Kirkland 12 Year Blended Scotch

I am on a mission for the ultimate blended scotch to fill the "handle" section of my bar. These are the bottles for daily drinking, cocktail foundations, bulk purchases, and affordable options for experimenting with new recipes. It was only a matter of time before Costco entered the picture. In one go, I acquired this, its larger 17-year-old Speyside Single Malt sibling, its Kirkland London Dry gin relative, and a frequent companion, Kirkland French Vodka. For this evaluation, I sampled from a bottle that had been open for a couple of weeks. The scotch was tasted neat using a NEAT tasting glass. The aroma presents apple juice, a hint of ethanol, very subtle plum notes, and wisps of wood from the barrel. It's not a bold scent, but the fragrances are pleasing and fitting for a good blended scotch. On the palate, the initial taste is sweet, smooth, and velvety. It's a very easy whisky to drink straight, with minimal ethanol presence, a fruity sweetness that transitions to something resembling soggy cornflakes in milk, and a touch of citrusy, bitter wood. The finish is incredibly brief and disappears cleanly. I'm here attempting to identify any flaws. The shortcomings of this blended scotch are due to what's missing. It doesn't possess all the complex flavors that exceptional scotch can offer, but it truly does nothing incorrectly. Whatever it does, it does it in a gentle, understated manner. In a Rob Roy, I discovered this scotch pairs wonderfully with sweet vermouth, but it becomes a supporting player rather than the star. The vermouth takes the lead in defining the cocktail's character. I tried it with Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Martini & Rossi sweet, and Cnia Mata Tinto Reservo Spanish vermouth. In every case, I could clearly taste the vermouth and notice how the overall cocktail's profile shifted. There is nothing to despise, or even dislike, about this whisky. It's a dependable, reasonably priced, quite unadventurous but thoroughly solid blended scotch. For the cost, it's an excellent value, earning an extra quarter star for its affordability. I'm perfectly content having this in my glass. My rating is on a scale of 1 to 5, with most products falling within a bell curve. Any competent product of decent quality should score between 2 and 3, with the average at 2.5. This certainly lands at that average. If you're looking for an affordable everyday drinker (around $36 in my area) and have a Costco membership, this is an easy choice.

About a month and a half ago, I was browsing the whisky selection for something new and, crucially, inexpensive to consume in large quantities during a weekend getaway. I came across the 1.75L magnum bottle of Kirkland 12-year-old blended Scotch from Alexander Murray for a mere $53. I figured it would be more than enough, and the price was right, so I purchased it. Over the following month, I consumed it to the point where I needed to start taking notes before it disappeared entirely, so here's what I discovered. Bottled at 40% ABV, it's chill-filtered and has coloring added to the level of Johnnie Walker, giving it a dark amber appearance. The nose presents abundant oak, honey, and grain alcohol upfront. Plenty of vanilla, smoky apples, and pears. Light notes of sherried raisins, burnt sugar, and a slightly waxy texture. Hints of nutmeg, light cinnamon, and chili powder. Overall, it's sweet and fruity, but too subtle to be captivating. A touch of salt/brine, orange zest, and more oak and burnt sugar. The palate features strong oaky notes, caramel, and burnt sugar. Vanilla, orange, and grain alcohol. A subtle smokiness and peat, more like an afterthought than a central element. Honey with a salty undertone and a hint of pineapple and apricot. Predominantly grain alcohol and a significant amount of toasted coconut, but the most prominent characteristic is burnt sugar. A light to medium body with a thin and forgettable mouthfeel. The finish is short, featuring vanilla, caramel, grain alcohol, and, as you might guess, burnt sugar. If you haven't gathered, the overarching theme here is burnt sugar and grain alcohol. By the end of each glass, it really boiled down to those two notes, becoming quite monotonous. It's not terrible for the price and quantity, but I'd prefer to spend $10-15 less and get the same amount of Famous Grouse, which I consider a superior blend. I don't recommend it neat, but it's not bad on the rocks with a little water. A score of 2.5, and only purchase at your own risk if you enjoy the taste of burnt sugar. Warning. Cheers P.S., this will NOT be featured in any Dapper Drams episodes. I won't waste my time or yours bringing this to the small screen.

Nose: pleasing sweetness, malt, possibly light brown sugar, moderate notes of darker fruit, well-rounded, vanilla, perhaps a touch of nutmeg-like spice, uncomplicated and direct. Palate: very similar to the nose, but concludes with a subtle smoky, peaty character. A medium finish at best. This is a surprisingly good value scotch for everyday enjoyment. Ideal for continuing your night after you and a companion have sampled some premium spirits. Updated 29May2021: The aroma appears to have shifted slightly. Recently, I detect a quality reminiscent of paint thinner or fumes from the outset, which detracts from the overall aromatic impression. This could indicate a flavor or aroma divergence from prior batches. A 2.5 score if it presents this way. Still acceptable, but might be off-putting when consumed after several other 10-15 year old scotches. Further update, 22Dec2021: This spirit is undergoing a fascinating transformation. More flavor variation, but for the positive. Significantly less of that paint fume quality. Could there be a cocoa or chocolate note on the finish now? The overall character seems to align more closely with its intended profile. I'll maintain the 3.25 rating based on this revision.

Availability in my state is restricted by alcohol regulations, but a companion was able to obtain a bottle for me. The aroma is sweet and fruity. The taste mirrors the aroma, with the addition of some spice, a bit of pepper, and a hint of caramel or honey. I had trouble detecting any peat, though my companion insisted they noticed a little. The alcohol content is 40%, so adding water isn't necessary, but I did experiment with a few drops to observe any changes – which were minimal. Purists who prefer to spend an hour contemplating their whiskies, analyzing every nuance, should steer clear as this is quite mild. However, for anyone seeking a pleasant, easy-to-drink, and budget-friendly daily scotch for relaxing with a movie or book, it's perfectly fine, especially considering the cost. If you're lucky enough to reside in a state where Costco sells liquor, consider getting a bottle. I believe a 1.75 liter is approximately $30.

This is clearly an attempt by Costco to replicate a JW Black style of scotch, and they've done a respectable job of creating a drink in the same category as Black. However, it's an imitation, not an exact copy. It's smooth and has some character. I enjoyed it for a month, but the next month I returned to Costco and purchased the JW. On days when I feel I shouldn't spend $50+ on the JW, I could readily opt for this as a budget-friendly alternative. But most of the time, I'm willing to pay the extra for the genuine article. It was 'fine,' in a positive sense. A very capable blend, but nothing to get excited about.

A 12-year blend for $38 per 1.75L bottle sounds like a fantastic deal. I was curious about the quality offered at that price. The nose has char and smoke. The palate also shows some char, but it's dominated by sweet cream and nougat. There are also notes of dried fruit and smoke before a brief finish. This isn't a whiskey for deep contemplation, but it's enjoyable and flavorful. It bears a resemblance to Johnnie Walker Black, and if that was the intention, it was executed well.