Costco Is Selling This Top-Quality Japanese Whiskey for a Steal

Costco is offering yet another high-quality spirit at a rock-bottom price, according to shoppers on Reddit.

Suntory’s Hibiki 21 has been spotted at several California Costco locations on sale for $690. That might seem like a remarkably high price for a 750mL bottle of whiskey; but consider that Hibiki 21 typically retails for somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 at most U.S. retailers.

Even though it’s more than most of us are accustomed to shelling out for a bottle of alcohol, Hibiki 21 is considered well worth the price. It’s one of the best Japanese whiskeys currently on the market, having won the title of World's Best Blended Whisky six times. It’s not only one of the most awarded whiskeys in Japan, but one of the most revered across the world.

Hibiki 21 is made from utilizing a mixture of Japanese, American, and European wood during the maturation process, which creates a light, sweet hint of ambrosia and peated smoke.

Since celebrating its 100th birthday last year, Suntory has been raising prices for most of its products, making Costco’s deal even more remarkable. An interesting wrinkle is that Suntory’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is often markedly lower than the prices for which they’re sold. Hibiki 21’s MSRP, for example, is around $350 per bottle. However, because of the remarkable demand for Hibiki in America, the price is greatly inflated.

So far, it appears that Hibiki 21 has only been spotted at one Costco location in the Southern California suburb of Torrance, which lies not far from Los Angeles. If you keep your eyes peeled, though, there’s a chance you could run across a bottle of Hibiki at your local store.

In the last few weeks, Costco has surprised shoppers with a few remarkable deals on spirits. Earlier this month, some locations were spotted selling Blanton's single-barrel bourbon for just $69, nearly $100 less than typical prices. Balvenie Doublewood 12 whiskey was likewise spotted, selling for just $42 a bottle.