Here's How Many Kirkland Signature Bourbons Are Available At Costco

There are many things that make a Costco membership worth the price, but exclusive access to its Kirkland Signature range has gotta be one of its best perks. From batteries produced by Duracell to Starbucks coffee beans, its catalog is host to plenty of big-name brands. Among its impressive selection, you can find three different styles of Kentucky bourbon: Small Batch, Bottled in Bond, and Single Barrel, all of which have a reputation for being low in cost but high in quality.

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey that sets itself apart from other styles as it's legally defined by strict regulations. It must be distilled in the United States, use a fermented mash containing at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof without any flavor additives. This process produces a spirit that is famed for its diverse flavor profile, with a complex interaction of factors like region, mash bill, barrel, and age all influencing the drink's final taste. 

While Costco is famously known for keeping the identity of its suppliers under tight wraps, in a rare break from precedent, Barton's 1792 Distillery is identified as the manufacturer on the bottles' labels. This is a massive green flag, and the brand's flagship whiskey, 1792 Bourbon, has been highly praised by critics, even receiving the Silver Medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It's no surprise, then, that all three bottles have also received a positive reception from shoppers and whiskey connoisseurs alike. Aside from tasting great, they also all retail at an accessible price point, with the Small Batch coming in at just $19.99, the Bottled in Bond for $25.00, and the Single Barrel representing its most expensive offering at $28.99.

There are several features that set the three Kirkland Signature Bourbons apart. For starters, small-batch bourbon is blended from a selection of different barrels, whereas single-barrel bourbon is (you guessed it!) bottled from one individual barrel, with no blending involved. The difference is often reflected in the price point: Small-batch tends to be the more affordable option since blending barrels together creates a balanced, consistent flavor profile that reflects the brand's signature style. Single barrel tends to command a higher price for a truly one-of-a-kind pour. There are countless factors that influence how a whiskey expresses itself, so no two pours of a single barrel bourbon will taste the same.

If you closely inspect the bottles' labels, you'll notice that the Bottled in Bond Bourbon is the only one with an age statement. For those unfamiliar, an age statement indicates the number of years the youngest whiskey has spent aging. The reason for this stems from the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, which is what sets this bourbon apart from Kirkland's other two offerings.

Implemented to protect shoppers from counterfeits, to carry the "Bottled in Bond" designation, a whiskey must be aged for a minimum of four years, distilled at one distiller during a single season, and bottled at exactly 100 proof. The label also has to have the name of the distillery where it was produced, which is why Costco couldn't have kept the identity of Barton's 1792 Distillery a secret, even if it wanted it. Today, while you're far less likely to encounter fake bourbon in grocery stores, the "Bottled in Bond" designation still serves as a reliable indicator of quality and provenance.