What is kirkland tequila silver comparable to

Costco sells just about everything, and its Kirkland brand is incredibly popular with shoppers looking for quality at a knockoff brand price. Going cheap with liquor, though, doesn't always pay off. While we named Kirkland's Scotch Whisky as one of the best liquors to buy at Costco, the same couldn't be said for their tequila.

Tequila is one of those liquors where when it's good, it's really good and when it's bad it's really, really bad. So what's up with Kirkland's tequila? Who makes this stuff and does it have any hope of improving?

Regarding Kirkland's tequila, somebody has to take the blame for this boozy crime, because Costco definitely isn't making it. (They don't make Kirkland beer either, in case you were wondering.) If you want to find out where a particular tequila is made, all you have to do is look at the NOM. This is an identifying number on the bottle that can be used to track where the tequila came from. 

According to the website Tequila Taste Matchmaker, all three of Kirkland's tequilas (Anejo, Silver, and Reposado) currently trace back to La Madrileña in Tototlan, a city in the Mexican central-western state of Jalisco. La Madrileña is also the distillery that makes Tabasco's brand of tequila — in case you were curious about what kind of clout they have.  

Not to hate on La Madrileña too much — there are probably lots of nice, committed people who work there — but they're not the cream of the crop. According to Taste Tequila's quality ranking of the 136 active tequila distilleries operating in Mexico, La Madrileña came in at 99.

Costco hasn't always sourced their tequila from La Madrileña though. As recently as January 2019, they were getting their tequila from Fabrica de Tequilas Finos. That distillery also made Ed Hardy tequila, if need any idea what sort of brands they were working with (via Thrillist).

The bulk retail giant has actually jumped around a bit with their tequila distilleries. Before NOM 1142 and 1472, they were using NOMs 1438 and 1173. Now get ready for the real kicker, because it's a doozy. It appears that Kirkland tequila has actually been on a downward quality decline for some time now. While their current distillery is ranked at 99 out of 136, NOM 1173 was ranked at 51, NOM 1438 was ranked at 65, and NOM 1472 was ranked at 92. Yikes. 

Kirkland tequila? No gracias. 

A distillery in Jalisco, Mexico, Fabrica de Tequilas Finos, actually makes the Tequila Anejo sold at Costcos according to RV and Playa. The tequila is made from the highest quality, hand-picked Agave plants which results in amazing tequila that is well worth the price and forfeiting the brand name association of other notable tequilas. And even though the Kirkland Tequila Anejo is an affordable bottle, the tequila is aged for more than a full year in oak barrels to reach the Anjeo status before bottling.

At just over $20 per bottle, this tequila is definitely a steal and well worth trying. Those who take a closer look at the label will notice that the tequila says it is "created by Fabrica de Tequilas Finos." So you can always look for that to double-check that you are getting the great tequila, and quite frankly, one that you might not expect to find at Costco.

This is my #1 favorite tequila on a regular basis. It is the tequila that got me drinking tequila straight, after drinking only margaritas for years. The experience: This is a very velvety smooth, almost syrupy tequila. It is not syrupy, but to me just the perfect sheen, viscosity (?) and flavor. The flowery blue agave aroma hits you hardest straight away, followed up by a strong citrusy scent, then a less strong browned butter / vanilla scent. These are also what you taste as you sip it. Surprisingly, some pepper hits you along with it. There is almost zero alcohol burn, which is what I prefer most of all. It is very easy going down, so pace yourself. I'm not a heavy drinker, but I've had days where I drank this all day, & it's never given me a hangover. I would kiss the man who made this tequila. Add to that the fact it.is $23 a 1.75L bottle & this tequila becomes impossible, in my opinion, to beat. Lately Costco is always out of it so I suspect a local restaurant has been buying them out. I prefer it over any other brand I've ever had, with maybe the exception of the Kirkland Anejo. Grab this giant silver one if you can! And Costco, please never stop making it! Salut!

Discover the differences between Kirkland Silver Tequila vs Patron Silver in this in-depth comparison and decide which tequila is better for You!

Kirkland Signature Silver Tequila

What is kirkland tequila silver comparable to

  • Nose: Agave, vanilla, alcohol.
  • Palate: Agave, alcohol, black pepper.

The nose kicks-off with agave, followed by a faint vanilla hint, along some alcohol scent but nothing too severe.

