Kirkland 7 Year Small Batch Kentucky Bourbon

Figuring a litre bottle of 7 year old bourbon could be a good find at about 30$, I decided to give this one a whorl. What I found was the more you search the less you will actually know about this mystery bourbon. FORGET what you see on the front page, as of this review the BEAM sourced hooch has been replaced, this one is credited as "Tennessee Bourbon" which is nearly an enigma in itself, as we know Tenn is the land of the Lincoln County. Process. Right up front the first thing you notice is a tart and strong divergence of citrus and sweet carmelized sugars, if this had come from say a bottle of Elijah Craig, it would have been expected. The middle is strong and sweet and tapering finish of natural heat with little bitterness. Some cherry chocolate notes, with hints of clove and orange are an afterthought. While the source of the hooch may be questionable, one thing that can't be confused is the age date, if it says 7 years it must be 7 tears and that leaves out a considerable number of "black labels" that we know never reach that age before finding a truck headed for the local bottle shop. While bottled in Columbia Tn, the source is still open to a myriad of possibilities. The rumors of Beam and now Daniels, Dickel and Buffalo Trace are all based on speculation, trusting my taster I would say this is a Heaven Hill product or near knock off most likely from MGP. This is a large corn and barley mash, perhaps some wheat, certainly not a high rye. The bourbon sweetness sets up nicely with the acidic citrus juxtaposition, there is little in the way of barreling or oak to be noticed. For the price you cant fault this bourbon for what it is, and the absence of tell tale "young" bourbon greeness and immaturity is something you won't miss either. Coming from a warehouse shopping establishment, the expectation of a "value" bourbon should be entirely expected and the "Kirkland" 7 year old fills the bill nicely.

(Batch T-1796) When I saw this at my local Costco and the price, I decided to give it the ol college try. I must say the nose wasn't half bad at all. Great balance of vanilla, spice, and oak. I was intrigued and looked forward to tasting it. Unfortunately, the heat from the proof wasn't as balanced. It seemed to overpower the flavor notes that desperately tried to make themselves known. I did add a couple drops and it helped slightly. What was smothered beneath the burn was leather, corn, cinnamon, and some barrel. In addition to the alcoholic presence was a prominent bitterness towards the end. A shame. IMO this had potential to be much better if the it wasn't off kilter booze/bitter wise. Still ok in a pinch if nothing else is available. Served great as an Old Fashioned though which was my primary interest in it anyway so I won there. That said there are a tad bit cheaper options with an increase in quality for both sipping and cocktailing it. Elijah Craig Small Batch came to mind. Cheers all!

Heard about this and picked some up at a Costco to share with friends. Decent everyday sipper. A little heavier on the caramel and molasses notes that I was expecting for a bourbon. Probably a good thing since it comes in at 103 proof and it seems to tame the heat. More citrus than spice. Molasses tends to linger with a little smokiness after the finish. This would be an excellent choice to use in my bourbon pecan pie or my holiday bourbon pecan sweet potatoes.

Drank neat in a Glencarin glass. Nose: toasted caramel, brown sugar Palate: oak, slight cereal, slight astringent Finish: medium long, slight spice, oak Overall: Taste a lot like a Jim Beam product (which I think the mash is sourced by Beam). Not super complex. Not very smooth; it has a bit of a harsh bite. Tastes a bit “young” and unfinished. Great bang for the buck but not my cup of tea.

Nose of oaky vanilla with a touch of citrus and caramel, orange creamsicle? Taste Begins with lots of vanilla sweetness, slight fruit, slight reminder of rye, oak barrels, then mellows off to an intermediate caramel and vanilla.

A Costco brand bourbon? HAHAHA Yes, I was skeptical, but curious. I have to admit... it's really not that bad. It's actually quite enjoyable. Mixes well with cocktails. I don't agree with the price, though.