I’m not a gambler, but I recently rolled the dice by visiting my local Costco liquor store on a bourbon hunt. I had just edited a story about Larceny’s new Barrel Proof bourbon and knew I had to give it a try. After failing at my usual spot, I headed to a familiar big-box wholesaler. Costco regularly makes the news for surprise (albeit limited) appearances of rare bourbons, Scotch whiskeys, and Japanese whiskeys at surprisingly honest prices.
That’s right, come for the $1.50 hot dog-soda combo, stay for the world’s best whiskey deals. One recent find that’s made waves is Blanton’s, which has been a prime destination for whiskey collectors for the past decade, with bottles going for four to five times their $50 to $60 MSRP (when you can find them). But not at Costco. Avid liquor shoppers know that the chain has steadily established itself as a top source for whiskey fanatics over the past few years.
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Although the shelves are stocked by forklift drivers rather than liquor curators, it should come as no surprise that Costco is hoarding large quantities of rare liquor. Distillers and distributors ship the best bottles to the best accounts, and Costco’s annual alcohol sales are measured in the billions. The company also has a strict policy of limiting product margins to 15%, resulting in eye-popping whiskey prices.
Matt Allyn
Luckily, I live in one of 14 states where Costco is legally required to sell alcohol to non-members—but the usual $60 annual fee can easily pay back with a single case of well-mixed bourbon. But outside of the prices and concrete barn aesthetic, the biggest difference between Costco and your local liquor store is the retailer’s surprisingly small selection.
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Can the prices be beat? Never. But can you find dedicated bottles? Usually not. Of their nearly 30 whiskeys, I’ve never seen a single bottle of Larceny’s standard, never the Barrel Proof expression I was aiming for. But I’ve seen stalwarts like Knob Creek, Angels Envy, and Maker’s on sale for about $5 less than my local boutique’s prices. (Naturally, had (Buying a few bottles to cover my gas expenses.)
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If there’s a Costco nearby, I recommend stopping by regularly to replenish your essentials, and good luck; it never hurts to make friends with the staff for delivery tips. My Costco is a half-hour round trip when traffic isn’t too bad, but it’s reliably so, so I won’t make it a weekly stop. But in the spirit of whiskey hunting, I’ve signed up for the liquor store’s newsletter and will continue to follow the Costco_Alcohol subreddit if my location shows up. And even if I do end up there after running out of Weller or Booker’s, a reasonably priced bottle of Woodford is a nice consolation prize.