355973 Mon Jan 01 02:11:26 -0800 2007 27 36 Spirits 0 2142698 I finally broke into my bottle of Kirkland Signature Vodka from Costco this weekend can honestly say that it is excellent. Not only is the bottle attractive, but the stuff inside is premium vodka - clean taste, no aftertaste, and a smooth buzz (none of us had any problems the next day). Five times distilled in France. I would say this stuff ranks right near Grey Goose. This vodka is also now sitting in both coffee (Peets) and chocolate (Scharffen Berger) liqueurs which will hopefully turn out excellent. It is $29.99 for a 1.75L bottle at Costco - if you are in one of the lucky states where spirits can be bought at Costco. The vodka compares to the Grey Goose bottle at $47.99, and is far superior to the Absolut at nearly the same price. Mon Jan 01 02:11:26 -0800 2007 35837 Sacto_Damkier 1 2146248 How are you infusing vodka with chocolate? I'm intrigued. Do you know if it's potato or grain vodka? Tue Jan 02 21:26:08 -0800 2007 2142698 11577 Pei 2 2146276 It is based on a recipe I found with cocoa, sugar, and vanilla. I am using Scharffen Berger cocoa instead of the Hershey's in the recipe. It looks like grain vodka, since most potato vodkas make a point of saying so. Tue Jan 02 21:32:59 -0800 2007 2146248 35837 Sacto_Damkier 1 2151012 I agree that the Costco vodka is an excellent value. If you happen to see it again I'd suggest picking up a stash of it..we went to Costco recently to purchase another bottle and they were out. We were told that it is not a permanent item and led us to believe they would not be getting any more in (at that particular Costco location, anyway.) Haven't been to another location since to check their stock... Thu Jan 04 02:18:58 -0800 2007 2142698 21766 dcblanchard 2 2151513 Thanks for the tip. I will have to make a trip there soon. Thu Jan 04 05:37:05 -0800 2007 2151012 35837 Sacto_Damkier 1 2158019 When we went to the Costco out here in Indiana, they were out of stock, and they said they wouldn't be getting any more in (they only produced a certain amount of cases). The same goes for their Scotch - which we recently tried and is very very smooth. Excellent deal - $70 for a 19 year Scotch from the Macallan reserves. Fri Jan 05 23:01:50 -0800 2007 2142698 64454 kcchan 1 2162576 Interesting...I was wondering about this. I do prefer the 31.99 (I believe) Ketel One....I favor that even over Grey Goose. Sun Jan 07 19:30:11 -0800 2007 2142698 10620 Xericx 2 2163271 Just went to Costco today, and the Kirkland Vodka is completely gone! I was hoping it would stay around, but at least I had some. The Kirkland Champagne is also dwindling, so I got a few bottles since it will likely suffer the same fate. I really wish Costco would keep their alcoholic beverages in stock on a more regular basis! Now if they would make a Kirkland Lager... Mon Jan 08 00:02:06 -0800 2007 2162576 35837 Sacto_Damkier 1 2268936 The Kirkland Signature Vodka is back in the stores! There was a huge display of the bottles on an end cap, still $29.99. Get it while it lasts. Wed Feb 07 11:19:07 -0800 2007 2142698 35837 Sacto_Damkier 2 2269308 HOORAY!!! Sounds like I'm going to have to make the 1 1/2 hr drive to Costco this weekend (I was going to go anyway...) Did you see if they also had the other Kirkland brand alcohol, like the 19 year Scotch or the champagne or anything new? Wed Feb 07 12:38:00 -0800 2007 2268936 64454 kcchan 3 2270586 They had limited amounts of the excellent champagne; it was in the wooden cases instead of on the pallets - probably just depleting the stock. I did not see the Scotch. I am now waiting on their next attempts like Kirkland Anjeo Tequila, Kirkland Single Barrel Bourbon, even Kirkland Cognac. Wed Feb 07 17:31:31 -0800 2007 2269308 35837 Sacto_Damkier 1 2560039 Just wanted to report in that the last couple of times I've been to Costco (within the last minth) they have had the Kirkland Vodka - very encouraging! Thu May 10 18:30:48 -0700 2007 2142698 21766 dcblanchard 1 2567390 Just to report that the Costco in Marina del Rey had it this weekend... vaguely remembered reading raves of it here so picked up a bottle. Wish I'd picked up more than one now, as everyone is right - this is great stuff. Only minor complaint is that the bottle is so tall -- not the easiest to store for those of us with normal-sized, already-stocked freezers but found a way to make it work. I'm a fan of Ketel One and Grey Goose, but for the price, this has got them beat hands down. Mon May 14 06:18:24 -0700 2007 2142698 45633 mrkinla2 2 2569511 So has anyone yet found out who the private label producer is? I realize they deny that it is the Grey Goose folks, but how many vodka distillers can be using the same source of water in