History was made this week at Sotheby’s New York, where The Great American Whiskey Collection achieved $2.5 million, becoming the most valuable single-owner American whiskey collection ever sold at auction and the most valuable single-owner spirits auction ever held in New York. 

More than doubling its low pre-sale estimate (est. $1.17–1.68 million), the sale drew intense competition from determined collectors online, on the phones, and in the room for some of the rarest and most coveted Bourbon and Rye ever bottled, many of which set new auction records. 

The white-glove auction, held at Sotheby’s new global headquarters in the iconic Breuer Building on Madison Avenue, marked the first-ever live, single-owner American whiskey sale in history. As part of the campaign for the auction, Sotheby’s installed a specially designed pop-up bar within The Breuer to prominently display the collection, allowing collectors and visitors to experience the bottles up close in an immersive setting. 

The collection featured 360 bottles, ranging from Old Rip Van Winkle and Old Fitzgerald to Red Hook Rye and beyond. The sale was a remarkable success, with 100% of lots sold and 89% exceeding their high estimates. With demand for American whiskeys invariably domestic and spread across the United States, 96% of the lots were acquired by collectors based in North America. Notably, nearly a third of buyers were new to Sotheby’s, with over half aged 40 or younger.

The top lot was a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 20 Year Old Single Barrel “Sam’s” (1982), which shattered records by selling for $162,500 (est. $70,000–100,000), making it the most valuable bottle of  American whiskey ever sold at auction. Hailed as one of the most legendary bottles of Kentucky bourbon ever produced, the “Sam’s” is also the highest-proof Van Winkle release in history, bottled at an extraordinary 133.4 proof. With only 60 hand-numbered bottles ever made, it ranks among the rarest American whiskeys in existence. Last night’s sale marked the first time the “Sam’s” appeared at auction in over a decade.

“This was a landmark moment for American whiskey,” Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Global Head of Spirits, said in a news release.. Breaking the record for the most valuable American whiskey collection ever sold is a testament to the extraordinary rarity and quality of this collection, as well as the passion and expertise of collectors worldwide. The enthusiasm from bidders was phenomenal, reflecting a global appreciation for American whiskey that continues to grow year after year. This exceptional auction has propelled Bourbon and Rye into a new stratosphere of desirability.”

“This sale represents a defining moment for American whiskey at auction, underscoring the legendary status of the Van Winkle name and the extraordinary significance of the ‘Sam’s’ Old Rip Van Winkle,” Zev Glesta, Sotheby’s Whiskey Specialist, said. 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. A bottle of this calibre is not just a collector’s item but a piece of American whiskey history.”

The sale was further propelled by an exceptional offering of private-label bottles, exclusive single barrels, and historic releases now virtually impossible to source, many of which appeared at auction for the first time and went on to set new records. Highlights included:

• Van Winkle 18 Year Old “Binny’s” (1985, 121.6 proof) achieved $106,250 (est. $60,000–80,000). Distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery in 1985, the Van Winkle Special Reserve 18 Year Old Single Cask was hand-selected exclusively for Binny’s, one of Chicago’s most renowned liquor stores. Bottled at full cask strength—an extraordinary 121.6 proof, the third-highest ever for a Van Winkle—fewer than 100 bottles were produced, with most long since consumed. This auction marked the first appearance of the “Binny’s” Van Winkle at Sotheby’s.
• Very Very Old Fitzgerald “Blackhawk” 18 Year Old (1950, 121.0 proof) sold for $112,500, more than double its low estimate (est. $50,000–80,000). One of the rarest and most sought-after bourbons ever released, it was a private bottling exclusively for the Wirtz family, owners of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Wirtz Corporation. No “Blackhawk” bottles were ever available publicly, and they were likely gifted only to close family, friends, and associates. The “Blackhawk” series includes just three extremely rare bottlings: this 18 Year Old and a 15 Year Old (both distilled in 1950), and a 12 Year Old, distilled in 1951 and bottled in 1963—also part of The Great American Whiskey Collection, it sold for $60,000 (est. $40,000 – 50,000). 
• Van Winkle 18 Year Old Family Reserve “Park Avenue Liquor Shop” (105.2 Proof) sold for $62,500 (est. $26,000 – 45,000). This private-label bottling for Jonathan Goldstein at Park Avenue Liquor Shop in Manhattan has not appeared at auction in more than a decade. Originally retailing for $75, it is one of only three 18 Year Old Van Winkle bottlings ever known to have been produced, all of which were sold in this auction.
• Four determined bidders competed for the O.F.C. Bourbon Whiskey 115 Proof 1909 (1 Quart), driving the final price to $47,500—well above its pre-sale estimate of $13,000–18,000. 

Among the record-setting lots from the auction were: 

•  Old Rip Van Winkle 18 Year Old Blue Smoke 92.6 Proof NV sold for $37,500, (est. $18,000 – 24,000)
• Twisted Spoke 16 Year Old 105 Proof NV achieved $32,500 (est. $12,000 – 16,000)
• Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old ‘Delilah’s 10th Anniversary’ 100 Proof NV sold for $30,000 (est. $15,000 – 20,000)
• Van Winkle 19 Year Old Special Reserve Corti Brothers 45.7 abv 1975 realized $35,000 (est. $15,000 – 20,000)
• Van Winkle 19 Year Old Special Reserve Corti Brothers 90.4 Proof NV fetched $35,000 (est. $15,000 – 20,000)
• J.W. Gottlieb Private Stock Straight Rye 13 Year Old 95.6 Proof 1984 sold for $56,250 (est. $15,000 – 20,000)
• Old Rip Van Winkle Old Advocate Special Reserve 15 Year Old 107 Proof NV doubled its pre-sale high estimate to achieve $40,000 (est, $15,000 – 20,000)
• Old Rip Van Winkle 15 Year Old Woodside Partner’s Reserve 92.4 Proof 1988 sold for $43,750 (est. 15,000 – 20,000)
• Old Rip Van Winkle Bottled In Bond 100 Proof 1917 realized $47,500 (est. $15,000 – 20,000)
• Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old Family Reserve Single Barrel ‘City Grocery 20th Anniversary’ 90.4 Proof NV made $30,000 (est. $12,000 – 16,000). 

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About Sotheby’s

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