Thirsty for more? Kirkland Signature Glenlivet 40yr Single Malt scotch is the Costco version of a venerable, hugely expensive single malt scotch. It’s underwhelming for an 18-year Scotch, but good overall as a gentle and non-offensive sipping whiskey. Review – Kirkland Blended Scotch Whisky, (No Age Stated), 40%. (Not 40% this time! That would explain the extra sweetness and the more pronounced dried fruit notes. It is perfectly legal under the 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations for any whisky distilled at Macallan to be called either a "Speyside" or "Highland" single malt whisky. Kirkland Signature Blended scotch is sourced from an undisclosed source, though some sources suggest Tullabardine. OK, let’s sort some things out first. Rumors persist as well of Longmorn and Mortlach, and I swear I’ve tasted Alexander Murray juice that was the spitting image of a Mortlach in the past. The whisky is sweet, although it’s more honey-like than the candied sweetness of its younger sibling. The finish is medium length, with a lingering note of dried fruit, some mild pepperiness and a slight bitter element. There are also some of the savory and meaty notes as in the 20 YO expression, but these seem less pronounced. Well, no, I don’t. Kirkland 20 year old Sherry Cask Finished Speyside single malt scotch—92 points, $58 A classic sherry bomb, with milk chocolate, raisins, brown sugar, hazelnuts, cloves, almonds, and plenty of oak. In short, as experienced Costco shoppers know well, if you like the product buy extra since there is no assurance that it will ever be available again. The chain has 317 stores that sell spirits, 448 stores that sell wine and 458 that sell beer. For something that’s had some time to age, I was surprised by the acetone/solvent like smell handing out in this one. Only registered users can leave review. Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside ABV : 46% Cask : Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Oloroso Finish Nose : Fruity, malty, and surprisingly rich. Stylistically, it reminds me of an Aberlour or Benrinnes. That’s especially true for premium priced beverages; where Costco prices are among the cheapest available. Costco offers several expressions of single malt Scotch whisky. It is equally viscous and oily, and has the pronounced palate weight of the 20 YO expression, perhaps even a tad more. Kirkland Signature Glenlivet 40yr Single Malt scotch is the Costco version of a venerable, hugely expensive single malt scotch. A cup of Kirkland Scotch and a bottle of Kirkland Scotch . Cocktails: Part One. The sherry aromas are quite pronounced, certainly more intense than you would typically expect from six months of finishing in a sherry butt, even if it was a first fill cask. I state that as an observation and not necessarily as a derogatory remark. Red vines, caramel, and old leather appear in sequence. I particularly like the savory, meaty character and how well it pairs with the sherry influenced, dried fruit and nut notes. 93 Points. The underlying profile is a throwback to a common style of Speyside whisky half a century ago. This is somewhat limited in scope, but not objectionable, and the sherry is clear and present. I am not a scotch snob, but this is some very good scotch. Kirkland Speyside Single Malt 18 is a drinkable and enjoyable, if not unspectacular, whiskey, very much like the Kirkland 25 Blended Scotch, although I prefer the 18 to the 25 year. Sign in . The same fruits start things out, followed by a hotter-than-expected tongue burn for 46% ABV. Nose: The dry floral spice of Potpourri with a bowl of apple sauce. Stylistically, says Johnston, most batches of the Speyside sourced single malts: … are made up of a mixture of both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks; where the label states sherry cask finish, the whisky in the bottle has gone through an additional round of maturation in fresh, first-fill (sherry) casks. 