Who Makes Aldi Bourbon?

Although you need to know certain things before your first Aldi trip, those in the know can take advantage of the store's numerous bargain items (including Aldi's baking ingredients and frozen foods). Another affordable find is Samuel Joe's Straight Kentucky Bourbon, one of the chain's award-winning private-label spirits. Given its accolades, this bourbon makes one wonder whether Aldi produces it or if there's another wizard behind the curtain. The short answer is that Aldi doesn't own any distilleries, making it necessary to partner with a spirit maker. Since Aldi tends to keep the makers behind its many in-house brands a trade secret, the identity behind Samuel Joe's is unclear. That leaves everyone to connect the dots. One hint toward finding the distillery is knowing that while you can buy alcohol at Aldi in the United States, the grocer's American stores don't sell spirits.

Talking of Aldi's spirits, Samuel Joe's won a bronze medal in the 2024 International Wine and Spirits Competition's Bourbon – Straight category. When it comes to its maker, one might guess Jim Beam given its striking resemblances to Samuel Joe's label font and colors. However, while a bottle's label can be a decent indicator of its producer, the label is where this bourbon's Jim Beam similarities start and end. Instead, Aldi's long-standing partnership with West Cork Distillery provides a revealing clue. In addition to receiving praise for Samuel Joe's, Aldi has also gained attention for its collaboration with West Cork to produce Ardfallen Irish Whiskey. West Cork produced another award-winning bourbon, Day Star, for Aldi.

It's important to reiterate that this is a matter of connecting the dots using available information rather than stating anything definitive. Although Aldi's does sell alcohol in the United States, it sticks to beers, wines, and hard seltzers. As such, it's unlikely for Aldi's bourbon producer to be in America. This points us overseas.

Given West Cork Distillers' Ireland headquarters, successful operations since 2003, and ongoing collaboration with Aldi, it's possible this producer makes Samuel Joe's. West Cork also has an established connection with M.S. Walker, a maker, bottler, and importer in the U.S. This could grant West Cork the ability to distill a Kentucky bourbon such as Samuel Joe's while complying with any necessary regulations.  

While the dots point toward West Cork, the true identity behind Samuel Joe's remains unconfirmed for now. Any Americans wishing to get a taste of the award-winning bourbon may have to factor in the cost of an overseas flight or hefty shipping costs to do so. Despite customer demand for the international chain to sell spirits in the U.S., Aldi has yet to abide. The specific reasons are also unclear, but Aldi tends to operate conservatively. Considering the cost of a liquor license and how certain states regulate grocery store alcohol sales, Aldi's decision is unlikely to change. In the meantime, American shoppers can try some of these bottom-shelf bourbons that are worth the buy.