On the palate, Kirkland Silver feels a bit warm and peppery at first, but mellows out into roasted agave flavor with a bit of artificial sweetness. It has an earthy note making it somewhat interesting.

The finish is short to medium, with some heat, with more of those pesky peppery notes.

Kirkland Silver Tequila is not smooth, nor harsh. This is not something I would drink neat as it has some rough edges, but makes a good option when looking for an affordable 100% agave shooter, a cheap mixer to make Margaritas, or something to make ranch water.

The biggest reason to buy Costco’s Tequila is the price. You are unlikely to find half a gallon of 100% agave tequila for less than $19 that still tastes reasonably well.

Tequilas at this price range are either blends of agave and corn or sugar cane, taste like rocket fuel and give headaches. Kirkland Tequila is 100% agave so it won’t give you a hangover.

In summary, Kirkland Tequila won’t be winning any awards but will get the job done delivering tasty cocktails without spending much.

There are a few facts worth knowing about Kirkland Silver Tequila:

  • Bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV).
  • This is an unaged or silver tequila made from 100% agave.
  • Crafted at the Fabrica de Tequilas Finos Distillery in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico.

Patron Silver

What is kirkland tequila silver comparable to

  • Nose: Agave, black pepper, citrus and alcohol.
  • Palate: Flavor is consistent with a stronger alcohol hint.

On the nose Patron Blanco is rich in agave, black pepper and ethanol.

On the mouth it displays a good texture, rich in agave flavors at first although it becomes a bit peppery as you let it develop with a bit of a bite.

The finish is long and warming with more peppery notes.

Patron Tequila is competent with a traditional flavor profile as it does not use neither additives nor sweeteners in the production process.

This tequila is completely legit although not the best in its very competitive category where there are a dozen better tequilas especially for its current price.

We can summarize by saying: Patron is good but not great.

The problem with Patron is that it is priced as a premium release while it offers an average taste; therefore, this is something I don’t recommend.

See how Patron fares vs Casamigos Tequila.

There are a few things worth knowing about Patron:

  • Bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV).
  • Patron crafts tequila using the dual method. In this method half the batch is made by crushing the agave hearts with a mechanical roller mill while the other half uses the large tahona stone. The tequilas are later blended and bottled.
  • Patron was founded in 1989 by John Paul Dejoria, who went from homeless to billionaire, and Martin Crawley. 
  • They started by making their tequila at the Siete Leguas distillery, but the brand’s success was such that in 2002 they completed the construction of their own state of the art distillery. 
  • In 2018 Patron was sold to Bacardi known for those sweet Caribbean rums that mix so nicely with Coke.

Kirkland Silver vs Patron Silver: Price comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Tequila PriceBottle size
Kirkland Silver$191.75L
Patron Silver$52750ml

Kirkland Silver vs Patron Silver: Which is better?

Patron is a better tasting tequila than Kirkland’s

WhiskeyKirkland SilverPatron Silver
Nose
Body
Palate
Finish
Value
  • Patron tastes better, a bit peppery and warm but it gets entirely better when served on the rocks as ice removes the hard edges.
  • But if you are exclusively looking for an affordable option to make cocktails or for tailgating, Kirkland Signature makes a great choice.

Costco’s Kirkland Tequila and Patron are not the same tequila

There are urban legends spreading the fake news that Kirkland Silver is crafted at the Patron Distillery. This is not true as they are crafted at different distilleries.

Kirkland carries the 1472 NOM ID number while Patron Tequila shows the 1492 NOM. These numbers identify the distillery at which they were crafted.

Kirkland Silver vs Patron Silver: Specs comparison

CharacteristicsKirklandPatron Silver
Type of tequilaBlancoBlanco
Aging length in monthsNoneNone
100% agaveYesYes
Grinding methodRoller millRoller mill/Tahona Stone
Stainless steel tank fermentationNoNo
Wood tank fermentationYesYes
Cooking methodAutoclave Stone/Brick Ovens
Double-distilledYesYes
AdditivesNoNo
ABV40%40%
Proof8080

What is kirkland tequila silver comparable to

Hi there, welcome to my blog! I am J Highland.

I am a bar and liquor shop owner in Oaxaca, Mexico. On this site I share my opinions on Mexican liquors and tips on how to enjoy them.