40%, @angels_portion, angelsportion, blended scotch whisky, commercial, costco, infomercial, kirkland, lutheran, my pillow, review, scotch, thoma, Whiskey, whisky. The average Costco store carries around 4,000 SKUs, of which about 220 are alcoholic beverages: 45-60 spirits SKUs, 14-18 beer SKUs and 150 wine SKUs. Tasting: Neat in a Glencairn @ Home. Kirkland Speyside Single Malt 18 is a drinkable and enjoyable, if not unspectacular, whiskey, very much like the Kirkland 25 Blended Scotch, although I prefer the 18 to the 25 year. If you are a fan of either distillery you will definitely like this expression. Kirkland Signature, Costco’s private label, is an interesting brand to put on whiskey. Kirkland Signature brands is a line dedicated to--as well as owned and managed by--Costco, the warehouse member retailer that has had a large liquor inventory for some time. My first impression was quite good, but by the time I got around to looking for a bottle to buy for review it had become temporarily unavailable. Let's see, it is 2012 now and this is supposedly a 20 year old single malt scotch? Costco sells spirits in 33 states and the District of Columbia. There are cooked cereal/bread-like and dried herbal notes that become more pronounced as the whisky opens up. The number of beverage SKUs expands during the fourth quarter. On the nose, the whisky is honey sweet, with floral aromas and notes of caramel, cooked cereal and a hint of smoke. It’s right on the western edge of the region, and its whiskies can be legally described as either Speyside or Highland. This whisky seems very similar to its 20 YO sibling. Appearance 8/10, Nose 27/30, Palate 28/30, Finish: 27/30, Overall Score: 90/100, Kirkland Signature, 20 YO, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Kirkland Signature, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Sherry Cask Finish, 20 YO, Alexander Murray & Co, 46% ABV, 750 ml, MSRP: $58. On the palate, there is sweetness, almost candy-like, some fruit notes of apple, orange zest and a hint of apricot. Kirkland Signature has 30 wine SKUs and 20 spirit SKUs. Have tasted a lot of wines and spirits, from 200-year-old ports to centuries old Cognacs to many of the world’s oldest whiskies. 20 Years Kirkland Signature . Kirkland 20 year old Sherry Cask Finished Speyside single malt scotch… Login to save this bottle to one or more of your personal lists. Trader Joe’s 10 year old Highland single malt scotch—87 points, $26 The smokiness of a cigar wafts through Juicy Fruit, saline, and candy notes into a toasty oak finish. At a price of around $58 it represents an exceptional value for a sherried whisky. That may be because the additional dried fruit notes overshadow those notes or it may simply reflect the fact that this whisky was sourced elsewhere. My first impression was quite good, but by the time I got around to looking for a bottle to buy for review it had become temporarily unavailable. Christopher Null. On the nose, there is a pronounced sherry cask influence of sweet dried fruits and almond, followed by notes of cask wood, some licorice and just a hint of salinity. I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world, EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, This Boozy Kombucha Launched Nationwide Shipping—Just In Time For National Kombucha Day, Cozy Up For Winter With These 7 Hearty Wines, Corralejo Tequila: Why You Should Rediscover This Historic Brand, The Top Ten Trends Shaping The Adult Beverage Market In 2021, Your Favorite Cognac Is About To Get A Lot More Expensive, Wines Of The Week: Two Napa Legends, And A Different Side Of A Classic Bourbon, Toddies and Beyond: 11 Hot Cocktails To Warm the Soul in Wintertime, Best Whisky 2021: Revived Yamazaki Single Malt Range & New Hibiki Launch In May, Here Are Some New Top Rated Tequilas You Should Taste, 6 Health-Conscious Cocktails Inspired By Wellness Retreats In Asia. Whisky: Kirkland Signature Speyside 20 Year (2020 Ed.). It’s very smooth and extremely drinkable and for a 12 YO blend exceptionally well-priced. Whisky: Kirkland Signature Speyside 20 Year. Search over 4,500 reviews of bourbon, rye, scotch, Japanese, Irish, Canadian, and more whiskies using price, score, style, and brand. OK, I guess. Upload a picture Kirkland signature Costco labeled speyside single malt Scotch. There are also