Can big box alcohol really beat out the big boys like Jack Daniels or Crown Royal? The outlook
looks promising for Sam's Club liquor, just so long as you avoid the few disappointing outliers.
Smooth and rich in flavor, and sold at just $14 for a 1.75-liter bottle,
Member's Mark Vodka is an excellent addition to any liquor cabinet. Made in Louisville,
Kentucky with American corn, this 80-proof bottle has been distilled six times,
instead of the typical two or three, making it perfect for cocktails or neat over ice.
A review by the Beverage Testing Institute says that the tipple is imbued with notes of lemon tea,
powdered sugar, dried herbs, and a touch of black licorice. With a crisp, dryish body,
this vodka showcases a fresh creamy finish. And as one review put it on Sam's Club's website,
"I have tried almost every vodka on the market from cheap to pricy and
Member's Mark comes in as number one for quality, smoothness, and price."
With an "exceptional" rating of 91 out of 100 from The Beverage Testing Institute, Member's
Mark Silver Tequila is bound to be a winner at your next margarita party. This herbal and spicy
concoction was one of the top-rated white tequilas at the 2019 U.S. Spirit Awards, and also one of
the most affordable entries, as a 1.75-liter bottle will set you back just around $20.
Made with 100 percent agave, a desert plant with a sweet and mild flavor, this 80-proof
drop also makes for great shots. Just pair it with a wedge of lime and a little salt. The
Beverage Testing Institute notes that the sip also exhibits aromas and flavors of bay leaf,
sweet cantaloupe, mulling spices, hibiscus, and rooibos tea. The body, meanwhile, is dry yet
fruity with a subtle long finish that displays the flavors of snap pea and roasted peppers.
"You also got to give 'em the pepper, okay?"
At just $13 for a 1.75-liter bottle, Member's Mark Spiced
Rum is an absolute steal. It makes for a great addition to cocktails or coke and ice,
and it's also good enough to drink neat. With hints of vanilla, clove, and cinnamon,
this 70-proof liquor is made with real Caribbean rum. According to The Beverage Testing Institute,
this golden-hued tipple features aromas of candied peanuts, rice pudding, and frosted spice cake.
It also has a crisp, fruity, light-to-medium body and a tingling vanilla soft serve finish.
The drop has received favorable reviews, with many comparing it to Captain Morgan's spiced
rum. As one satisfied customer put it on Sam's Club website,
"Considering the price, it's a great substitute
for Captain Morgan. And it's far better than Bacardi's offering."
Sam's Club originally started carrying its premium French vodka under the name Rue 33,
but it's since dropped that moniker. Whether the recipe differs is unclear,
but it's definitely cheaper, as Rue 33 sold for around $28 for a 1.75-liter bottle,
while Member's Mark French Vodka will set you back just under $20 a bottle.
Regarding the taste, this French Vodka is made from local wheat specifically sourced
for the purpose. This 80-proof liquor is also produced from water sourced from a
well at the distillery's estate in France. The water is distilled five times using
column stills before being hand bottled and imported for American consumption. The
final product showcases a smooth and clean taste that can be enjoyed on the rocks.
Member's Mark London Dry Gin is a perfect addition to tonic water or a classic gin
fizz. It's a 94.6-proof liquor, which is on the high end of the scale for
a gin. It exhibits flavors of clove, sweet ginger, cracked juniper, coriander, caraway,
and lemon oil. It also features a satiny, dry light body and a warming medium-long
finish. And at just $17 for a 1.75-liter bottle, this little gem is a real find.
The term "dry gin" refers to quality rather than flavor designation. And despite the name,
London dry gin doesn't actually have to be made in London. What it does need to have is natural
ingredients and no more than 0.01 grams of sugar per liter. So how does the Member's Mark London
Dry Gin square up against its competition? As one reviewer declared on Sam's Club's website,
"I have been drinking gin martinis for over 50 years, and found this gin to be
one of the best ever. Makes Beefeaters and Bombay Sapphire taste like battery acid."
Canadian whisky isn't like your average Jack Daniels. Instead,
it can have an incredible amount of flavor and complexity that can rival any popular bourbon or
peaty scotch. It's made from cereal grain and is often a blend of several types of whiskey.
To be considered Canadian whisky, it must be aged for at least three years in small wooden barrels,
and, naturally enough, it must be distilled and aged in Canada.
"Oh, Canada!"
When most people think of Canadian whisky, Crown Royal, Canadian Mist,
or Canadian Club probably come to mind. Member's Mark Canadian Whisky holds its
own against the big dogs and at a fraction of the price compared to the brand names.
With an eerily similar label and bottle shape to Crown Royal, Member's Mark is
also similar in tasting notes and aroma with hints of vanilla, mystery spices, and caramel.
Reviews on the Sam's Club website unanimously agree that it's nothing
close to Crown Royal in terms of smoothness and quality, but it is on par with Canadian
Club or Canadian Mist. It's best enjoyed with a mixer like Coke to cut the bite,
while the price difference compared to the name brands make it a solid budget-friendly option.
Unlike Scotch or Canadian whiskey, bourbon is a whole different creature. According
to the American Bourbon Association, it must be aged in new charred oak barrels
that can't be reused and must not have any flavor or color additives. It must also be
made with at least 51 percent corn and can include other grains such as rye, wheat,
or barley to add complexity. Member's Mark Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey is distilled in
Bardstown, Kentucky. Despite missing the Maker's Mark signature red wax
coating, this bourbon stands out as a better-than-expected dupe to a classic.
