Kirkland items, there's much speculation on who makes all these holy spirits. While we can only guess, we've got more than a few hunches that many of your favorite vodka, tequila, rum, bourbon, and gin brands are actually hiding in plain sight at your local Costco. We even have a guide to all the things to know before you peruse the booze at Costco.
If you're lucky enough to have a liquor section at your local Costco, did you know that they will deliver booze right to your doorstep? And that you don't even need a membership to purchase alcohol? All you need to do is order from Instacart and just chill on your couch (if you live in California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, or Washington, D.C.).
With your bar cart overflowing, we bet you're going to need some cocktail recipes. Check out all of our favorite recipes for vodka cocktails, margaritas, and classic cocktails every home bartender should know.
Kirkland Original Spiced Rum
We're no stranger to a quick rum and coke, and Kirkland's Original Spiced Rum is one of our favorites. With butter and vanilla on the nose, this St. Croix-made spiced rum is smooth sailing in more ways than one, whether you're in the mood for hot buttered rum, a Hurricane, or a Dark N' Stormy. Another excellent idea? Adding a few cheeky splashes of this rum to your next rum cake.
Kirkland French Vodka
There's many a myth behind why Kirkland's French Vodka is so good, namely: Is it secretly made by Grey Goose? While the jury is out on Grey Goose's involvement (Grey Goose denies it but they do share the same water source), there's reason to be amazed by the quality of Kirkland's French Vodka. Slightly sweet, smooth, and a bit velvety on the tongue, this vodka is sure to become your new favorite mixer for martinis, big-batch summer punches, and cosmos.
Kirkland London Dry Gin
When we're in the market for a new gin, we often opt for a herb-y botanical London-style dry gin. Which is why we were jazzed to see that Costco's version is not only delicious but is a fraction of the price of our more top-shelf gin picks. With that signature juniper berry flavor (along with orange peel and coriander), this dry gin is our pick for when we're in the mood for a Bee's Knees.
Kirkland Tequila Anejo
Aged in oak barrels for at least a year, Kirkland's Tequila Añejo ("añejo" means "aged" or "vintage" in Spanish) has a whiskey-adjacent oaky-ness with notes of vanilla and caramel. Let it be said: While we might not use this tequila for sipping straight up, it makes a more than worthy mixer for your palomas and margaritas and is a total steal amongst all of the big name tequilas out there.
Kirkland Irish Cream Liqueur
It doesn't take much for Team Delish to bust out the Irish cream, and we're not just talking St. Patrick's Day either. No exaggeration, Costco's take on it might even beat Baileys. The Kirkland version is sweet and creamy just like the classic, but with noticeably less burn on the tongue. To be honest, we wouldn't be surprised if this isn't Baileys parading around under a Kirkland label. Either way, you can rest assured this will go super well in a batch of Nutty Irishman cocktails or for spiking this skillet fudgy brownie pudding.
Kirkland Canadian Whisky
If you're a Crown Royal fan, this Kirkland Canadian Whisky will have you do a double-take (or just see double). We dare you to do a taste-test, it's that spot on. Aged for six years in oak casks, this Costco whisky has notes of caramel, coffee, and a bit of cinnamon spice on the tongue that makes this our pick for adding to your next maple bourbon old fashioned.
Kirkland Premium Small Batch Bourbon
If you're familiar with Tennessee bourbon makers like Jack Daniel's and George Dickel, you're going to want to do yourself a favor and grab Costco's spin on small batch bourbon (which is rumored to be made by Dickel). Kirkland's Premium Small Batch Bourbon is usually aged at least two years (this one is aged 7!), and had us impressed in taste tests. We're fans of the complexity of this unsuspecting bourbon, with soft notes of caramelized bananas, vanilla, walnuts that have us dreaming about how well this would go in a Gold Rush.
Kirkland Ready-To-Drink Golden Margarita
Okay, while this isn't entirely liquor, sometimes your cocktail shaker is just an obstacle for getting whisked away to Margaritaville. That's exactly why we're fans of Kirkland's ready-to-drink Golden Margarita. It's nicely balanced with plenty of tart lime juice and actual gold tequila (rather than agave wine) that goes down easily without being cloyingly sweet. If you want to trick your friends into thinking you've mixed these yourself, we like to go wild by adding a fancy rim to our glasses with either a flavored or smoky salt or crushed dried fruits (especially crushed dried raspberries).
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine and if wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
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