The Rare $150 Bourbon Costco Shoppers Can Buy For $60

Besides its widely known favorites like $4.99 rotisserie chicken, Costco also has some surprising, luxurious finds that members get a serious kick out of. Depending on the location you shop at, you might be able to score a tray of fresh sushi, Japanese Wagyu beef, 10 pounds of snow crab, or tins of caviar. What better to pair with your gourmet food than a bottle of rare, premium bourbon? 

According to whiskey-loving Redditors, a few members have been lucky enough to find a bottle of Blanton's single-barrel bourbon whiskey at their local Costco. Not only is it surprising for bourbon aficionados to find this bottle on the shelves, but finding it at a third of the typical cost makes it quite the treasure. If you're not familiar with the elusive bourbon distilled at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, it's considered one of the most coveted bottles on the market.

Dubbed the "world's first single barrel whiskey" (per Blanton's website), this award-winning premium whiskey is not easy to find on liquor store shelves, largely due to high demand and low supply. The average price for a single bottle is typically around $150, which is why those lucky Redditors were giddy to find it at around $50 to $60 at select Costco warehouses.

Part of what makes Blanton's so special is its history. The premium bourbon is named after Colonel Albert Bacon Blanton, born in 1881, who started working in what is today known as Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky at the age of 16. He ultimately climbed the ranks to become the company president in 1921. During his time as president he created his own private reserve, stored in the distillery's well-regarded Warehouse H. Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon was first produced in 1984, named after the Colonel, and was the first single barrel ever sold commercially.

Another reason for the bourbon's high price tag and exclusivity is its aging process, which is completed in a single barrel and is rumored to take 6 to 8 years. While many bourbons are created from a mix of multiple different barrels to achieve an intended flavor profile, single-barrel bourbon comes from just one barrel, giving each bottle a unique, distinctive flavor. 

In addition to high quality distilling, Blanton's has a desirable flavor profile: "Sweet, with notes of citrus and oak," according to the brand, with hints of vanilla, caramel, and nutmeg. Add a fancy-looking bottle with a unique shape and a collectible horse and jockey stopper, and it's easy to see what makes this a high-priced bourbon. (There are eight different Blanton's bottle stopper designs in circulation, each with a jockey and horse in a different position). 

Blanton's isn't a regular item at Costco, nor is it always in stock at the locations that have carried it, so if you find it (and you're a fan of the bourbon) consider yourself lucky. In the Costco subreddit, a Redditor shared that they bought the last bottle of Blanton's from the bulk retailer in Burbank for $56.89, which others agree is a great deal. One person responded that they've been looking for years to score a bottle in Texas, only finding one for $220. Another Redditor who lives near the Buffalo Trace Distillery wrote that the bottle is "super hard to find at any liquor store here, even difficult to find at the distillery."  

In the whiskey subreddit, a Redditor posted a picture of their Blanton's score (found at the Northridge, California Costco per the comments). At the time, bottles of the special bourbon were lining Costco's shelves and priced at $46.99, with purchases limited to one per customer. Another fortunate Redditor in the D.C. whiskey subreddit found the premium bourbon for $54.99, also limit one. 

While it's agreed that the prices of these bottles is stellar compared to what you might find at a liquor store, some Redditors voiced an opinion that Blanton's is overpriced in general for the quality of the bourbon. Regardless, it's a great deal if you can find it at your local Costco. If you're more of a wine drinker, check out some of the best and worst bargain wines at Costco.