Cheap liquor post

"Manny05x" (Manny05x) 02/08/2015 at 12:36 • Filed to: None

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What can my oppo drinkers tell me about Kirkland brands Canadian whisky?

E92M3 > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 12:45

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I can tell you it's sold at Costco.

XJDano > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 12:46

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It will probably get you drunk. Then give you a hang over.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 12:47

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It's from Costco, so it's good for getting drunk fast, and not really for savouring the fine undertones like you would with something of a finer quality.

GhostZ > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 12:52

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Shockingly nice label for something that looks like it's in a plastic bottle.

E. Julius > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 12:53

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All the store brand stuff like that is made by bulk distillers that produce under many different names, and Costco simply pays to have their specific Kirkland label so they can sell it in their stores. That could very well be made by the company that produces Crown Royal, for instance. My brother swears by the Kirkland stuff if he has to buy a lot of liquor for parties, and it's probably going to be exactly what you'd expect: reasonably priced, drinkable but nothing special.

Manny05x > E92M3 02/08/2015 at 12:53

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I know this. I bought wine from there which is not bad.

Manny05x > GhostZ 02/08/2015 at 12:55

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yeah it is is actually in a glass bottle.

TopSirloin > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 12:57

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Found this great bit from a review of the stuff:

Kirkland, you dirty dawg you. We couldn't really figure out where this shit was from, but we're going to assume it's some spinoff of Crown Royal. I even tried calling Kirkland himself, but he swiftly told me to go fuck myself in a kind, wholesale way. That's pretty much the story of this whiskey. It provides a nice kick and will definitely get you drunk, but it basically comes with a kind Canadian farm guy who follows you around apologizing for shit. Can definitely get annoying, but it's actually kinda nice. Definitely a must buy for any party or for anyone whose jimmies tingle when buying wholesale.

GhostZ > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 13:03

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I wonder if there's a term for that style, something that looks like an attempt to be more expensive than it is, but is so self-aware that it comes off as a unique "Kirkland" style of design. Things like calling it "Canadian Whiskey" instead of by a brand name, the unashamed Kirkland logo, the almost cheesy script, it all gives me impressions of both "Who are they fooling?" and "This looks like it knows exactly what it is anyway."

E. Julius > GhostZ 02/08/2015 at 13:09

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Hmm, good question. Maybe mass market? Like they're putting in the effort required to make it not look and taste like complete shit so people who don't really care that much about having the best stuff will buy it. Contrasted to just cheap stuff which looks and tastes like ass and is only bought for lack of greater purchasing ability (or for jungle juice)

E. Julius > GhostZ 02/08/2015 at 13:10

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And then there's Everclear: "We know you want to get drunk. This is the most efficient and cost effective way to do it."

505Turbeaux > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 13:10

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no clue, but might as well stick with CC or Black Velvet if you are in effect drinking a hangover

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 13:14

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I know the Kirkland wine is good for cooking.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > GhostZ 02/08/2015 at 13:16

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I always wonder who designs the logos for these companies. We do graphics for shows and I feel a monkey could do a better job. It must have scored high in tests with mothers of six children who buy heaps of stuff at Costco.

GhostZ > E. Julius 02/08/2015 at 13:16

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Consumer discrimination. Most people who shop at Costco want good quality things, but are on a budget. They are discriminating consumers in that they won't buy something that looks overpriced or if they think they can find a better deal elsewhere.

Kirkland thrives off of being able to make very cheap things look very expensive. It's not the Wal-Mart market where they don't care how it looks so long as its cheap. People buying at Costco are planners, who are buying bulk and watching their spending. Therefore, at a glance, things like this whiskey need to look legitimate. They sell well because people look at the bottle and the price and go "Huh, well that doesn't look good but it looks really good for the price ."

You wouldn't be able to sell that in a normal liquor store, because it doesn't draw the specific type of discriminating consumer that Costco markets to. It's hard to purchase this when you have a bottle of Jack Daniel's right next to it and you're in a liquor store that prides itself in quality liquor. The consumer, atmosphere, and culture is different, and that leads to different purchasing decisions because of that very different emotional response.

Manny05x > E. Julius 02/08/2015 at 13:19

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it was a present given to my dad in law. I am a Jameson guy myself.

GhostZ > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 02/08/2015 at 13:19

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Yeah, I theorized a bit in another comment but I think it's trying to strike that careful balance between "This is greatly underpriced" and "Don't expect much."

