Time for a little change of pace for the Wine Blog. At a friend, and fellow Costco lover's party, we had the chance to play around with the Kirkland Golden Margarita and Kirkland Tequila Reposado.
While we're not tequila or margarita aficionados, we'd like to think we can taste a good drink when we have one. These were surprisingly tasty, and really affordable. When combined, you have a real summer treat.
The Kirkland Golden Margarita comes in a 1.75L bottle and sells for around $9. It's not just a mix, rather it's a full margarita you can pour straight from the bottle.
It includes Gold Tequila, triple sec liqueur and 3% real lime juice. Alcohol is 12.7%. We didn't expect it to be as balanced across all the ingredients as it was. Turns out, it's awfully good just as it is.
But if you want to turn the volume up a bit...Costco also offers their Kirkland branded Tequila, and we tasted the Kirkland Reposado, which can be found for around $19 for 1L at Costco.
This 100% Agave tequila is 80 proof, and is made by the Santa Lucia Distillery. Lots of detailed info on that here.
The recipe for the perfect margarita is super simple:
Salt the rim of an ice filled glass
Pour in the Kirkland Golden Margarita
Throw an extra shot of Kirkland Reposado Tequila on top
Stir and enjoy
That's it. And just for fun we ran some numbers to figure out how much of a ridiculous value this really is.
If you figure each margarita is 4oz and you have one 1.75L bottle of Golden Margarita (50oz, 12.5 margaritas), and one, 1L bottle of Kirkland Tequila (22 shots):
You can make 12.5 margaritas with one shot of tequila added, and have about half of the tequila left. And you spent around $28.
Hope you enjoyed this one that's a bit different than our usual reviews. Cheers. CWB
Gaynor says
Well, now I want a margarita at 10am on a Wednesday. Fun review, thanks.
Kevin Knox says
Fun change-of-pace review - thanks!
As a Tequila aficionado who lived in Jalisco, Mexico for 5 years I do want to point out though that blanco ("silver") Tequila is preferred for use in margaritas and other cocktails because the pure agave flavor isn't masked by wood. Agave distillates and Alsatian fruit brandies like Framboise are just about the only liquors that are compromised rather than improved by exposure to wood.
Kirkland has a very good silver Tequila so the value proposition is still there!
Henry says
@Kevin Knox, this is very interesting as my wife and I have been "working" to concoct the "perfect" margarita (to our tastes, at least), and I have been using dark Tequila but will try blanco (Patron?) next time.
I am also with @Gaynor and ready for a margarita now!
Cheers!
Doug in l California says
@Kevin Knox, I love this fun review as well as the comments. A margarita is a great summertime backyard drink with friends.
Thanks for your insight, Mr. Knox - I'm going to "mix up" my backyard experimentation and try some more Blanco!
Carol Prinz says
I always add half a lemon juiced or one lime per glass and then a shot of tequila! I like them tart
Arthur H. Aske says
While having dinner in a bar, I asked the bartender if he could make me a really good Margarita. In a pint glass, and using a wooden morter he crushed up fresh orange and lime slices, added the Tequila, then the Triple sec, then the mix. After a stir, another shot of Patron on top. WOW!!!
I had five of them and struggled to walk out to the cab. I did tip the bartender well. They were awesome. The mix was hand made by the bartender, all fresh.