France?? Mon May 14 16:53:22 -0700 2007 2567390 22234 Marcharlan 3 2691909 There are not too many French vodka distillers, but I do not think it is GG. It appears to be in regular circulation now. I am finishing off a bottle of Ocean Vodka from my Maui trip now, but the Kirkland Vodka is on my list for next time. Unfortunately, I overheard some people joking about the vodka last time I was at Costco. Many people still believe that house-brand items can never be as good as name-brand items. Kirkland Vodka is as good if not better than the other ultra-premium vodkas, with a price closer to a 750 mL bottle for a 1.75 L! Mon Jun 25 11:35:57 -0700 2007 2569511 35837 Sacto_Damkier 4 2725925 very good stuff. my friends and i bought out the waltham,ma costco stock so locals save yourself the trip Fri Jul 06 17:39:43 -0700 2007 2691909 68614 Bighead 2 2857671 I've been told by several good sources -- I write about the industry -- that the makers of Grey Goose also make the Kirkland product and it has only a very slightly different flavor profile, too subtle for most people to even taste. (One you have tasted one vodka your taste buds are burnt out for a comparison anyway). The explanitory flyer on the product distributed to employees and sometimes posted on the shelf gives its derivation and filtration process, identical to Grey Goose -- at half the prife. BTW, please advise your secret for making the large bottle fit in a normal freezer, mrkinla !! Bob Sat Aug 18 09:20:59 -0700 2007 2567390 11157 Bob Mervine 1 2837439 I love Grey Goose but we had a vodka tasting with a couple of friends last night and Kirkland was one of the brands. This is some very smooth stuff. I think it might have a little more sweetness than the Grey Goose but straight up or on the rocks it goes down real easy. And you're right - no aftertaste, and a smooth buzz (none of us had any problems this morning). I could just pour this into a glass decanter and label it private stock. Sun Aug 12 00:27:51 -0700 2007 2142698 62543 nanomatrix 1 3339422 Just tried it side-by-side with Ketel. Pretty good. I DID detect a slightly stronger aroma from the Kirkland (which isn't the greatest sign), and overall it tasted a teensy bit more medicine-y than the Ketel. But for the price, it's great. Good bargain. I will now be pouring it into my empty Ketel bottle, like a complete fraud, and serving it to my alcoholic guests. Sun Jan 27 21:01:11 -0800 2008 2142698 161232 sammyla 2 3501450 Thanks for the tip. My Stoli bottle fits in the freezer nicely. Mon Mar 17 12:47:44 -0700 2008 3339422 88683 stellamystar 2 4230752 At my Costco in Manhattan Beach, Kirkland is the same price as Ketel. Mon Dec 08 16:52:21 -0800 2008 3339422 46305 amela 1 4147503 fyi, costco vodka is back on the shelf. Mon Nov 03 16:48:00 -0800 2008 2142698 10704 wilafur 2 4155938 As far as storing that large bottle...I found some lovley bottles here and there and use them or you can water bottles...particularly good for transporting...or any other bottle with a tight close you have available. Fri Nov 07 08:53:56 -0800 2008 4147503 97133 Lovthebluz 3 4156037 i just keep refilling my bottle of ketel. =) Fri Nov 07 09:26:27 -0800 2008 4155938 10704 wilafur 1 4158066 Thought I'd chip in on some Costco knowledge. I worked there for 5 years while in college. They constantly will run out of an item and will be without that item for a week or two only to have 5 more pallets of that item come it. If you go and cannot find the KS Vodka, ask an employee to look it up in the computer to see when they're getting their next shipment or if it is in fact instock. They can tell when and if they're getting it in and what the ship date from the depot is estimated to be. This goes for anything else at Costco as well. Hope that helps. Sat Nov 08 09:26:20 -0800 2008 2142698 237038 TimmyNoir 2 4160488 Is there a way to find out which Costco stores carry liquor? Mine in Ohio do not but I'd be willing to drive to a neighboring state to do some shopping....... Sun Nov 09 16:58:48 -0800 2008 4158066 11434 FlyerFan 3 4163377 The most direct way to find out would probably be to go to the member services desk (usually through the exit) and they can give a pamphlet that has a listing of all the Costcos world wide with their store numbers and telephone numbers. Then give one of the neighboring state Costcos a call and see if they carry liquor. If you know the neighboring state has no dry laws, then find a store in that state in the pamphlet and have an employee at the services desk look up the liquor dept. in the computer. They can tell you what the store has in stock. Mon Nov 10 18:45:43 -0800 2008 4160488 237038 TimmyNoir 4 4168255 Great advice - thanks! Wed Nov 12 13:37:25 -0800 2008 4163377 11434 FlyerFan