Costco Kirkland Signature Irish Cream Liqueur Vs Sam's Club Members Mark: Which Is Worth Mixing In Your Drinks?

There are few drinks that warm you from the inside out like a creamy, indulgent, whiskey-laced treat such as Irish cream liqueur. The liqueur combines classic Irish flavors with a sweet kiss. It mixes Irish whiskey with fresh Irish cream, a hint of chocolate, vanilla, and a dash of sugar. The combination works well because Irish whiskey's softer intensity melds well with the sweet cream and sugar. Baileys is the original Irish cream, having debuted in 1974. With its launch, the new Irish cream spirits category quickly rose in popularity. It's the creamy drink to sip straight as a nightcap, to mix into coffee at the end of a meal, or to blend into classic cocktails like a Mudslide. 

Although Baileys remains the leading producer in the Irish cream category, there are now dozens of name-brand products available. However, some products tend to be expensive, especially when compared to those from wholesalers such as Costco and Sam's Club. When looking for the best bang for your buck, members of either club know that shopping for store brand products is the way to go, particularly as both offer volume with affordability. Costco offers its Kirkland Signature Irish Cream Liqueur in 1.75-liter bottles, as does Sam's Club with its Member's Mark option. 

However, which wholesaler's option is best? To decide which cream liqueur is best for mixing into your evening drinks, I conducted a taste test utilizing my training as a Certified Sommelier. Here are the results.

To find the best Irish Cream for mixing in cocktails, I first purchased a bottle of each selection from Costco and Sam's Club. This task wasn't as easy as you think, as it is close to St. Patrick's Day and both products were in hot demand in my city. Once I arrived home with a bottle of each, I placed them in the refrigerator to chill. The thought of drinking a milk-based liqueur straight from the bottle without chilling thoroughly did not sound appetizing.

Once chilled, I poured a glass of each to assess the texture, viscosity, aromas, and flavors side by side. I then mixed each into a few basic drinks, including a reinvented White Russian and a creamy-style espresso martini. Trying each in cocktails allowed me to determine which product mixed better with other ingredients to create overall balance and harmony within the glass. I utilized my liquor knowledge and expertise as a Certified Sommelier and spirits writer for over 20 years to assist in making my conclusions.

Costco sells two versions of its Kirkland Irish Cream options, depending on where you live. The Kirkland Signature Irish Cream Liqueur is an Irish-made product with Irish whiskey, cream, sugar, and a 17% alcohol by volume. Costco's Kirkland Signature Irish Country Cream is a wine-based, USA-made drink with 13.9% alcohol-by-volume. For this review, we taste-tested the first version side-by-side with Member's Mark Irish Cream. 

When pouring the glass, the first and clearest observation was the drink's thick, rich, unctuous consistency. The 17% alcohol-by-volume liqueur clung to the sides of the glass, cascading gently down the walls after a gentle swirl. Breathing in its aromas, notes of cream, vanilla, and caramel lifted from the glass, followed by an ever-so-subtle hint of whiskey alcohol. Tasting the Irish cream, these characteristics came through, leading with sweet, caramelized cream and vanilla. Although Irish whiskey is an essential ingredient in the liqueur, the whiskey taste was not prominent, particularly compared to Member's Mark.

If I were to compare Kirkland Signature Irish Cream to Baileys, I would say Kirkland tastes noticeably creamier and sweeter than the leading brand within the category, and its texture is much thicker with a rich density. Due to the liqueur's sweetness and subtlety of its alcoholic flavor, I suggest drinking Kirkland solo, rather than mixing it into cocktails. It lacks the complexity to stand up to other strongly flavored ingredients, and it could create a cocktail imbalance. At the same time, its mouth-coating richness and overall sweetness may dominate the taste.

If you enjoy Irish whiskey or whiskey of any type, Member's Mark is the brand for you. After pouring the liquor into a glass, its thinner viscosity was apparent compared to Kirkland's selection. Although the 17% alcohol-by-volume content was the same as Costco's liqueur, the Sam's Club option was not as textured and rich. It did not hug the sides of the glass when swirled. Still, initial aromas of toasty hazelnut, brown sugar, and chocolate lifted from the glass with ease. 

