The Collectible $2,000 Bourbon Costco Is Currently Offering For $260

Costco is known for its large selection of well priced, high-quality liquor. In addition to the best and worst bargain liquor to buy at Costco, shoppers of the members-only wholesale club might like to know some of the secrets of Costco liquor. For instance, the retailer often has rare finds in the liquor aisle that only savvy customers discover. Bourbon drinkers will be excited to know that select warehouses are stocking a 750 milliliter bottle of King of Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon for only $260 (limit one). While this seems like a high price for a fifth of whiskey, it's actually quite the bargain considering this collectible bottle of bourbon is currently listed for a whopping $2,000 at most other stores where it's available. The amazing markdown is even better than a different rare $150 bourbon Costco shoppers can buy for $60.

There's probably no better place to find insider tips for rare Costco liquor finds than the Costco alcohol subreddit. One Redditor posted a picture of a bottle of King of Kentucky on one of the store's shelves, listing California as the location of the find. It's hard to say how many Costco warehouses actually carry it, but the Golden State seems to be the place to snag this top shelf bourbon. Unfortunately, the clues to which Costco locations in California carry the premium bourbon are scarce (presumably because once the word gets out, the bottles disappear quickly). What makes King of Kentucky so special anyway?

The bottle of King of Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon spotted at Costco is the 2024 release, aged 16 years and bottled at 130.4 proof (65.2% alcohol by volume). Its mash bill consists of 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley. As far as taste and aroma goes, it has notes of cherry, bitter chocolate, vanilla, caramel, oak, and wood spice. 

The premium bourbon was distilled at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. As Master Distiller Chris Morris told Bourbon and Banter, "This year's release of 63 barrels came from the production dates July 19, 2007, and November 15, 2007. All the barrels were aged in Warehouses G and J at the Brown-Forman Distillery." This small batch of aged bourbon demonstrates that the carefully selected, individual barrel truly does make a difference when it comes to taste, aroma, and color of the whiskey, Morris points out. As a clue to where the bottles may be sold besides, of course, Kentucky, Brown-Forman shared a list of several states: Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, New York (the metropolitan area), Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas (via Bourbon and Banter). 

The high price tag is likely due to King of Kentucky being a limited-release bourbon, as well as the distillery's reputation as a maker of premium whiskey. First known as Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in 1881, the King of Kentucky brand has a long history as a coveted bourbon. The brand was purchased by Brown-Forman in 1936 but ultimately abandoned in 1968. Since being revived in 2018, Brown-Forman has annually released a unique single barrel bourbon that is highly sought after by bourbon aficionados.