Costco’s Kirkland Liquor Is Made by Major Distilleries. Here’s Who’s Behind Every Bottle.
Big-box store Costco has developed a cult following since it first opened as Price Club in San Diego in 1976. Today, there are Facebook groups, Instagram pages, TikTok influencers, and Reddit threads all dedicated to sharing fans’ love of Costco. Its magazine has become the third largest in the nation. And its store brand, Kirkland Signature, is praised for high quality across categories.
But what we’re interested in is Costco’s line of booze. Kirkland Signature offers everything from hard seltzer and generic beer to budget wines and spirits that actually rival their brand-name counterparts. But Costco doesn’t have a secret distillery of its own: The store contracts out production of its private label spirits to major producers. It’s a topic so popular that countless Redditors have investigated and shared their findings with other avid fans. We’ve compiled their research — and verified it on our own — and now present you with a list of the distilleries that make Costco’s Kirkland Signature liquor.
Vodka
Costco offers two Kirkland Signature vodkas: an American version and a Five Times Distilled one. Per the bottle’s label, the American vodka is made by Fairmont Ltd, a subsidiary of the LeVecke Beverage Group, which offers private label and co-packing services. The company is based in California, so that might be where the vodka is produced. As for the Five Times Distilled Vodka, the internet was so certain it was Grey Goose that the famed French brand has a webpage dedicated to debunking the rumor. The actual producer, as listed on the bottle, is Gayant Distillery in Douai, France.
Tequila
All the tequila in the Kirkland Signature comes from the same distillery. We know this because each bottle, whether it’s blanco, reposado, añejo, or extra añejo, lists the same NOM: 1173. This corresponds to the Santa Lucía Distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. As required, all the production is completed on-site, and other brands are also crafted at the same facility.
Gin
Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin has nothing British about it as it’s made right here in the U.S. Per the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, it’s produced by Tennessee Distilling just south of Nashville. It’s best known for its various styles of whiskeys, but consumers find this gin to be tasty and a good value.
Scotch
Look at any bottle of Kirkland Signature brand Scotch and you’ll see the name Alexander Murray & Co. Ltd. The company is both a merchant and independent bottler and it’s responsible for Costco’s Blended Scotch Whisky, Islay Single Malt Scotch, Highland Scotch, and other limited releases. It even lists Costco as a client on its Private Label page.
Irish Whiskey
Kirkland Signature Irish Whiskey lists MISA Imports as its importer. It’s not verified, but reports link MISA to Terra Spirits & Liquors, which produces private label spirits and its own brand, Mr. Whiskey.
Canadian Whisky
This one might be the hardest to confirm, but we do know that Costco gets its Canadian whisky imported through LeVecke Beverage Group. It’s unclear who actually produces it, but it’s probably not Diageo-owned Crown Royal as many tasters have suspected, despite the similar-looking label.
Bourbon
It’s easy to find out who makes Costco’s bourbon: It’s listed on the bottle. Kirkland Signature has offered various bourbons over the years, currently a small batch version, all produced by Barton Master Distillers. The Barton 1792 distillery is in the bourbon hotspot of Bardstown, Ky., and is known for its award-winning 1792 expressions.
Rum
Costco offers a few different store-brand rums made in South America and the Caribbean. Kirkland Signature Spiced Rum is produced in Puerto Rico by Sazerac, according to an entry in the International Wine & Spirit Competition, likely in the same place as Parrot Bay, Sazerac’s branded Puerto Rican rum offering. The aged rum offerings at Costco hail from Panama and Guatemala and are all imported by MISA Imports. The importer works with two rum brands that fit the bill: Auténtico Nativo, which operates out of Panama, and 1731 Fine & Rare, which crafts rums throughout sugar cane-growing countries.
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