We're Costco people now, and are just over a year into having a membership. I usually go once a week to buy at least a handful of things and we've built up more of a pantry than we had in the past, always stocking certain canned goods (beans, tomato sauce, coconut milk) and other items that gets used with regularity. It's been good for cost effectiveness, cuts down on the total number of shopping trips and we do use what we buy, plus the kids love the samples. (Michael Scott voice) Win win... win!
Anyway I now have access to the Costco liquor store, which in Minnesota by law has to be a separate storefront. So I swing through every time after visiting the main store and often don't buy anything, but it's frequently worth a look. There are a few inexpensive wines (at least one organic one) my wife likes, the beer packs are good if we're having a party and the whiskey section can have gems. Thus far I'd been hesitant to buy their almost ridiculously cheap Kirkland brand single malt Scotch, for one example.
Not too long ago, however, I did spring for a Kirkland brand bottled-in-bond Bourbon. It had a couple factors working in its favor. For one its bottled-in-bond, meaning it meets a couple higher thresholds for production that usually ensures some quality. More importantly it actually names the distillery on the bottle, something these Costco whiskies usually don't do.
The distillery is Barton 1792, a place with a solid reputation and a fairly long history. Coincidentally I haven't written up anything from them, though at some point I'll probably do the Full Proof, so I'll give just the briefest of versions. The Barton 1792 distillery goes back to 1879 and is located in Bardstown, KY, aka the 'Bourbon capital of the world.' (There are a lot of distilleries in town, including Heaven Hill and Bardstown Bourbon Co.) Their Bourbon, named 1792, comes from the year Kentucky became a state, not the creation of their distillery. 1792 bottles are distinctive in shape, round and wide and not very deep, and do look pretty fancy. The distillery has been owned by the Sazerac Company (who also owns Buffalo Trace) since 2009.
This Kirkland Signature Bottled-in-Bond Barton 1792 Master Distillers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (that's a mouthful) is a full liter, as opposed to the standard 750ml, and was only $25. That's really cheap. It could be quite a value, depending on its quality. Let's check it out.
Stats: we don't know much for sure
ABV - 50% (100 proof)
Mash - unknown (at least 51% corn, presumably with some rye and malted barley)
Maturation - new charred American oak
Age - at least 4 years (no age statement)
Location - Bardstown, KY
Price - $25 for 1L
Tasting Notes:
Nose - Fruit, banana and maybe orange, clean
Color - Nicely caramel color, average or better in darkness
Taste - Banana again, sweetness, wood/char/spice are there but in background
Finish - Fairly long, helped by 100 proof, but it's a tickle not a burn
Final Thoughts:
In reviewing this one closely I'm not all that surprised by the results. 1792 makes quality spirit that to me in the past came down closer to the sweeter side (as opposed to the spicier side) of the Bourbon spectrum. It does so again here, and probably has a pretty high ratio of corn in the mash. My wife pointed out one time that 1792 Full Proof is basically banana bread, and I can't shake that. This bottled-in-bond has a lot of the same flavors going on.
In short this is very much a quality whiskey, especially if you like sweeter stuff or 1792 specifically, and it's only $25 for a liter. An amazing value indeed. But don't expect too much from it either (the 1792 BiB is about $45/750ml bottle and pretty appropriately priced). If you see these in stock I'd recommend grabbing it, though admittedly I haven't seen it since. It must go fast.
Fwiw, we also nabbed a bottle of the Kirkland Islay single malt Scotch whisky. My wife, the real lover of peat in this house, is a fan, though it won't replace her favorites (Laphroaig 10, Ardbeg 10) any time soon.
For tonight, sláinte!
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