Kirkland Signature alcohol is the store brand of the consumer warehouse giant Costco. Known for their bulk products and value to consumers, the member-only chain is widely known for their in-house brand, Kirkland, which also extends to alcohol. Headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, the company was previously located in Kirkland, Washington, with their in-house brand being a nod to this fact.

‍‍Costco started selling Kirkland-labeled wine in 2003 and Kirkland Signature spirits in 2007. Over the years, the bourbon’s source distillery has changed, and has not been as prominently displayed on the bottle as the latest version of Kirkland Signature Bourbon is. Appearing in small batches, bottled in bond, and single-barrel versions, the current distillery producing the bourbon is Barton 1792 Distillery.

The aroma comes across as light, as classic scents slowly rise from the glass. The standard set is here, as oak, vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar each make an appearance. Straightforward and to the point, the aroma is delivered with a surprising lack of intensity considering the bourbon’s proof point.

Thankfully, the intensity ratchets up ever so slightly as you move to the midpoint of the sip. Brown sugar and sweet vanilla cream start things off pleasantly. A spicier backend appears as cinnamon and rye spice step to the forefront, which provide a nice contrast to the sweeter notes.

The spices found in the midpoint carry through to kick off the finish. Light cinnamon and rye spice are joined by baking spices. The rye spice ramps up as oak and light leather are added. The leather drops off, and a light oak and rye spice linger, providing the most memorable part of the sip, mainly due to their intensity.

Often, when thinking about how unique a bourbon is, you try to compare it to others on the market. In the case of Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon, comparisons are a little easier since you can compare it directly to Barton Distillery’s own 1792 Bottled in Bond Bourbon. It should come as no surprise that the two are very similar. Both feature a rye spice-centric pour and focus on classic supporting notes. While the distillery’s own brand has a slightly chewier mouthfeel, both net out the same overall.

Compared to the rest of the bottled in bond offerings in the market, Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon struggles to stand out. While its sip builds as you progress through it, it’s never to the point that it's memorable, instead settling into a sea of other standard bourbon offerings readily available to consumers.

Compared to other bottled in bond products in a similar lower-cost price range, such as Benchmark Bottled in Bond or Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon falls just a little short. However, cost doesn’t correlate to the sip a whiskey delivers, as Heaven Hill’s 7 Year Bottled in Bond bourbon delivers a similar average overall sip at about double the price. The proverbial ace up the sleeve for Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon is that fact that it’s sold at Costco.

Known for value prices, especially when it comes to alcohol, Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon is hard to beat. Coming in at $25 for a liter of bottled in bond bourbon from a well-known Kentucky distillery is attention-grabbing. Add in the fact that this is a perfectly acceptable bourbon that delivers a quintessential average sip that is available year-round, and you start to see just how great a value this is for consumers. The downside is you need to have a Costco near you that sells this (though due to some states’ liquor laws, a membership may not be required), however, if you do, it’s hard to beat for the price.

Only in America can you walk into a store, load up on a 55 gallon drum of maple syrup for $2,500, a rotisserie chicken for $5, and a liter of bottled in bond bourbon for $25. What a time to be alive.

Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon will not wow you with its sip. Instead, you’ll find it to be an average tasting bottled in bond bourbon that’s perfectly suitable to sip or to use in cocktails at a price that’s hard to beat. For some consumers, this may be their first exposure to bourbon, and Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon is the perfect bourbon to welcome them on this journey. While seasoned veterans of the category will find it to be just average, they also will have a hard time finding fault with this bourbon for what it is.