Who Makes Kirkland Brand Gin? (Proved)

Do you know who makes Kirkland brand Gin?  this is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

Costco has built itself quite a reputation for having some of the better liquors on the market. Since Costco doesn’t have a manufacturing process for most of its products—that includes distilleries and breweries.

So. who makes Kirkland brand Gin? The question that revolves around Costco’s Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin, remains unanswered, with the caveat that both the public and the experts have zeroed in on the most likely distilleries behind what has become a favorite for gin connoisseurs—Tanqueray or Gordon’s. 

As with so many products that Costco packages and sells under the Kirkland Signature brand, London Dry Gin is a source of endless speculation.

DC Flynt MW Selections (an importer of fine wines) has made several claims indicating that they are behind Costco’s Gin selection as well. 

Who Are Tanqueray And Gordon’s?

The two distillers are ancient, as in they’ve both been around for 200 + years. Gordon’s produced its first gulp of gin all the way back in 1769, while Tanqueray has been satisfying the gin palette since 1830. 

Both gins are extremely popular, but Gordon’s is hands down the most popular in the UK, remaining the top-selling gin there since the end of the 19th century.

That’s a long time to hold such a title, especially considering that much of the competition is pretty good. 

In the meantime, Tanqueray was busy becoming the highest-selling gin in the entire world, a feat that the business accomplished in 2016. If Kirkland has managed to mask the two distilleries behind the Kirkland label, that’s a heck of a feat. 

As far as the experts are concerned, one of these two gin behemoths is behind the Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin label.

Considering how popular they both are, and the instant ascension of the Kirkland version, those experts may be on to something. 

Gordon’s Gin is triple-distilled with the recipe remaining a closely guarded secret since the gin’s eighteenth-century inception. Tanqueray’s recipe is shrouded in mystery as well.

During World War 2, Tanqueray distilleries were shelled into oblivion, with a lone distillery, Old Tom, surviving.

So, the world’s two most favorite gins have quite the history behind their labels, which makes it that much more astonishing that Costco potentially cut one of its many deals to rebrand one of these two distillers and sell it—very well we might add—on its own shelves. 

Who is DC Flynt MW Selections?

DC Flynt doesn’t distill, make wines, make gin, or make much of anything one way or the other. What they do is distribute it.

What is known, by the admission of DC Flynt’s CEO, is that DC Flynt MW Selections is a Costco distributor, stocking much of the Kirkland brands you see on Costco shelves.

DC Flynt exports spirits to the UK, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan and operates in 46 states within the US.

Not only do they export, but they also import, broker, produce and distribute. They also import wine from Burgundy, Rhône, Champagne, Loire, Italy, Chile, and New Zealand.

Apparently, they are pretty good at what they do. The MW in DC Flynt MW Selections stands for “Master of Wine,” although they also distribute other spirits, and the title stands for quite a lot.

Being a master of wine is a label that is conferred by the United Kingdom and means that the recipient has a mind-blowing and exceptional understanding of wine.

Not just an understanding, but an intimate knowledge of the science, art, and business of wine making. 

We say all this to convey an adequate level of respect for Costco’s affiliations, relationships, and how they manage to cut these amazing deals while passing down a staggering level of savings to the customer. 

How Good Is Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin?

The overall rating for Costco’s Kirkland gin is an 89/100 average critic’s consensus. So overall, it’s a well-received and highly rated gin. 

With experts consistently comparing it to the likes of Tanqueray and Gordon’s, it’s a testament to Kirkland Signature—and therefore, Costco—that its London Dry Gin has been placed in such a prestigious company.

Of course, Costco goes after the best when it secures its deals, such as Starbucks and Johnson’s.

 They don’t pull any punches when they seal a new bottle with the Kirkland label and the popularity of Costco and the products it sells certainly shows. 

Final Word

Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin is probably made by either Tanqueray or Gordon’s and is distributed by DC Flynt MW Selections.

The distribution part is a known commodity, while the identity of the actual distillers is essentially an educated guess. 

Regardless of who makes it and where it comes from, Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin is another well-made deal on the part of Costco, passing on great savings and quality products to its consumers. 

References

https://www.manored.com/costco-liquor-review/