You don’t have to spend a fortune to bring home a good bottle of bourbon. In fact, your next favorite bottle may already be sitting on the shelves at Costco. Yes, you read that correctly.
Susan Reigler, a bourbon author, educator, and co-creator of American Whiskey Scholar, says Costco shoppers have plenty of affordable options worth picking up. While bourbon can be deeply personal—one person loves it neat while another might prefer as part of a cocktail—there are a few bottles she recommends as reliable choices.
6 Affordable Bourbons To Buy At Costco
Whether you’re looking for something to sip slowly, mix into a cocktail, or use as a starting point to figure out what kind of bourbon you like best, these are the bottles Reigler says are worth looking for on your next Costco run.
Buffalo Trace
If you’re looking for a bourbon that can do a little bit of everything, Reigler recommends Buffalo Trace. She considers it a solid choice for both sipping and mixing, making it a particularly versatile bottle to keep on your bar cart.
Maker’s Mark
Another dependable option is Maker’s Mark, which Reigler also recommends for sipping and mixing. It’s an approachable choice for shoppers who want a bourbon they can enjoy on its own, but don’t want to feel like they’re wasting an expensive bottle when they use it in a cocktail.
Henry McKenna
Henry McKenna is another bottle Reigler recommends, and it’s one of her personal favorites. If you spot it at Costco, it’s worth adding to your cart if you’re looking to branch out beyond the most familiar bourbon brands.
Four Roses
Reigler says shoppers can’t go wrong with a bottle from Four Roses. That makes it an easy brand to keep in mind when you’re standing in front of Costco’s bourbon selection and aren’t sure which bottle to choose.
Wild Turkey
The same “can’t go wrong” approach goes for Wild Turkey. Reigler says any bottle from the brand will be excellent, giving shoppers another reliable name to look for when browsing Costco’s bourbon selection.
Kirkland Signature Bourbon
Of course, no Costco bourbon list would be complete without mentioning Kirkland Signature. Reigler says Costco’s house-brand bourbon is sourced from Barton 1792 in Bardstown, Kentucky, and, like other Costco house-brand products, offers quality at a very affordable price.
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In fact, if she could send someone into Costco to buy just one affordable bourbon, Reigler says she’d choose the Kirkland bottle.
That recommendation comes with an important caveat: no single bourbon is going to be everyone’s favorite.
“Bourbon is very much a matter of personal taste,” Reigler says.
Instead, she suggests using the Kirkland bottle as a baseline. Once you know what you like about it—or don’t like about it—you can start comparing it with other brands and figuring out which bourbon style suits your palate.
What To Look For On A Bourbon Label
If you’re less familiar with bourbon, Reigler says the label can provide some helpful clues when you’re trying to choose a quality bottle without spending a lot.
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She recommends looking for bourbon that’s at least 90 proof and labeled “Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.” Age statements can also be useful, whether the bottle lists a specific number of years or is labeled bottled-in-bond. Reigler explains that bottled-in-bond bourbon must be aged for at least four years, so that designation can give shoppers another useful piece of information when comparing bottles.
Of course, those details aren’t the only things that determine whether you’ll enjoy a bourbon. Taste is ultimately subjective, which is why Reigler’s advice to start with an affordable bottle and use it to discover your preferences may be the most useful tip of all.
Read the original article on Southern Living