Sips & Sites & Bites

If there was ever any doubt that American whiskey has firmly arrived on the global collecting stage, it vanished one recent night in New York … neatly, dramatically, and to the tune of $2.5 million.

At Sotheby’s New York, The Great American Whiskey Collection became 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. Even more impressive: the sale more than doubled its low pre-sale estimate of $1.17 million, proving once again that when rare bourbon and rye show up in one place, serious collectors come out swinging.

This wasn’t just another auction … it was a milestone. Held at Sotheby’s new global headquarters in the iconic Marcel Breuer–designed building on Madison Avenue, the event marked the first-ever live, single-owner American whiskey auction in history. To set the tone, Sotheby’s even installed a custom pop-up bar inside the building, allowing visitors to get up close with bottles that are normally whispered about in collector circles, not casually admired under gallery lights.

A Collection That Defined an Era

The meticulously curated collection featured 360 bottles spanning the absolute pinnacle of American whiskey … from Old Rip Van Winkle and Old Fitzgerald to elusive Rye legends like Red Hook. Every single lot sold. Nearly 90 percent exceeded their high estimates. And while American whiskey is increasingly global in reputation, demand remained overwhelmingly domestic: 96 percent of the bottles went to North American buyers.

Perhaps most telling of all, nearly a third of bidders were new to Sotheby’s, and more than half were under 40 years old. In other words, the next generation of whiskey collectors has arrived … and they’re not timid.

The Bottle That Stole the Show

The undisputed star of the night was a bottle many collectors consider mythical: Old Rip Van Winkle 20 Year Old Single Barrel “Sam’s” (1982). When the hammer fell at $162,500, it officially became the most valuable bottle of American whiskey ever sold at auction.

Only 60 hand-numbered bottles of the “Sam’s” were ever produced. Bottled at a staggering 133.4 proof, it’s the highest-proof Van Winkle release in history and one of the rarest bourbons ever made. Its appearance at auction … its first in more than a decade … was enough to send bidders into full battle mode.

As Sotheby’s Whiskey Specialist Zev Glesta put it, this bottle isn’t just collectible, it’s history. The result, he noted, reflects both the maturation of the American whiskey auction market and a growing appreciation for the craftsmanship and heritage behind the country’s greatest distilling traditions.

Private Labels, Legendary Provenance, and Big Numbers

Beyond the headline Van Winkle, the auction was fueled by an extraordinary lineup of private-label bottlings, exclusive single barrels, and historic releases that almost never surface publicly … many of them for the first time.

A Van Winkle 18 Year Old “Binny’s” (1985), distilled at the famed Stitzel-Weller distillery and bottled at a bold 121.6 proof, sold for $106,250. Fewer than 100 bottles were produced, most long since consumed, making this Sotheby’s debut especially significant.

Even rarer was the Very Very Old Fitzgerald “Blackhawk” 18 Year Old (1950), a private bottling made exclusively for the Wirtz family, owners of the Chicago Blackhawks. Never sold publicly and likely gifted only within a tight circle, it soared to $112,500, more than doubling its low estimate. A companion bottle from the same Blackhawk series … a 12 Year Old distilled in 1951 … also appeared in the collection and sold for $60,000.

Another long-lost gem, the Van Winkle 18 Year Old Family Reserve “Park Avenue Liquor Shop”, fetched $62,500. Originally retailing for just $75, it hadn’t appeared at auction in over a decade and is one of only three known 18-year Van Winkle bottlings ever produced, all sold in this single auction.

And then there was the drama. Four determined bidders chased a 1909 O.F.C. Bourbon Whiskey (115 Proof) well past its estimate, finally landing at $47,500, a reminder that pre-Prohibition bottles still carry immense emotional and historical weight.

Records Fell Across the Board

The night produced a cascade of record-setting results, including standout prices for bottles like:

• Old Rip Van Winkle 18 Year Old Blue Smoke
• Twisted Spoke 16 Year Old
• Multiple Corti Brothers Van Winkle releases
• A Bottled-in-Bond Old Rip Van Winkle from 1917
• Rare private reserves and anniversary bottlings tied to iconic bars and retailers

Time and again, estimates were left in the dust as bidders pushed prices into new territory.

What It All Means

This wasn’t just a big night for Sotheby’s … it was a defining moment for American whiskey. The auction confirmed what many insiders already knew: rare Bourbon and Rye now stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s most collectible spirits, commanding serious attention, serious money, and serious respect.

American whiskey isn’t just something to drink anymore. In moments like this, it becomes something to preserve, study, and … when the right bottle appears … fight fiercely to own.