Why Reddit Is Saying Costco's Kirkland Vodka Isn't What It Used To Be

Costco's generic brand, known as Kirkland Signature, is famous all over the internet for its delicious-tasting products that are sometimes secretly made by well-known companies. In fact, Costco's Kirkland coffee is actually believed to be roasted by Starbucks, and Costco's cheese pizza is believed to be made by Milwaukee-based Palermo's. However, according to USA Today, it is not true that Costco Vodka is made by Grey Goose. What is true is that Costco shoppers have noticed a dip in quality in the wholesaler's most recent batch of Kirkland Signature vodka.

According to one Redditor who posted a picture of the product to a Costco-specific forum, the bottle of Kirkland vodka they purchased was not up to its usual standard. Many other commenters on the same post agreed, claiming that the vodka suddenly tastes off. Although Costco has not yet officially commented on the controversy, rumor is that a batch of Kirkland vodka was accidentally contaminated with a little bit of rum.

According to a Redditor who claims to work for one of Costco's regional offices, the vodka "has hints of rum due to a container not being completely cleaned before it was used for vodka during transport." If true, this would explain the sudden taste change many shoppers have experienced. However, the rum contamination might not be everywhere, as some other commenters have not noticed any difference in quality.

Another commenter, who claims to be a Costco employee, mentioned that they heard about possible recalls of specific vodka batches, although none of the recalls affected their store. As of writing, there has been no official recall of any of Costco's Kirkland Signature vodka, and it remains unclear whether or not the store will recall the apparently tainted product. Some believe the wholesaler may not recall the vodka as the problem appears to affect only the alcohol's taste and is not harmful in any way. Even so, if you are a Costco vodka fan, for now, you may want to keep some vodka and rum cocktail ideas in mind in case you encounter a bottle of vodka that tastes suspiciously sweeter than normal.