The Smoothest Bourbons You Can Buy At Costco

Costco fans know that shopping there is always something of an adventure, with ever-changing aisles and surprise bargains nestled in between the go-to favorites. It's also a great place to go for liquor, and there's some great deals to be had. They're such good deals that you might find yourself walking away and wondering why Costco's liquor is so cheap, but don't worry, it might seem too good to be true, but it's legit.

Buying bourbon can be tough, and we've all been there. We've all tried something new, found that it has more burn than a 1980s-era stand-up comedian, and sometimes, it's bad enough that you might decide to give bourbon a miss for a bit.

We're not going to let that happen to you, fellow Costco fans! In order to help you shop the Costco liquor selection with just a little more confidence, we took a look at what bourbons you'll find there and selected those that are worthy of a spot on your shelf at home. First, though, a little bit about how we came to these conclusions: along with our personal experiences tasting almost all of these picks, we also looked at what the general consensus is out on social media. We'd also like to stress that we almost entirely focused on selections regularly found at most Costcos, along with a few favorites that have been spotted often enough that we're confident you have a shot at getting some.

Bulleit Bourbon is almost guaranteed to be a staple that's always in stock at your local Costco, and you can even order it via Instacart. Should you? Absolutely, as this award-winning bourbon has been a fan favorite for a good long time, and that's not an exaggeration — the recipe has roots that go back about 150 years. As the saying goes, "If it's not broken, don't fix it."

We love Bulleit because it walks the line of having enough spice to be distinctive, but none of the burn that you might expect to come after you take a sip. It's regularly lauded for how smooth it is, and honestly, it tastes like it should be much more expensive than it is. Not only is it a great example of what a bourbon can and should be, but it's a great choice for anyone who might be new to bourbon, or returning after a bad experience. It hits all the right notes of caramel, vanilla, and spice, and has enough sweetness to be welcoming.

You can definitely keep this bottle on hand for sipping, but it also does really well in a cocktail where you really want the spirit to shine. Consider using it in a classic Old Fashioned, as that sweetly spicy flavor is perfect with the drink's orange garnish and optional maraschino cherry.

There are a few different varieties of Woodford Reserve that you're likely to see on the shelves at Costco, and yes, you can order them though Instacart, too. Let's talk about the standard, Distiller's Select Woodford Reserve, and as it tends to average around $39 for a 750 milliliter bottle, it's reasonably priced enough that you're not going to feel it necessary to set this one aside for a special occasion. It does, however, taste like a special occasion sort of bourbon, as it's an incredibly complex expression that officially has more than 200 flavor notes that include warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, all the way to fruits like apples, oranges, peaches, and pears.

The smooth creaminess that it's known for completes this bourbon, and makes it stellar alone or in a simple, straightforward cocktail like a Gold Rush. With just honey syrup, lemon juice, and water, the bourbon will truly shine.

Costco also typically stocks Woodford Reserve's Double Oaked bourbon, which is just as smooth, just as complex, and since it's a twice-barreled bourbon, it should be a go-to for anyone who loves the extra flavor of not only oak, but pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts. This award-winning bottle tends to be a little more expensive, but pick it up at Costco and you won't feel guilty about reaching for it as a midweek treat.

When we ranked all of the bourbons from the Buffalo Trace, the namesake, flagship bottle came in third. Needless to say, we really like it — and when you find it at Costco, pick it up. We're not just saying that because this is already an incredibly affordable bourbon that Costco will almost inevitably be selling cheaper than you'll find it elsewhere, but we're also saying that because it's just incredibly good. That's especially true if you happen to prefer a bourbon that leans into the sweetness, but in a way that relies on the flavors of molasses and brown sugar.

This is the bottle to keep on hand for any day of the week, and it's also a great bottle for anyone who's looking at getting into the world of bourbon. For Costco prices, we'll let you in on a little secret: We buy a case, throw it in the closet, and when we inevitably forget about someone's birthday, we're covered.

Sometimes, smoky bourbons can give the impression of being a little rough, and there's no smokiness to be found in Buffalo Trace. It's often lauded for having a smooth sweetness that gives the impression that you're drinking a bottle that costs twice what it actually does. So, while you can sip this on its own, you won't feel bad using it in a cocktail when the mood strikes.

Lost Republic Straight Bourbon might not have the kind of name recognition that something like Buffalo Trace does, so you might skip this bottle when you see it on the shelves in Costco, or as a suggestion for your Instacart order. You should give it a try, though, because while it's not as complex as some of the more well-known bourbons, it's smooth, easy to drink, and has a sweetness that isn't overwhelming.

