What Brand Makes Costco's Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin?

Kirkland Signature, Costco's in-house brand, is known for its quality, well-priced food and beverage products, including alcohol. It's true — there are secrets of Costco liquor you'll wish you knew sooner, including the fact that several well-known distilleries are behind some of Kirkland Signature's alcohol, like its Kirkland brand cognac. However, the companies behind other Kirkland liquors are more elusive or unfamiliar.

As for Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin, the distributor is DC Flynt MW Domaines & Estates out of Silverton, Ohio, per the bottle's label. According to The Institute of Masters of Wine, DC Flynt is a business owner and distributor, mainly of wine, which is also supplied to Costco. Flynt became a Master of Wine (MW) in 1998, which involves passing a rigorous exam demonstrating one's knowledge in all aspects of wine, as well as signing a code of conduct to uphold high standards in the business. 

While DC Flynt MW is the distributor of Kirkland's dry gin, it takes a little more digging to reveal the distillery that actually makes the gin. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) provides a registry with information on certificates of label approval (COLAs) — in other words, approvals for liquor bottle labels. Via this registry, Tennessee Distilling Group, LLC is the principal place of business and plant registry for Kirkland London Dry Gin with a COLA date of March 4th, 2024. Located in Columbia, Tennessee, Tennessee Distilling Group is also listed as the bottlers of Kirkland Spiced Rum and some Kirkland whiskies.

Kirkland's London Dry Gin is 88 proof (44% alcohol by volume) and is distilled five times. For comparison, Bombay Sapphire is 94 proof (47% alcohol by volume) and is triple distilled. In general, the more alcohol is distilled, the more impurities are removed, giving it a smoother, cleaner taste. Bombay Sapphire is also a London dry gin, a type of gin with juniper as the most forward-facing flavor. Although the style of Bombay's bottle has been compared to Kirkland's London Dry Gin, the tastes differ, with Kirkland's described by some as more floral in flavor. Kirkland's bottle lists the numerous natural botanicals used in the gin which include: juniper berries, coriander, orange peel, cassia bark, orris root, cardamom pods, lemon peel, angelica root, and rose.

For a fun way to step up the taste of your Kirkland gin, get creative by infusing it with different flavors. With an alcohol infuser like the Rabbit Liquor Infusing Decanter, it's easy to add fruits or herbs that complement the juniper such as strawberries, blueberries, lavender, or mint. Or, buy some easy-to-use Gin Tonic Infusions Tea Bags that you can steep in your gin for a minute before serving, imparting a unique, customized flavor to your cocktail.