Upon trying the product, the first taste was of whiskey, which remained dominant throughout, coating the palate with a warming sensation from the front to the back. Layers of caramel, milk chocolate, and fresh cream were followed by a sweetness that was present without overpowering. There was richness without becoming weighty or cloying, with the Irish whiskey's toasty, slightly spicy, barrel-aged flavor remaining dominant throughout. 

The producer of the product for Sam's Club is First Ireland Spirits Company, a leading producer of private-label Irish Cream products, and not Baileys. However, the actual taste of Member's Mark's product reminded me of the name brand due to the whiskey-forward flavor. It is a product I can easily see myself mixing into Friday night chocolate martinis or Sunday morning coffee. 

After trying the two products side by side, I found both had adequate flavor, though they were quite different. Member's Mark did not have the same mouth-coating consistency as Kirkland Signature's product. Filling the palate with unctuous richness is one of the best and most distinguishing elements of Irish Cream, which was somewhat lacking in Member's Mark. 

However, what Member's Mark lacked in richness, it made up for in whiskey-forward flavor. Where the vanilla and cream flavors were dominant in Kirkland Signature's option, the Irish whiskey was the star of Member's Mark, along with underlying chocolate notes. The liquor-forward whiskey notes bring complexity when mixed with other spirits in a cocktail, such as with vodka or other liqueurs in martinis, shots, or after-dinner cocktails.

Still, the alcohol-forward taste may come across too strong for some palates, making the softer, sweeter Kirkland options better for palates that do not enjoy strong drinks. I prefer the former, even with the thinner consistency. I don't need to mask the alcohol's taste with sugar in a cocktail; it just needs to have balance. 

Member's Mark Irish Cream created balanced, multi-layered cocktails, further establishing it as my top option. Add in its highly affordable price of less than $17, particularly compared to name-brand options that can run double the wholesaler price, and Sam's Club has the best option for mixing. The main downside is the 1.75-liter bottle size, which must be refrigerated after opening, occupying considerable fridge space.

Without question, either option noted in this feature is a good buy for the quantity and quality of the products. I picked up the 1.75-liter bottle of Costco's Kirkland Signature Irish Cream at my local club for $18.99. The 1.75-liter bottle of Member's Mark Irish Cream was only $16.98 at Sam's Club in Las Vegas. For reference, a comparable-sized bottle of Baileys will cost three times as much as the selection from Sam's Club. Depending on where you live, you also don't have to be a member of the club to shop their liquor selection. However, liquor is only available in locations that sell alcohol, and if you don't have a membership, there may be a slight upcharge.

The main difficulty in buying these products is the availability. Beyond living in a location that has a Costco or Sam's Club, the main problem with purchasing off-brand Irish Cream is that these products are not always in stock, typically arriving in stores in the colder winter months and remaining available only until they sell out for the season. I recommend checking the local inventory by calling your local warehouse to see if it is available. The item numbers are available on the club's website. You should also make sure Costco lets you know which of its Irish Cream products it has in stock — the full-strength version or the less loaded Country Cream.

An Irish Cream liqueur cocktail is the ideal way to enhance your St. Patrick's Day Celebration, which this time of year is in full gear. The most classic way to enjoy the liqueur is chilled, served in a rocks or tumbler-style glass, neat or over ice. The ice will water down the creamy, sweet spirit, which, if purchasing the Member's Mark option, isn't recommended as the liqueur has a thinner viscosity. However, the ice will also keep the drink cold, which is best if drinking straight. 

For those with a mixologist mind and a love for sweet drinks, the options for mixing Irish Cream liqueur cocktails with other liqueurs are endless. From nutty Frangelico and amaretto to fruity banana and raspberry liqueur, the creamy, toasty, chocolatey Irish Cream liqueur will elevate an array of cocktails. Its use doesn't stop there. Irish Cream is also a delicious base for custard in a homemade French toast, for which I would use the Kirkland product. Or, if you choose to try Member's Mark Irish Cream, it will add a boozy sweetness to a delectable Irish Cream cheesecake.