Updated March 2026.
Kirkland Tennessee whiskey is bottled by Tennessee Distilling Ltd. in Columbia, Tennessee — that line, and master distiller Mike Williams’s signature, are on the bottle (Forbes 2021; label transcriptions). Costco even posted a production video for this SKU. That is stronger evidence than the old George Dickel rumor. The label often reads “bottled by” rather than “distilled and bottled by,” so the exact still of the new-make is not always spelled out. It is not Jack Daniel’s.
Tennessee whiskey is a legal class: made in Tennessee, charcoal-mellowed (Lincoln County process), otherwise bourbon-like rules (T.C.A. § 57-2-106). Most warehouse handles print 40% ABV. A 1.5-ounce 40% pour is one NIAAA standard drink. We will not invent a 2026 price or a mash-bill percentage Costco has not printed. See Kirkland whiskey and Jack Daniel’s.
Named vs rumored
| Name | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Distilling Ltd., Columbia, TN | Bottler of record; Williams signature | On-label; Forbes 2021; Costco process video |
| Mike Williams | Master distiller named on the bottle | Label / Johnson City Press on the same plant’s Collier and McKeel |
| George Dickel / Cascade Hollow | 2017-era rumor | No current COLA. |
| Jack Daniel’s / Brown-Forman | Taste comparison only | Not a producer claim |
A 1.75 L 40% handle is about 39.5 standard drinks. Four pours are four drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. If a future label drops Williams or changes the bottler city, the contractor changed. Storage: unopened high-proof whiskey does not spoil like beerdoes bourbon go bad.
Sources
- On-label: Tennessee Distilling Ltd., Columbia, TN + Mike Williams. Forbes 2021; Sipology label note.
- T.C.A. § 57-2-106: Tennessee whiskey identity + charcoal mellowing.
- “Bottled by” vs “distilled and bottled by”: — still of the new-make not always explicit.
- Dickel rumor: PUNCH-era belief, not a 2026 COLA. NIAAA standard drink (December 2025). No MSRP.