Reviews on Sam's Club's website love how budget-friendly the Member's Mark brand
is at around $20 for a 750-milliliter bottle. Usually, $20 would get you rail whiskey that
would melt in your esophagus, but Member's Mark is surprisingly smooth and enjoyable to drink neat or
on the rocks. One reviewer enjoyed the notes of caramel and orange as well as some light peat,
spice, and burnt butterscotch candy. It also mixes well for highballs or old fashioned cocktails,
making it a multi-dimensional bourbon to expand any connoisseur's liquor cabinet.
Eggnog has ancient origins revolving around strange Christmas traditions. It originated
in medieval Britain and gained popularity in the 13th century thanks to monks. Toasting with
eggnog was seen as a symbol for celebrating good health and prosperity and eventually
became associated with holiday cheer by American colonists in the 1700s. Even George Washington
had a famous eggnog recipe at Mount Vernon made with almost a dozen eggs and a fifth of bourbon.
Member's Mark Eggnog is a classic that could be enjoyed all season long with its
delicious blend of Caribbean rum, cream, and real eggs. Featuring notes of nutmeg,
cinnamon, bread pudding, and molasses, it's a holiday cookie in a glass with
15 percent alcohol by volume per bottle to take the edge off during the holiday season.
Reviews on Sam's Club's website love its near-$10 price tag and sweet flavor,
though there is some disagreement about whether or not it has enough alcohol.
The Beverage Testing Institute gave it a gold medal with a rating of 93 points, which is the
highest rated Member's Mark liquor besides vodka on the website. The Institute also noted that
the nog is vibrant yet spicy, with a refreshing quality that took testers on a flavor journey
with notes resembling cheese danish and flan that's perfect for both sipping and gift-giving.
"Oh, flan! Oh, boy!"
"Whooooo!"
Made with Caribbean sugarcane, Member's Mark Silver Rum is a complex sip that features hints
of vanilla, ripe banana, and roasted cacao. Unfortunately, it leaves a lot to be desired
in the flavor department. One reviewer on YouTube was particularly unimpressed,
as they called it a powerful white rum that's not a straight sipper. They also proclaimed,
"It's very hot [...] It's got a weird chemical
coconut flavor upfront and then it's just alcohol."
At under $15 for a 1.75-liter bottle, this 80-proof rum might seem like an acceptable
addition to cocktails. According to reviews, it does taste better mixed with coke than straight,
although it's still not completely appealing. This is probably because silver, or white,
rums have the least flavor among all rum varieties. A subpar rum can still
pass muster in the cocktail department, but proceed with caution with this one.
Member's Mark Blended Scotch Whisky doesn't quite live up to its promise of being smooth
and soft with a smoky peat flavor that showcases the character of Scotland. Blending malt and grain
whiskies, this 80-proof sip has been aged for three years, which is the legal minimum. Alas,
it's not much to write home about. Reviews on the Sam's Club website have referred to it as a quote
"god awful swill" and "most terrible thing I've ever tasted." One person even declared,
"I wouldn't recommend [this] to my worst enemy."
The duo from The Rotgut Review YouTube channel were just as
critical. They didn't hold back anything as they pontificated,
"It smells like there is some kind of peat in there, but it's not good
peat. It's like terrible, weird, dirty sock thing that completely overruns the whiskey."
In other words, it simply…
"Tastes like crap!"
We realize that Member's Mark Golden Margarita is technically a cocktail and not a liquor,
but we still felt compelled to include it. After all, the idea of a ready-made cocktail
straight from the bottle is irresistible, don't you think? At 25.4-proof, this margarita mix
comes in 1.75-liter bottles that are offered at around $9. While that dirt cheap price point
might be tempting, you should stop and ask yourself whether it's worth even that much.
Golden in color, this ready-to-drink cocktail contains silver tequila, orange liqueur,
and some other mystery ingredients. Surprisingly, Sam's Club website refers to it as a "grape wine
cocktail." Considering that a typical margarita recipe contains neither grapes nor wine,
we aren't really sure how to react to that. Not surprisingly, one reviewer on the website
described the mix as the most disgusting thing they have ever purchased, while also noting,
"It tastes like drinking dishwater. This should be
in a janitor's closet and nowhere near an aisle designated for human consumption."
We wouldn't necessarily go that far, but this definitely does taste like a cheap sour mix.
"Cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap!"
Compared to its blanco counterpart, reposado tequila can be a pleasant drinking experience if
sipped properly. Blanco, also known as silver tequila, is usually unaged and not diluted,
making it an ideal blank canvas for cocktails to enhance its herbal and mineral essences. Reposado,
however, is aged in steel or oak for around two months to one year, taking on the wood's
flavors for an engaging sipping experience. It isn't as intense or rich as añejo tequila,
for example, but it can be an incredible addition to any tequila collection.
Member's Mark has an expansive tequila line, but unfortunately, its Tequila Reposado misses
the mark and belongs only in nightmares of hangovers past. Made from blue agave and
aged for around two months, this tequila has nutty and woody notes with hints of vanilla.
Reviews on Sam's Club's website are very mixed, ranging from calling it the worst liquor ever
to the most okay liquor. One take described it as a tequila mixed with hand sanitizer.
Another said that it tasted watery and was a waste of $16 that could've been used to buy
a cheaper brand like Hornitos. Though some said that it was a fine tequila for mixing,
the negatives simply outweigh the positives here.