Who Makes Kirkland Scotch? (The Truth!)


Who Makes Kirkland Scotch

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend who makes Kirkland Scotch? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

A popular topic of conversation is which companies are making the spirits for the Kirkland brand.

Over 300 Costco locations in the US sell alcoholic spirits from the store’s main brand Kirkland. One of the best-selling spirits is Kirkland scotch If you are an avid scotch drinker, then you may be familiar with these scotch whiskey bottlers.

So, who makes Kirkland Scotch? Kirkland Scotch is made by Alexander Murray and the Macallan Distillery. The 22 and the 23-year-old are the most common ones to find on rare occasions scotch drinkers may get lucky and come across a Kirkland 25-year-old bottle.

Keep reading to find out more. 

Who makes Kirkland scotch?

Costco’s popular selling Kirkland Scotch is made by the independent scotch whiskey company Alexander Murray and popular UK supplier The Macallan Distillery.

These bottlers currently supply 6 different types of scotch whiskeys for the Kirkland brand:

  • Blended scotch whiskey
  • 12-year-old blended scotch whiskey
  • 20 YO Speyside Sherry cask finish single malt scotch whiskey
  • 22 YO Speyside Sherry cask finish single malt scotch whiskey
  • 23 YO blended scotch whiskey
  • Islay single malt scotch whiskey

The Speyside Sherry cask finish single malt scotch whiskey is a unique blend. Most Costco locations will only have one variety of it.

Read also: Who Makes Kirkland Bourbon? (The Truth!)

What is Alexander Murray?

Alexander Murray is an independent scotch whiskey bottler. This company is based in Calabasas California and was launched in 2004.

Over the years, this company has become the main supplier for chains like Kirkland, Trader Joe, Total Wines, and many more brands. 

Many people find the vision of Alexander Murray to be different because the focus isn’t on where the scotch is sourced from, but rather which profiles make it unique.

Instead of focusing on one single malt variety, this company expands to different distilleries to get scotch whiskeys from a variety of different flavor profiles, including:

  • Green and fruity
  • Grassy and perfumed
  • Nutty and spicy
  • Smoky and peaty
  • Meaty and sulfury
  • Waxy and oily

What is the Macallan Distillery?

Most of the scotch that is made for the Kirkland brand comes from Alexander Murray. However, the other scotch supplier they work with is the Macallan Distillery.

This distillery is located right in Scotland and has become one of the leading malt suppliers worldwide. What makes this bottler unique is that they make quality their top priority.

When a scotch has the name Macallan attached to it, people can expect top-quality scotch with every sip.

The team at Macallan Distillery has been using traditional craftsmanship and techniques since 1824 to bring the best quality scotch whiskeys to people around the world. 

Why choose Kirkland scotch?

Scotch drinkers have a lot of options to choose from. However, many scotch drinkers have one thing in common, quality is far more important than quantity.

Kirkland is a unique brand because its reputation is built upon getting people more for their money. People trust Kirkland to supply them with good quality items for a reasonable price point. 

This makes a lot of scotch drinkers hesitant at first, especially if they are used to paying top dollar for a 20-year-old bottle. Kirkland stays true to its name with the scotch.

People don’t have to worry about scotch that lacks quality when they buy a bottle from Costco. 

Both Alexander Murray and the Macallan Distillery have built good names for themselves around providing top-notch scotch whiskey.

Anyone who was feeling hesitant about buying a lesser-priced Kirkland scotch wasn’t worried after they found out who really makes the whiskey. 

Many people who have tried the Kirkland scotch were impressed by the flavor profile. The flavor is very impressive, but the low price tag is even more impressive to some scotch drinkers.

Which distillery makes which scotch for Kirkland?

Kirkland has 6 main types of scotch offered at different Costco locations. Since Kirkland gets scotch from 2 different distilleries, there is no way to guarantee that one is continuously supplying the same variety of scotch every time.

This means that if you buy a bottle of 20 YO on one shopping trip, it could be made by Alexander Murray.

However, the next time you buy it, the bottle may have come from the Macallan Distillery. Experienced Costco shoppers recommend stocking up when you find one you like just in case it isn’t the same next time.

Final thoughts 

Kirkland scotch is one of the best-selling spirits at Costco locations. This tasty alcoholic beverage is made by two well-known and highly reputable suppliers.

The main supplier is Alexander Murray and the other supplier is the Macallan Distillery.

Both companies are big names in the scotch whiskey industry and are known for their impressive beverage quality. 


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References

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2020/11/14/why-you-should-buy-costcos-kirkland-signature-scotch-whisky/

https://alexandermurray.com/

Lindsey

Lindsey graduated with an MBA in 2009. Since then, Lindsey has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Lindsey is also the head writer and Co-founder of Rvandplaya.com. Lindsey is based in Morgantown, West Virginia.

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