The Kirkland Whisky Costco Shoppers Say Is An Affordable Crown Royal Dupe

Canadian whisky really got a foothold in the U.S. during prohibition, when an alternative supply of the good stuff was needed. Nowadays, with whisky readily available, one last prohibitive aspect on the liquor shelf can be price. Currently, just as with old times, there's an alternative spirit at the ready that is Canadian ... maybe. Costco's Kirkland brand whiskies can be divisive, with a handful of spirits enthusiasts snubbing the retailer's big-brand reproductions, while others find them to be satisfying imitations. Kirkland Signature Blended Canadian Whisky, is one of its more popular offerings, and "a pretty close dupe for Crown Royal," in the words of one Redditor.

On the shelf, Kirkland's Canadian whisky has many obvious nods to the design of Crown Royal, including the elegant lettering, purple and gold color scheme, and decanter-style bottle design. The brand is clearly positioning the whisky as an alternative to Crown Royal, but how does it hold up in the glass? A handful of Costco shoppers consider the spirit to be a solid offering but nothing remarkable. Others have instead taken the time to analyze it, such as one Redditor that states: "Kirkland tones down the sweetness and brings out more barrel flavor. If you are drinking it neat or on the rocks, big difference. If you are mixing it down, it is still noticeable but less so if you are using a more sugary mixer. That being said, the Kirkland stuff is probably better in both instances, especially for the price."

Given that a 1.75-liter bottle of Kirkland's Canadian whisky has been found for as low as $18 before taxes, there is an obvious financial advantage to reaching for a bottle of the Costco brand over Crown Royal. With many online saying that there's little difference once you mix it with cola, ginger ale, seltzer, or whip it into a whisky sour, the true value of the "very close" dupe makes sense.

A tasty little rumor about Costco's Canadian whisky is that it might just be made by Crown Royal, joining the list of shadowy suppliers that Costco keeps quiet about. Given that the retailer has historically teamed up with the likes of Alexander Murray, Barton 1792, and Tennessee Distilling to bring other spirits to its shelves, this is not impossible (or even unlikely), but it is unconfirmed. While producing the whisky for Kirkland brand could allow Crown Royal to take up more real-estate on the shelf and sell a higher volume, the popularity of Kirkland's alternative would in reality mean brand cannibalisation in Costco aisles.

Kirkland Signature Blended Canadian Whisky also boasts an age statement of six years, which even the original flagship Crown Royal doesn't do. While both options are blends, listing the aging period on the bottle verifies some level of quality, regardless of differences in the flavor profiles of each of these spirits.