In most places, Lost Republic retails for around $40 a bottle, and we mention this because we want to stress that although this is an aged bourbon, you shouldn't expect the complexity of a Woodford Reserve. This is an entirely different beast, as it's meant to be a smooth-drinking bourbon that puts the focus squarely on the grains it's made from. And that absolutely has its place: If you've ever wanted to experiment with pairing bourbon and beer in a totally unique cocktail, this is a great bottle to pick.

As the name suggests, this isn't your typical Kentucky or Tennessee bourbon. It's made in California, from a distillery that doesn't trace its roots back to the early days of whiskey- and bourbon-making. Instead, it was founded in 2013, and as the relatively new kid on the block, it prides itself on being a craft distillery. Give it a try — especially at Costco prices.

Right, so ... full disclosure. We're fans of Knob Creek. We called the brand's Smoked Maple Whiskey one of the best flavored whiskies you can buy, and yea, we know. There's a part of the serious bourbon- and whiskey-drinking community that thinks flavored spirits are somehow a bigger atrocity than that spoiler that ruins the ending of the latest blockbuster the day that it comes out. We, however, think that everyone should be allowed to like their thing.

Anyway, given that Knob Creek has an Instacart listing via Costco, we're going to go out on a limb and say that it's not going anywhere soon. (At the time of this writing, there's also an additional $5 off a bottle, so sales also happen). There's really no way to go wrong with any of Knob Creek's offerings, but let's talk about the 9-year-old bottle. That's won some serious top-tier awards, and it's lauded for a full-bodied richness that seems like it belongs to a much more expensive bottle, and you can definitely pick this up if you want something to drink neat. 

Knob Creek has a number of bourbon whiskeys, and we love finding a distillery that has a whole range of great bottles. The bottom line is that it doesn't matter whether you see the 9- or 18-year-old bottles at your local Costco, it'll be a win.

We mentioned that in our ranking of Buffalo Trace bourbons, the namesake bourbon came in third. We put Eagle Rare in first place, because it's just a stellar bourbon. It's the kind that wins over anyone who says they don't like bourbon, and while we're not going to say that it's a life-changing experience, we will say that it will change the mind of anyone who's had a bad bourbon experience.

Eagle Rare is a unique thing in that it manages to hit you in the nose in a way that you might not be able to decipher at first, then tastes of leather, oak, and sweetness. It's really, really strong stuff, but along with that is a shocking smoothness that seems completely at odds with how flavorful it is.

There are a few other versions of Eagle Rare that you might find, and you should definitely pick them up. And honestly, this is one of our recommendations that we really love Costco for. If you're talking about a nationwide average, you're looking at forking over about $75 a bottle. Don't get us wrong, it's worth it. (You're also going to want to drink this neat, there's no need for a cocktail here). When it shows up at Costco, though, it's been spotted for around $40 a bottle, which is a phenomenal deal. Heck, we might consider that alone worth a membership.

Maker's Mark is another solid option that you just can't go wrong with. We think that Maker's Mark is one of the absolute best bourbons to pair with steak, and although there's a number of different Maker's Mark selections that have shown up at Costco and we'll say that you can confidently pick up any one of them, we're mainly going to talk about the standard one. Why? You might think that when a bourbon is so mass-produced and so affordable, you're going to need to get one of the most expensive bottles to get something smooth and drinkable alone. That's not the case at all here.

There's a few things that come together to make Maker's Mark outstanding, and it starts with soft red winter wheat. This particular kind of wheat is low in protein, and when it's used in distilling, it adds a gentle, smooth sweetness with none of the bite that can come with other grains, like rye. Add in limestone water sourced from near the distillery — which adds a kick to the fermentation process — and a special, decades-old yeast strain, and you have a winning combination.

Maker's Mark might be a huge distillery putting out a ton of product, but there's a hands-on feel here, too. From hand-rolled barrels to hand-dipped bottles, the end result is a stellar product at an affordable price.

We talked about two of our top three-ranked Buffalo Trace brands, and this is in second place. Blanton's is a little bit of an outlier, in that we did promise that most of the bourbons we're recommending are probably going to be found at your local Costco. Photos posted on Reddit by lucky customers show that when it does appear at Costco it sells for as little as $60 a bottle. Considering that your nationwide average price is more like $150, that makes it a must-buy.

It's also a truly outstanding bottle that you're not going to want to use in a cocktail. Like Eagle Rare, it's a complex bourbon that smells like it's going to come with a kick, but absolutely doesn't. Think rich but not overwhelmingly sweet, think caramel and raisins, think of the flavor of oak with a full body.

