We enlisted the help of two experts to perform a blind taste test of a selection of alcohol from Trader Joe’s and Costco.
When it comes to cheap liquor, Trader Joe’s and Costco have become the go-to big-box stores.
Costco’s vodka costs $12.99 (before taxes). That’s for a 1.75 liter bottle. Trader Joe’s gin goes for a song — $11.99.
But are these any good? We wanted to know.
I enlisted a couple of discerning palates to sample some of the stores’ best-sellers.
Joining me on the tasting:
Paul Clarke, executive editor of Imbibe, a must-read bimonthly magazine for the bartending and distilling community.
Andrew Friedman, a former judge for the American Distilling Institute and former owner of the Capitol Hill bar Liberty, which, under Friedman, boasted one of the city’s largest collections of whiskeys and agave spirits, two categories heavily represented in this tasting.
We focused on the everyday consumer, not the connoisseur. No geeking out on mashbill or yeast strain. Adjectives like “quaffable” on tasting notes earn banishment to a dark corner. I run a tight ship here, people.
The goal: pick booze based on the yummy factor and price value.
Read the full story at the Lewis County Weekender: http://lewiscountyweekender.com/2019/05/costco-and-trader-joes-offer-liquor-at-bargain-prices-who-does-it-better-our-experts-test-and-tell-you/
