Who Makes Costco's Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin?

From tequila to scotch, Costco's Kirkland Signature line of liquors offers quality spirits at affordable prices, but it does not make any of them. Instead, the line is produced through partnerships with name-brand distillers. Corporativo Destileria Santa Lucia from Mexico makes Kirkland Signature Tequila, and its scotch comes from Alexander Murray & Co. in Scotland. The producer of Kirkland's Signature London Dry Gin has long been a mystery ... but no more. Costco's London Dry Gin is made right here in the United States by Tennessee Distilling.

According to the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTP, Tennessee Distilling from Columbia, Tennessee, produces the Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin. The TTP regulates spirits and alcoholic beverages, and every bottle of liquor sold in the U.S. must have its bottle label approved by the TTP. While the label itself does not have to list the producer, the liquor's application process does, so a search of the database reveals the source. The TTP approved the label for Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin on March 4, 2024 and Tennessee Distilling is the manufacturer.

It makes sense for the Kirkland Signature Tennessee Whiskey and Whiskey Old Fashioned to come from Tennessee, but London Dry Gin? Gin may be the national drink of England, but London Dry Gin does not have to be made in London. 

Americans are drinking and buying more spirits than ever before. In 2022, spirits finally surpassed beer as the most popular alcoholic beverage in America. With such a huge market at stake, the alcohol industry is highly competitive and secretive when it comes to recipes, methods, and even its partners. New distillers are competing with the well-known brands, driving innovation and the pursuit of new customers. Amidst this competition, the larger liquor companies and distributors (not including Grey Goose) welcome the regular income of a partnership with a powerhouse like Costco.

In 2023, Costco sold just shy of $7 billion (yes billion) of booze, which was a big jump from $5 billion in alcohol sales in 2020. Costco operates in all but three U.S. states (sorry, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wyoming) but liquor sales are restricted in several states, so it's considered a major liquor retailer in just 31 states. Costco carries dozens of brand-name spirits in its stores, selling everything from Elijah Craig Bourbon to Ketel One Vodka, but the budget-friendly Kirkland Signature line is always a customer favorite.