The Award-Winning Whiskey Brand That's Way Cheaper At Costco

Costco is home to all things bulk. The warehouse store is filled with everything from truly gourmet foods you can buy to tubs and buckets of mac and cheese and even apparel. They have it all, including a variety of the best whiskey brands you can get at a great value. Daily Meal's Wendy Hector ranked award-winning Sazerac Rye straight whiskey as the best value. Using her first-hand experience working with and tasting these whiskies over the years, Hector made her determination based on Sazerac's quality as well as its price when comparing whiskies available at a local Costco with the same brands of other retailers.

At the time of her article, it was priced at just $22.99, which lovers of this brand would say is a deal compared to the $29.99 and $30.99 price tags at other comparable retailers. What makes this whiskey such a great value that you need to pick up a bottle the next time you are at Costco? First and foremost is its taste. Its list of accolades is a mile long and includes Gold Whiskies of the World, Gold International Spirits Challenge, and Gold ASCOT Awards in 2024 alone. Made at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, Sazerac Rye is smooth and sweet with candies, spice, and crisp citrus notes.

A seasoned whiskey drinker will also pick up on subtle hints of clove, sweet vanilla, anise, and pepper. This award-winning alcohol is a full-bodied whiskey that feels warm on the tongue. Beyond its taste and value, this whiskey is special for a couple of other reasons. 

Sazerac Rye was first created to use when making the drink that goes by the same name: The official Sazerac cocktail. This adult beverage was first made with cognac until the 1870s when a nasty pest fed on the grapes needed to make it. These little bugs are an enemy of the grapevine, and they're also the reason Sazerac Rye was born.

Beyond Costco offering this liquor for an exceptional price, if you live in one of these 14 states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, or Vermont — you do not have to have a Costco membership to purchase its alcohol. And if you ever notice an asterisk on the price tag, this means you should buy as many bottles as you can because Costco is going to either stop carrying or discontinue it.