Costco Used To Sell Barrels Of Jack Daniel's And We Want Them Back

If anyone from Costco is reading this, we want the barrels of Jack Daniels back on your aisles. You read that right: Some stores once sold the whiskey in colossal quantities, with entire barrels priced at $8,000 to $10,000. For any hardened Jack Daniels fans, the savings on buying in bulk rather than individual bottles were substantial. Estimates of exact costs cut vary. However, since bottles typically retail at $50 and the barrels contain around 240 bottles, the former bargain once saved customers around $3,400. It doesn't appear that this offer was available at every Costco store, but it would have been worth the drive if a location close to you had this bulk offering. 

The sheer volume was enough to sway some people; one commenter on Reddit humorously quipped, "All I need now is a drill and a straw." As it happens, Costco wasn't actually selling a barrel full of whiskey, unfortunately. Instead, Redditors noted the price was for 40 cases of 750-milliliter Jack Daniels bottles, accompanied by the empty barrel. The value of the barrel itself isn't to be scoffed at, though. While it might be a shock to learn how valuable a mere container can be — around $300 by some internet sleuthing — these empty containers were stamped and authenticated, so they were legitimate collector's items. With all this in mind, it's clear to see why everyone was so excited by this Costco deal. Who said good things come in small packages?

The good news is you can still buy Jack Daniels barrels. The bad news is that this comes with a caveat: you don't get the actual barrel anymore and can't purchase it at Costco. Instead, you must head directly to Jack Daniels and utilize the Single Barrel Personal Collection Program. 

The program is a luxurious investment for any whiskey connoisseur and involves visiting Tennessee's Jack Daniels Distillery and taking a guided taste tour to find your perfect match. Alternatively, if you can't visit in person, the distillery ships samples to your address, or you entrust a whiskey expert to pick. At the end, rather than shipping the chosen contents home in a barrel, the distiller decants it into a personal collection of bottles, which you receive alongside a personalized medallion. It doesn't quite have the novelty of Costco's old deal, but you do get good bang for your buck.

Enjoy your purchase Sinatra-style — straight with three ice cubes, as was the way Frank Sinatra enjoyed Jack Daniels. Or, sample some delicious cocktail recipes; this two-ingredient Jack Daniels cocktail packs a nostalgic punch. You must purchase an empty container separately if you'd like an actual barrel to fill. Keep your eyes out on second-hand sites or buy from collector companies.