Tasting Time: Costco Kirkland Signature Irish Whiskey
🏺 History/Background - It’s one of the internet's big mysteries when it comes to Irish Whiskey…who makes the Costco Kirkland Signature Irish Whiskey that comes in the ginormous 1.75l bottle. Is it sourced from multiple distilleries? Who are those distilleries? What’s the blend? Malt? Grain? Pot Still? The one thing that we do know after a bit of online sleuthing is that it’s bottled by Terra in Bailieborough in Co. Cavan. But how does it taste…
Costco Kirkland Signature Irish Whiskey
🥃 Style - Blended Irish Whiskey - NAS (Non Age Statement)
🔢 The Numbers - $28 + Tax | 1.75l. | 40% abv/80 proof | 6lbs 8ozs/2,961gms
👀 Appearance - This whiskey shows a light golden brown color.
👃 Nose - On the nose, it's clean, and shows a lightish intensity of vanilla with hints of caramel and a lemony character which shows ahead of a fresh juicy pear note. With time nosing this whiskey, there’s some Granny Smith apple character that becomes evident. While not showing any complexity of characters it is an attractive nose. With Water Added - the fruit character comes to the fore with the sweet characters - vanilla and caramel - taking a back seat.
👅 Palate - First impressions are that this is an alright whiskey and it doesn’t have that classic “burning” sensation that many people talk about with cheap whiskeys. The characters that I found on the nose are evident again on the palate, no surprise, with a little hint of spiciness, ginger spice, also there. So it’s that added to the Granny Smith apple character and again I pick up a lemony character that adds a freshness to the palate. With Water Added - it’s the same as the nose with the fruit character right up front and that’s wrapped around that ginger spice that leaves a delicate prickle on the tongue.
📝 Conclusion - It’s an okay or acceptable whiskey and given that it’s priced where it is, $28 for 1.75l or $12 equivalent for a 750ml, it’s the perfect whiskey when you need to make a clatter of Irish Coffees or Irish Whiskey cocktails. It’s a relatively simple whiskey that shows no great complexity which is no surprise given its price.
✅ Rating - On my not-too-scientific scale of 1 to 5 - with 1=Poor, 2=Okay, 3=Good, 4=Very Good, and 5=Excellent/Off The Hook and I give 2.5 whiskey emojis to Costco Irish Whiskey 🥃🥃1/2. 2 for the whiskey as it’s okay and the extra ½ for the price.
📔 Notes - I use the Tuath Irish Whiskey Tasting Glass when I taste any spirits but especially when I’m tasting Irish Whiskey. I use it because, in my opinion, the flared wider top at the top of the glass allows the alcohol component of an Irish Whiskey to dissipate somewhat while allowing me to pick up the aromas and notes of the Whiskey from the center of the glass.
I also use two glasses when I taste, pouring the Whiskey from one into the other and again this is a personal preference for me as it again allows me to get under the bonnet (hood) so to speak.
When I use water in my tasting it is always Distilled Water as I reckon that distilled spirit deserves distilled water!