notes of old leather and a hint of waxiness. The Macallan’s own 25 Year Old Sherry Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky sells for $1500. Scotch whisky is vast, with 120 distilleries producing hundreds of brands. The Noob’s Top 10 Cocktails, The Balvenie (15 year) Single Barrel Cask #201, ScotchNoob Recommends: The Glencairn Glass, ScotchNoob Recommends: The World Atlas of Whisky, ScotchNoob Recommends: Whisky Advocate Magazine, Book Review: The World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom, Lagavulin (9 year) – Game of Thrones “House Lannister”, Boutique-y Whisky: Tomatin (11 year) Batch 4, Mortlach (15 year) – Game of Thrones “Six Kingdoms”. 3.5 ... Upload a picture Kirkland signature Costco labeled speyside single malt Scotch. Benchmark. review Kirkland Signature 20 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch This bottle retails for $58, a thirteen-dollar premium over its 40% ABV 2013 predecessor that is actually pretty tame considering the other increases over the last half decade. 20 Years Kirkland Signature . You now have FREE access to nearly 300,000 wine, beer and spirit reviews. A Costco customer shops for champagne at a Costco store (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images). It has the same sherried dried fruit and nut notes accompanied by similar savory elements. This 24 year old Kirkland Blended Scotch, like all Kirkland Scotch, is sourced and bottled by Alexander Murray & Co. Fades out with aromatic cocktail bitters (gentian) and anise. Thanks for signing up! Kirkland Signature Blended Scotch Whisky Price: $17.99. That’s why the 20 YO, 22 YO and the 23 YO single malt expression were drawn from different distillers. VinePair tasted and ranked 25 of the best bottles for 2019 at every budget. Palate: Slightly syrupy body. I was intrigued. Currently there are four Scotch whisky expressions in the Kirkland Signature Range: blended Scotch whisky, 12 YO blended Scotch whisky and a 2o YO, and a 22 YO Speyside Sherry cask finish, single malt Scotch whisky. Then, maybe 2 years ago or less, I saw the 18-year old sherry-finished KS, now at 46% and at $50 (or $55, can’t recall). 89 • Kirkland Signature 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky 40% (Scotland) $38.99. Appearance 8/10, Nose 25/30, Palate 26/30, Finish 26/30, Overall Score: 85/100, Kirkland Signature, 12 YO Blended Scotch Whisky, Kirkland Signature, Blended Scotch Whisky, 12 YO, Alexander Murray & Co, 40% BV, 1.75 liter, MSRP: $39.99. Cherry, I think? You now have FREE access to nearly 300,000 wine, beer and spirit reviews. Costco is also one of the world’s largest retailers of alcoholic beverages. For the price, it’s an exceptional value. Mildly bitter, and vague. We are no whiskey or scotch experts, but have had our share of high-quality drinks and can be rather objective which makes us quite competent to review the Kirkland Scotch and offer you our honest opinion. There are also the old leather notes typical of older sherried whisky and just a hint of furniture wax. ... Wine Enthusiast does not accept money for editorial wine reviews. Toggle Sidebar. Whisky : Kirkland Signature Speyside 23 Year (2020 Ed.) The internet’s opinion: You’ve probably never heard of Alexander Murray & Company, but according to … There are notes of golden raisin and fig, licorice and baked apple, along with some caramel and milk chocolate elements. It is perfectly legal under the 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations for any whisky distilled at Macallan to be called either a "Speyside" or "Highland" single malt whisky. This weekend I noticed a new version of the 2013 classic: Kirkland (Costco’s brand) has a new version of its 20 year-old Speyside single-malt with a sherry cask finish (link to the last one I reviewed, in 2013, here). I also earned the Diploma in Wines and Spirits from the WSET. The 20 YO was offered in 2019, and some remnant stock may still be in store this year. Kirkland Signature, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Sherry Cask Finish, 20 YO, Alexander Murray & Co, 46% ABV, 750 ml, MSRP: $58 The color is a rich, dark amber.