Sotheby's is set to sell what it calls "the most valuable and significant single-owner collection of American Whiskey ever to come to auction" later this month, featuring 360 bottles estimated to fetch between $1.17 and $1.68 million.
Dubbed “The Great American Whiskey Collection,” the auction is made up of extremely rare bottles, many of which have never sold publicly previously, and includes private labels and single-barrel offerings.
“Never before have we witnessed a collection of such sought-after bottles come to market from a single owner,” said Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s global head of whiskey and spirits, in a statement. “This is not just the most valuable American whiskey collection ever to be offered at auction, it is the most meticulously curated, featuring the hardest to find bottles in the industry."
Among the most well-known names in the auction are Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey and Pappy Van Winkle.
The single bottle with the highest estimate is a 20 Year Old Single Barrel “Sam’s” 133.4 Proof 1982 Signed Bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle. The pre-sale estimate is $70,000 to $100,000. It’s the highest proof Van Winkle ever released and originally sold for around $100.
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Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.