A few weeks ago, we reported on the Whisky & Whiskey auction at Sotheby’s, which featured some exceptionally rare bottles from the Pappy Van Winkle lineup along with some other choice offerings from Buffalo Trace brands and scotch distilleries like the Macallan. A bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon broke an auction record for post-Prohibition American whiskey and sold for an astounding $125,000. Here are the details behind this momentous sale.
The full name of the whiskey in question is Old Rip Van Winkle “Van Winkle Selection” Kentucky Bourbon Festival Master Distiller’s Auction 2007. There are a few unanswered questions about the bottle, but the Sotheby’s team uncovered important key information. As we reported previously, the bourbon is a 2007 expression that was originally bottled for a charity auction (the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History in Kentucky). It’s a blend of 15- to 20-year-old whiskey, and while the source is not verified it was most likely distilled at Stitzel-Weller and was blended by Julian Van Winkle. It’s bottled at 125.6 proof, and it has a homemade label that Julian says was created by his son Preston specifically for the charity.
The initial estimate for the bottle was that it could fetch up to $50,000, but clearly this sale far surpassed that due to the rarity of this literal one-of-a-kind whiskey. “This sale marks a defining moment in the history of American whiskey, underscoring the legendary status of Van Winkle bottlings and the continued strength of the fine and rare whiskey market,” said Sotheby’s whiskey specialist Zev Glesta in a statement. “Bringing such a remarkable piece of American whiskey history to auction is a testament to the growing appreciation for the craft and heritage of American distilling.” The $125,000 sale broke the record of of $107,715, according to Sotheby’s, which was for a Van Winkle 18-year-old bourbon for Binny’s Beverage Depot (that price includes buyer’s premium and tax).
The Whisky & Whiskey auction ended this past Friday, and there were some other rare bottles of note that sold—various Macallan releases (including the Red Collection 60-year-old), 125th Anniversary bottlings of Four Roses bourbon, and a Michter’s 20-year-old single barrel bourbon from 2013. If you missed out on the bidding, the next Whisky & Whiskey auction starts on April 24 and lasts until May 9—no information on which bottles will be included yet, but we will update you when we find out.
