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Costco is facing a class-action lawsuit over its Kirkland Signature tequilas. The case claims the spirit isn’t made with 100 percent agave as the bottle states.
The plaintiff in Miami, Florida is arguing that the Kirkland Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo tequilas made in Mexico contain cane sugar rather than solely agave. While it’s not a health concern, the addition of cane sugar could establish the line between a premium bottle and lower-value spirit.
If the claims are proven, it would mean customers are being misled into buying what they believed to be a higher-end tequila.
“It’s really good especially for the price,” one Reddit user says. “The reposado is like 18 bucks I love it.”
Kirkland tequilas would no longer be considered a premium-level product, and the brand would need to either change its formulas or its labels.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff used nuclear magnetic resonance to study the tequila’s ingredients. While that method is recognized by the Mexican government as an accurate way to determine the authenticity of tequila, it’s not known to be the most thorough way to deduce the presence of cane sugar.
It’s unclear whether the plaintiff has any other evidence of adulteration.
Tequilas made with cane sugar do exist, but they’re labeled as mixtos. That category of tequila is made up of at least 51 percent agave and 49 percent cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or another form of sugar. They also tend to contain artificial colors, flavors and thickeners.
These bottles are typically cheaper, and some claim the sugar can lead to higher-intensity hangovers.
If the bottles have been adulterated, it doesn’t mean that Costco was aware of what was going on. Because the tequila is made in distilleries in Mexico, it’s possible that cane sugar is being added without the warehouse’s knowledge.
If the case goes to trial, the full details will be revealed.
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Ava Levinson
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