E. Julius > GhostZ 02/08/2015 at 13:24

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Sounds plausible. I've never been in a Costco or other warehouse type store so I can't speak to any personal experience on that front. That being said I have been in many liquor stores in college towns and I think you might be surprised what they have on the shelf next to Jack (or stuff like Johnny Walker Blue for that matter). I do agree that something like this definitely wouldn't pass muster at a more upmarket store though, but I suppose if you didn't care about all the marketing pizazz and didn't consider yourself a liquor connoisseur you probably wouldn't find yourself in one of those places anyways.

E. Julius > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 13:25

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My brother and my sister both moved to Kentucky at approximately the same time a couple of years ago, so my family has been overcome with bourbon fever. Personally I prefer a good vodka tonic myself.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > GhostZ 02/08/2015 at 13:31

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With wine I seriously recommend going to Trader Joes or BevMo and picking the wines that are subsidized by the French government. You can get a bottle that should cost more and are really good for less than $15, and sometimes on sale. I don't know the name off hand, I don't have one at home, I know it by the label and where they stock it at BevMo haha. The huge Kirkland bottles of wine are drained into the cook pot, I try drinking some when I cook but its pretty harsh.

ranwhenparked > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 13:44

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People are often a bit snobbish about generic private labels, but Kirkland products are usually an exception to that rule. Costco generally does try to source fairly high quality products, so chances are it should be pretty decent.

bhardoin > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 14:01

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Their Canadian whiskey is, depending on how you look at it:
-an excellent cheap whiskey
-a mediocre whiskey that really shouldn't have bothered with a cork

I'm relatively certain it is just Crown Royal that's a little less aged. I like it enough to sip it straight, but its almost certainly the best for whiskey-and-cokes that you don't want to waste good stuff on.

Also worth noting: the Kirkland Bourbon is Knob Creek that's a little less aged, and it is delicious. And the Costco near me has an $80 single malt Japanese in the style of scotch that is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted.

wabbalosthiskey > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 14:17

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Their branded version of Crown, I think it's better, and that's from a regular Crown drinker.

wabbalosthiskey > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 02/08/2015 at 14:20

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If you can't drink it, you can't cook with it.

wabbalosthiskey > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 14:21

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Their 6-your bourbon is great also..

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > wabbalosthiskey 02/08/2015 at 14:23

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Oh come on most of it burns off anyway, I actually use sake a lot.

wabbalosthiskey > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 02/08/2015 at 14:27

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The alcohol flashes off but the rest remains...and that's where the flavors, good or bad, come from.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > wabbalosthiskey 02/08/2015 at 14:35

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Well my taste doesn't reach that level!

wabbalosthiskey > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 02/08/2015 at 14:37

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Lol... Price, supposed "quality", whatever aside, the only thing that matters is personal taste anyway.

The Compromiser > Manny05x 02/08/2015 at 16:38

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Oddly, in Canada, we just call it Rye ( Rye Whiskey ). And a lot of people prefer the cheaper stuff (we mix it mind you). I swear we only drink crown for the bag it comes in.

Tapas > E. Julius 02/08/2015 at 18:28

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I don't know....I don't like drinking whiskey out of a bottle that has the same name on it as ketchup, mayo and pickle jars. Regardless of how it tastes.

Have you tried Evan Williams? Thats pretty decent and cheap.

E. Julius > Tapas 02/08/2015 at 18:42

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I have tried Evan Williams, although I have not tried this Kirkland stuff—just going off of second hand accounts here. It's… drinkable. At the moment I drink lots of wine and champagne since I'm in France and even the 3€ bottles are decent compared to American stuff, but when I'm in the states I'm a huuuuge fan of vodka tonics/gin and tonic. While I can appreciate a glass of whiskey every once in awhile, I absolutely love the taste of a good VT. Plus there's fewer congeners so the hangover isn't as bad; they can be made in a very simple, cheap way or an elaborate, expensive way. If you're in college like me and get a little rowdy every once in a while they won't stain your clothes. IMO they're the perfect drink.

If I could only drink one thing for the rest of my life it would be vodka tonics.

Tapas > E. Julius 02/08/2015 at 18:47

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In France? Lucky you :)

I like all alcohols :) But since I make good money now, I prefer nicer stuff...