5 Cocktails That Work Perfectly With Costco's Kirkland Signature Vodka

When debating Kirkland Signature products that are better than the originals, Costco's brand of vodka deserves a mention. Kirkland Signature Vodka's smoothness, drinkability, and clean flavor bring about Grey Goose comparisons, though they're not made by the same manufacturer (despite persistent rumors). These characteristics also mean that Costco vodka pairs well with all sorts of mixers, garnishes, and other cocktail ingredients. As such, we devised a list of the tastiest drinks to make with Kirkland Signature Vodka. 

No selection of vodka cocktails is complete without classics like the Moscow Mule and Bloody Mary. We also included an easy espresso martini recipe, as well as a citrusy lemon drop and a fun spin on the booze-free Shirley Temple (aka a Dirty Shirley). While frequently praised for the quality of its flavor and texture, Costco's store-brand vodka is also affordable. Members of our local Costco can snag a 1.75-liter bottle of Kirkland Signature American Vodka for $13.69, but the price varies by region. Vodka and other spirits aren't prone to spoilage, but storing open bottles in the refrigerator helps preserve the liquor. And if you want to expand your knowledge further, here are some vodka secrets you'll wish you knew sooner. 

A staple of boozy brunches everywhere, you can't go wrong with a classic Bloody Mary recipe. Along with vodka and tomato juice, Bloody Marys often include hot sauce, pickle juice, and Worcestershire sauce, with a dash of horseradish, kosher salt, black pepper, and Old Bay, a seasoning blend often paired with seafood. No Bloody Mary is complete without garnishes, which range from basic celery and green olives to comical accoutrements like succulent crab legs, crispy bacon, and entire burgers with toppings. 

The subdued flavor of Costco vodka makes it an excellent base for the bolder Bloody Mary ingredients. And as an amateur mixologist on Reddit discovered, it's relatively easy to make hot pepper-infused vodka with the Kirkland Signature brand. They used a sous vide method that involved placing sliced hot peppers into a freezer bag with the vodka and "cooking" it in a 145-degree Fahrenheit water bath for three hours. After filtering the liquor and pouring it back into the bottle, the Redditor said the infusion "was face-melting hot" on its own, but noted, "Once I added it to a Bloody Mary, it was a wonderful amount of heat." Here's the surprisingly easy method for infusing vodka at home if you want to try it yourself.

A Moscow Mule cocktail is about as simple as they come (given that you have all of the ingredients on hand). The refreshing drink consists of vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice over ice, preferably served in a chilled copper mug to keep your ice nice and icy (copper happens to be an excellent insulator). General liquor recommendations for this cocktail suggest a dialed-down flavor pairs best with Moscow Mules, and the Kirkland Signature brand absolutely fits that description. As for the top ginger beers for Moscow Mules (and more), we dubbed the Fever-Tree brand (which can be found at Costco) best overall.

Despite the drink's worldly name, the Moscow Mule is not a product of Russia. The cocktail was developed in the U.S. in the early 1940s as a joint marketing effort to promote Smirnoff vodka, help a bar owner trim his stock of ginger beer, and provide a copper mug peddler with a sales opportunity. The name likely comes from vodka's association with Russia (though the origins of vodka are contested, and both Russia and Poland claim to have invented the spirit). 

Petition to humbly elect the espresso martini as a go-to brunch beverage. Nothing against mimosas and Bloody Marys, of course, but this caffeinated cocktail naturally fits with an early meal. Some recipes call for a freshly brewed shot of espresso, or you can use cold brew concentrate in its place. In addition to vodka and coffee, espresso martinis include coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa) and simple syrup. We've talked a lot about the agreeable flavor of Kirkland Signature Vodka and how it pairs so well with different ingredients. Its rich mouthfeel also works in its favor, especially when it comes to sweet cocktails like the espresso martini. 

If you really want to emphasize the sweetness of the drink, use a little more coffee liqueur or simple syrup than called for in the recipe. You can also make other swaps and adjustments. Adding cinnamon gives the cocktail warmth, while vanilla extract plays up a flavored coffee vibe. You can also trade in the Kahlúa for hazelnut liqueur to add a nutty, roasted dimension. 

It's unclear who invented the lemon drop, though the martini is thought to be inspired by the sweet and sour candy of the same name. The drink's origin is often placed in San Francisco during the 1970s, where it was supposedly created to appeal to female bar-goers. We happen to find it universally appealing, even for people who might not normally go for sweet drinks. The sugared glass rim and simple syrup in a lemon drop are balanced by the inclusion of fresh lemon juice and triple sec, an orange liqueur. Found in margaritas and other cocktails, dried orange peels give triple sec its zesty flavor. 

In addition to Kirkland Signature Vodka, Costco makes its own line of French orange liqueur. However, the Kirkland brand is closer to an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier, which is made with a base of cognac, adding a subtle depth. On the other hand, triple sec-style orange liqueurs typically use a neutral liquor base and are more orange-forward in flavor. While lemon drops are traditionally made with triple sec, feel free to swap it for the Kirkland Signature orange liqueur if that is preferable to your taste (or if you want to buy all your cocktail ingredients in one place). 

Many a child has marveled at the non-alcoholic wonder that is a Shirley Temple mocktail. The beverage is an obvious homage to Shirley Temple, a child actor who enthralled the world during the 1930s. While it's been claimed that the drink was made for the young star herself, Temple later said the drink was invented without her involvement (in fact, Temple wasn't a fan of her namesake mocktail at all). At some point, a clever mixologist took Shirley Temple ingredients: grenadine, lemon-lime soda (or ginger ale), and maraschino cherries, and paired them with vodka to create the Dirty Shirley cocktail. 

Like the drink that inspired it, the major selling point of a Dirty Shirley is its palatable flavor. This is thanks in part to the tart sweetness of grenadine, a pomegranate-flavored syrup frequently used in cocktails. Maraschino cherries bring a similar candy-like fruitiness to the drink, while the soda adds hints of citrus and a pleasing sensation from the carbonation. These big flavors stand on their own, and using a highly palatable vodka like the Kirkland Signature brand allows them their time in the spotlight.