Kirkland Signature Lowland Single Malt Whisky Sherry Cask Finish
Review by: zSolaris
Distillery: Unknown.
Bottler: Alexander Murray & Co for Costco.
Region: Lowland.
Age: NAS.
ABV: 46.0%.
Cask Type: Finished in Sherry Casks.
Price: $26.99.
Color: 1.3, Tawny.
Nose: It’s grassy and lightly floral on the nose here. You also get a lot of red fruit jam with cranberry, rhubarb, and a bit of pomegranate coming to mind. Wild honey also makes an appearance.
Palate: It has a bit of warmth and a little bit of prickle. Adding a drop of water seems to take away the prickliness, thankfully. Tasty barley biscuits and malt barley are a major not here. There are some very light floral tea notes, though not quite identifiable as to what it is or particularly strong. Fruitier notes of grapefruit and craisins are the most prominent after the biscuits.
Finish: Medium in length. Warm honeyed tea, grapefruit pith, and a dash of cinnamon as you’d find in baked goods.
Conclusion: Ever since I reviewed Kirkland’s other recent Lowland whisky offering, I’ve been saying to anyone who would listen that I’d love to see Costco sell it in a full size bottle. That Lowland was so much better than it had any business being, not the most complex but one that was relaxing and just enjoyable to have on nights where you just want something familiar and tasty. You can imagine my delight when I saw this bottle on the shelf during our last Costco run, especially with a very reasonable price tag. While I can’t be certain that the source whisky for this sherry finished version is the same, I am pretty convinced that it is. The sherry cask finish gives you a great side-grade to the miniature ex-bourbon one. You lose notes of vanilla and the floral tea gets muted a tad but in exchange you get more intense fruit notes and honey. I still don’t have a great guess as to what distillery this is from, but whatever it is, the madlads at Alexander Murray and Costco need to keep bottling more and more of it. Value dram of the year for sure, perhaps even value dram of the decade.
Rating: 81.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 
