5 Alcohols You Should Always Buy from Costco (and 4 You Should Never)

Most people are aware that Costco is where it's at for deals on tons of pantry and home staples. Even Costco's house wine is considered a solid buy. But what about liquor? 

Since Costco only sells alcohol in a handful of states, it's not discussed as often as the warehouse club's other deals. But given Costco's alcohol prices and the liquor store’s great selection of high-quality spirits, it should be. 

Here are some of Costco's most notable Kirkland liquors and how they stack up to name brands — along with the bottles you can leave on the shelf. (Not a Costco member? Apply here.)

Our Methodology for Choosing the Best Costco Liquor 

To bring you the best Kirkland alcohol that Costco offers, we looked to professional reviews and taste tests from spirits experts at The Kitchn, Forbes, The Seattle Times, and Taste of Home. We also took into account our personal experience tasting a wide variety of  brands of Costco liquor along with reviews from customers and social media taste tests.

Editor's note: Costco liquor prices and availability are subject to change. Some Costco locations do not sell or allow delivery of alcohol.

Because Costco doesn't have online listings for any alcohol it carries in-store, we've linked to Instacart, which delivers Costco alcohol online orders at an adjusted price. Prices listed here were current at the time of publishing based on Instacart listings in Los Angeles.

You can get Costco alcohol delivered to your house via services like Instacart, Drizly, and Shipt if you live in the following states (or Washington D.C.): California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Ohio. Keep in mind that you will have to show proof that you're of legal drinking age and be present to accept the delivery.

Another fun fact to keep in mind: Certain states prohibit stores from requiring a membership to purchase alcohol. So if you live in the following states, you don't need a Costco membership to purchase alcohol: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, or Vermont.

Estimated price: $23
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What do the kids say these days? When you know you know. That's the case for Costco's Kirkland Signature French Vodka — not to be confused with the American Vodka. Named by many online reviewers as the single best deal at Costco period, The Kitchn's panel of industry experts ranked it as their favorite vodka in a blind taste test with premium name-brands, noting it's "sweet and bright" flavor. 

Many a liquor connoisseur has compared it to the high-end Grey Goose — in part because it's made in the same distillery — but get this: It outranks the higher-end brand in most face-offs. For a silky, smooth taste, it's a third of the price of Grey Goose. Trust us on this one — you'll want to snatch up Kirkland's French Vodka.

Estimated price: $17
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Many experts warn while reviewing the Kirkland Signature French Vodka not to confuse it with the Kirkland Signature American Vodka. Why? It just doesn't stack up. Compared to the French Vodka, the American Vodka is just plain bland, according to The Kitchn's taste test. Even though it's distilled six times, it comes in dead last for its watery thin taste. That said, if it's mixed drinks you're going for, then for the price, it might just do.

Estimated price: $23
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Expert reviewers aren't necessarily blown away by the Kirkland Signature Blended Scotch Whisky, but for the price and the fact that it's clean and easy to drink, Forbes finds it to be an exceptional choice. It mixes well with others, has an appealing caramel color, and makes a fine after-work drink. But for special occasions, you might want to splurge a little more on a single malt.

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Estimated price: $80
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If you're looking for a single malt scotch that can easily stand on its own and is sure to impress, look no further than the Kirkland Speyside Scotch. While yes, the nearly $80 price tag is a bit of a splurge, the expert tasters at The Seattle Times were absolutely wowed.

Related: Is a Costco Membership Worth It? Here's What a First-Time Shopper Learned

Estimated price: $30
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Bourbon is a personal preference, and one bourbon fans take very seriously. Costco's version, the Kirkland Signature Small Batch Bourbon, is one most reviewers can do without. While it doesn't review terribly, it doesn’t score as great anywhere. Most reviewers agree that you can find better at the same or close enough price point.

Estimated price: $20
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When you can't tell the difference between the Kirkland brand and the name-brand counterpart, then you know you've got a winner on your hands. The experts at Taste of Home like it better than the standby Baileys Irish Cream. Their tasters say it has the same exact Irish whiskey taste, blended with chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut flavors for a fraction of the price — a deal you just can't beat.

Estimated price: $22
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Tasting eerily like Crown Royal, the Kirkland Signature Blended Canadian Whisky is a hit with whiskey fans. The Booze Blog admitted, "It's actually very decent. It's smooth, it's slightly sweet and it's definitely a lot of bang for your liquor dollar. If your regular boozy jam is Crown and Coke, why not make it Kirkland and cola?"

Estimated price: $22
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One Costco alcohol that falls flat is the Kirkland Signature Tequila Silver. In a taste test done by The Seattle Times, the expert tasters were overall not impressed with what they deemed this "unnaturally sweet, odd" tasting tequila. In short, both tasters agreed that it just doesn't have what you look for in a good tequila.

Looking for tequila at Costco that's actually worth buying? These Costco Tequilas Offer the Best Sweet-Sippin' Payoff

Estimated price: $41
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Deemed equally as inferior, if not worse than its silver counterpart, the Kirkland Signature Anejo Tequila was ranked dead last in The Seattle Times liquor taste test. In fact, one of the reviewers mistook it for cheap brandy because it didn't even taste like tequila. Yikes.