Given the name bestowed on this bourbon, it makes sense that it's going to be some of the best the distillery is putting out. Albert B. Blanton ushered Buffalo Trace through catastrophic events including wars, depression, and natural disasters. He's credited with being the reason the distillery survived Prohibition (by producing so-called medicinal whiskey), and he was honored by this — the world's first single-barrel bourbon.

W.L. Weller is another stellar bourbon from Buffalo Trace, and unfortunately, it's another one that you'll have to rely on a little bit of luck to find. We're including it here, though, because according to those posting on Reddit, it shows up with a decent frequency, just not in the kind of quantities that we'd like to see. The rarity of it makes it a little difficult to estimate prices, but one Reddit post from 2024 showed a bottle of W.L. Weller Antique 107 alongside a receipt for $51.99. Given that the average national price is up at about $195 (at the time of this writing), it's safe to say that if you find it at Costco, you buy it.

Simply put, you're not going to go wrong with any of the Weller line, but it's the 12-year-old bottle that's lauded for being particularly smooth and easy-drinking. It's won several big awards — if that's the sort of thing that helps you make decisions — and it's lauded for a rich, grain-forward, oaky sweetness.

We'd also like to add that perhaps more important than the awards is the legacy that comes with the W.L. Weller name. William Larue Weller was part of a massive whiskey distilling dynasty that goes back to the mid-18th century, and he was the fourth generation to be involved in the industry. That's a lot to live up to, so you'd better believe it's seriously good bourbon.

Basil Hayden is a little different, as we've been talking about bourbons that are smooth because they don't have the same kick that you typically associate with a high-rye mash bill. Basil Hayden, however, prides itself on a straight bourbon whiskey that has a high rye content. Meredith Basil Hayden, Sr., was actually a rye farmer in addition to being a distiller, and the idea was to create a high-rye bourbon that would appeal to even those people who tend to shy away from rye whiskey.

And it is smooth, in spite of having that peppery, spicy flavor that comes along with rye. There's another buttery sweetness to balance out that kick, and while you can opt for drinking this straight, it also makes a stellar bourbon Manhattan. That's especially true if you're not really a Manhattan fan, as it typically calls for rye whiskey. Replace that with this smooth, rye-heavy bourbon, and you'll have a brilliant cocktail for those nights when you're feeling just a little bit fancy.

One of the other things we like about Basil Hayden is that it's not just a great gateway into the world of rye, but there are plenty of options to explore. The Toast is made with brown rice and aged in charred barrels, and there's also a Dark Rye and a Malt Rye that can take you the next steps on exploring ryes.

So, here's the thing: We know we promised that we were going to talk about bottles of bourbon that you can probably find at Costco on any day of the week, but this one is just such a wild outlier that we wouldn't feel right not giving you a head's up on this one. King of Kentucky is a 19th-century bourbon that went defunct in 1968 and was resurrected in 2018. Because it's such a small batch, boutique thing, it's hard to describe what you can expect if you happen to find a bottle of it.

It's even harder to describe because we've never had it ... and a big part of the reason for that is generally speaking, you can expect to drop about $2,000 on a single bottle. Is it worth it? We're not sure any bourbon is worth that, unless it's made with water from the Fountain of Youth and flavored with ambrosia from Mount Olympus. Is there a "but"?

You betcha. In 2025, it was spotted at Costco for just $260, and those who have been fortunate enough to nab a bottle have said that it's just ridiculously good bourbon. And that's why we're including it: Since it's such a boutique brand, it's possible that you might overlook it if you happen to see it. Now you know that if you do stumble on it, hold on tight and consider yourself super lucky. Then, go buy a lottery ticket.

When we decided to put together this list of the smoothest bourbons you can buy at Costco, we did a few things — starting with, of course, checking out exactly what Costco was selling. That might seem pretty obvious, but there's an important footnote here: We wanted to make sure that we were recommending things that you have a pretty good chance of actually finding.

There are some annoying things that come with shopping at Costco, and that includes rotating stock and limited availability on some things. While there are a number of truly stellar, expensive bourbons that you definitely should watch for every time you hit Costco, if you go in looking for a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle, you're probably going to be disappointed. We didn't want to recommend multiple bourbons that are hard to find.

We also took into account not only our own extensive experience with these bourbons, but we also considered popular opinion. We hit review sites to see what others had to say about whether or not these bottles deserve a dedicated space in your home bar, and brought you the list of those that definitely do.