The Cheapest Whiskeys Found At Costco You Should Never Overlook

For those who want to expand their liquor collection without breaking the bank, Costco is a familiar safe haven. Though not all Costco locations sell hard alcohol due to state-specific liquor laws, those stores that do sell spirits have plenty of options to choose from. If you're on the hunt for an affordable whiskey (say, under $50) that can hold its own against pricier bottles, we have a few recommendations for you based on Costco shoppers' reviews.

Worth keeping in mind is that we will be discussing both whiskey and whisky here — that's right, the "e" makes a difference. The spelling of whiskey (or whisky) reveals a lot about the drink's origins: If the liquor hails from either the U.S. or Ireland, it's spelled "whiskey." If you see the word spelled without the "e," you're looking at a spirit from Scotland, Japan, or Canada. Even within each spelling convention, these countries' respective distilling and aging methods differ. For instance, U.S. bottles are usually distilled only once, whereas Irish varieties may be distilled up to three times.

"Whiskey," as a general term, refers to spirits made from the distilled, barrel-aged liquid of fermented grains. Some varieties of whiskey are also referred to as bourbons if they meet certain qualifications, like being produced in the U.S. and using grain that's at least 51% corn. So, as we explore some affordable Costco offerings, including a couple of Kirkland bottles and an elusive Buffalo Trace bourbon, remember that not all whiskeys (or whiskies, for that matter) are made the same way.

If you're familiar with Costco, then you've almost certainly heard of its in-house Kirkland Signature brand, which partners with producers across numerous industries to bring Costco shoppers high-quality products at discounted prices. Some may consider certain Kirkland items failures, like its hazelnut spread or discontinued light beer, but fortunately, one Kirkland-brand item that Costco shoppers think deserves a buy is its blended Scotch whisky.

We found this spirit on Costco's website for $42.19, or approximately $0.71 per ounce, though the price may vary depending on your location. This whisky is sourced from Scotland — hence the term "Scotch" and a lack of an "e" in the name. It is a blend, meaning it's made from a combination of malt and grain whiskies. (For the uninitiated, malt whiskies must be made from malted barley, whereas grain whiskies can be made from other grains like corn.) This blend is 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), on par with some of its name-brand Scotch competitors.

Many Costco fans praise this Kirkland whisky's impressive 1.75-liter size, which is a key aspect of its appeal. In 2024, YouTube channel The WCC pitted this Scotch whisky against Johnnie Walker's version, which comes in a 750-milliliter bottle and is sold for approximately $1.38 per ounce (depending on where you get it). The reviewer, who ultimately preferred Kirkland's Scotch, compared the flavor to both stewed pears and apples, saying, "On the palate it's much softer, much sweeter, kind of easier to drink ... a little smoother."

Buffalo Trace Distillery began operations over 200 years ago and still produces over a dozen kinds of bourbon whiskey today. The brand's website describes its Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey as having "a complex aroma of vanilla, mint and molasses," with flavor notes that include brown sugar, spice, oak, toffee, dark fruit, and anise. Its ABV is 45%.

Through Costco's website, we found this 1-liter bottle of bourbon whiskey for $30.49, or approximately $0.90 per ounce. While this is similar to what you'll pay at any other retailer, Costco shoppers love to see Buffalo Trace at their local warehouse because it can be pretty difficult to find. As the YouTube channel DrinkDrankDrunk explained when they found a bottle for sale at a Victorville, California Costco for $27.99, "Buffalo Trace is consistently good, it's consistently affordable, and yes, it has gone up over these last couple of years and it's also hard to find, but at $27.99, I think in my book, that is definitely a buy."

Over on Reddit, one user was particularly excited to find Buffalo Trace whiskey at their Costco for $25.99 per bottle, writing in their post title: "Buffalo Trace at the most wonderful place, for the most amazing price!" While some commenters pointed out that the price they found is fairly standard, others chimed in that the price was only part of their excitement. As one person wrote, "Finding it is the problem." Other shoppers bemoaned the bottle's lack of availability at their local warehouses, with one commenter writing, "If only I could find it in [Kentucky]."

Costco's Kirkland brand has even more to offer in the liquor department than an oversized yet affordable blended Scotch. Another Kirkland bottle Costco shoppers seek out is its Irish whiskey, which we found on the warehouse's website for $32.49. Like Kirkland's Scotch, this 40% ABV whiskey comes in a 1.75-liter bottle, placing the contents at $0.55 per ounce (compared to the $1.18 per ounce you might pay for a name-brand bottle like Jameson).

As for customer reviews of this product, the YouTube channel Irish Whiskey LAD gave it positive marks, saying, "It's not bad at all. Big bottle, you know, small price ... It's a relatively simple whiskey, you know, nothing complex about it." While it may not be complex, the reviewer did praise its "nice, simple flavors" and claimed it was "perfect for gatherings."