Costco’s reputation for frighteningly good spirits deals just earned another victory under its belt.
This week, Reddit users began reporting appearances of the elusive King of Kentucky 2024 bourbon at Costco locations in California. The whiskey, produced by the same distiller as Jack Daniel’s, was a knockout hit from last year that sells for an average price of $2,514, according to Wine-Searcher. The price at Costco? A measly $260.
For die-hard fans, it’s a steep discount on a spirit soaked in history. Established in 1881 before being discontinued in 1968, King of Kentucky was revived in 2018 with a series of annual limited-edition bottlings. The 2024 release spotted at Costco was aged 16 years before bottling at a blisteringly high 130.4 proof.
The hype surrounding the spirit is well deserved. Of all the bourbons we tried last year, King of Kentucky 2024 clocked in the highest on our rankings with a stellar Raided Score® of 96.
The nearly two-decade-old whiskey was crammed with big and brash aromas of toffee, vanilla bean, clove and ginger. On the palate, an equally complex medley of tobacco, maple and dark woodiness ushered in a welcome sweetness. The finish rounded out the influences with plenty more tobacco alongside hints of cherry and baking spice. Gobsmacking stuff, and one of our all-time favorites from Brown-Forman.
So why the low price?
Costco is famous for its slim 14%-15% markup on products, even those sold as single units as opposed to the typical bulk package. When it comes to rare spirits, the deals are unbeatable. A Costco in La Mesa, California, made headlines last November after a Reddit user picked up a bottle of the coveted Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill Single Barrel for just $70. Expressions in the series have been known to go for as much as $4,000 among resellers.
However, if online sources are to be believed, Costco’s deal on King of Kentucky went a step beyond expectations. When it was unveiled in October of last year, King of Kentucky 2024 boasted a suggested retail price of $349.99. That’s about $90 higher than the price tag quoted in Reddit posts — an unprecedented deal that, frankly, defies explanation.
The top comment on the King of Kentucky Reddit post remarked, “I am filled with jealousy.” A comment on another post detailing its discovery at a California Costco chimed in, “legitimately a once in a lifetime find.”
Don’t get your hopes up if you’re hunting for a discount. King of Kentucky 2024 was gathered from just 63 barrels that yielded 5,100 bottles to market. The majority of those have likely already been snatched up by resellers and collectors. The select few allotted to Costco have almost certainly met a similar fate.