Sotheby’s Great American Whiskey Collection achieves US$2.5m, propelling bourbon into ‘a new stratosphere of desirability’

Sotheby’s New York has hailed “a defining moment for American whiskey at auction” after selling the most valuable single-owner American whiskey collection ever – including one of the rarest bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle “in existence”.

The sale, which took place at the Breuer Building on Madison Avenue on Saturday (24 January), drew intense competition both in the room, online and from telephone bids, Sotheby’s said, eventually achieving US$2.5 million, more than double its low pre-sale estimate of US$1.17 – US$1.68m.

Among the top lots was a bottle of one of the rarest American whiskeys “in existence”, Old Rip Van Winkle 20 Year Old Single Barrel ‘Sam’s’ (1982), which at 133.4 proof, is the highest-proof Van Winkle released in its history. The bottle, of which only 60 were ever made, sold for US$162,500 against an estimate of US$70,000–100,000.

Sotheby’s whiskey specialist Zev Glesta called it  “a defining moment for American whiskey at auction”, and one which underscored the legendary status of the Van Winkle name and the extraordinary significance of the ‘Sam’s’ Old Rip Van Winkle series.

“The result reflects the continued maturation of the global market for the rarest American whiskeys and a growing appreciation for the craftsmanship, heritage, and rarity that define the very best of American distilling,” he said. “ A bottle of this calibre is not just a collector’s item but a piece of American whiskey history.”

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s global head of spirits, noted the “phenomenal” enthusiasm from bidders that showed that “global appreciation for American whiskey… continues to grow year after year”, although due to interest from the domestic market, 96% of the lots were eventually acquired by collectors based in North America.

The collection comprised 320 lots with Old Rip Van Winkle making up the core of the collection’s value, alongside “landmark bottles” from Old Fitzgerald, Red Hook Rye, Buffalo Trace, Michter’s, and Wild Turkey.

Overall, 89% of the lots exceeded their high estimates, with nearly a third of buyers new to Sotheby’s, and just over half aged 40 or younger.

Fowle added that the auction had “propelled Bourbon and Rye into a new stratosphere of desirability.”

Other highlights of the sale included a bottle of Van Winkle 18 Year Old “Binny’s” (1985, 121.6 proof), which achieved $106,250 (estimate: $60,000–80,000). This marked the first time a bottle of ‘Binny’s’, one of only 100 bottles produced for the renowned Chicago’s liquor stores, has been sold at Sotheby’s; a Very Very Old Fitzgerald “Blackhawk” 18 Year Old (1950, 121.0 proof) one of the rarest bourbons ever produced, a private bottling for the Wirtz family who owned the Chicago Blackhawks that was never publicly available, which achieved more than double its low estimate, at US$112,500; another private label bottling, Van Winkle 18 Year Old Family Reserve “Park Avenue Liquor Shop” (105.2 Proof) which has not come to the open market for ten years, and which sold for $62,500 (est. $26,000 – 45,000); and finally a bottle of O.F.C. Bourbon Whiskey 115 Proof 1909 (1 Quart), achieved US$47,500bidder – well above it’s pre-sale estimate of US$13,000–18,000, after a fierce battle between four buyers.

A further ten lots smashed records, the company said.

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