The Art of Bourbon Auction Highlights Rare Bourbons & Whiskey

Posted on by Scott Dilley

In its 6th year, the auction of extremely rare whiskey bottle and other bourbon and whiskey experiences is taking place on September 26, 2023

To review full auction catalog and to purchase event tickets: artofbourbon.org.

Full Details on Art of Bourbon Auction:

The Speed Art Museum unveiled a stunning lineup for its online and live, in-person Art of Bourbon auction on September 26 featuring some of the rarest, most elusive, and sought-after whiskeys in the world up for bid.

The live auction will be held 7:15pm – 8:45pm EST. Museum doors open at 6pm EST. The online auction is free to bid but registration is required at artofbourbon.org.

Art of Bourbon Auction Item Highlights:

  • The exceedingly rare George T. Stagg, sits at the crossroads of bourbon history. By all accounts, this is very special bottle owing to its backstory. This 16-year-old expression, distilled prior to 1917 and bottled in 1928, was produced at the George T. Stagg Company, which was under the new leadership of Colonel Albert Blanton. The bottle comes in a patented tamper-proof container of the time. Take notice: this extremely rare box is Four Roses but the bottle is George T. Stagg. The common link is the iconic Albert Blanton, whose namesake dons the famous Blanton’s bottle today. Blanton used this tamper-proof packaging for more than just the Stagg releases. In fact, his name is plastered on a few of them that have surfaced for auction. That said, he used this box as a way secure the bottles. Little did he know at the time, it would preserve the whiskey inside, protecting it from sunlight and outside vapors. The bottle is in pristine condition. Estimate: $20,000 – $30,000
  • Not just a Pappy 23 Year Old. The Pappy. A prized unicorn among all spirits, not just bourbon. This is from the first batch of Pappy 23 Year Old ever produced.  This 1998 bottle is the first year that Julian Van Winkle III went to market with the 23 Year Old, with its tell-tale green-tinted glass and brandishing a gold wax top that’s no longer made, this one is the auction’s unicorn. It was bottled in 1998 and made its formal debut that year. Estimate: $30,000
  • A 20-year-old A.H. Hirsch that literally disappeared from the liquor shelves more than a quarter of a century ago. This bottle represents a piece of history frozen in time. Distilled in 1974 and produced at the old Michter’s Distillery, it’s widely considered one of the best bourbons ever produced. Estimate: $20,000
  • An I.W. Harper Rye a Prohibition-era dusty bottle produced at the famed Bernheim Distillery.  Not only is it unusual for being a product of the Prohibition, it is one of the few IW Harper Ryes you will find at any age. Distilled in 1917 and bottled in 1927. Estimate: $6,000 – $8,000

In-person event tickets, which are $300, include a cocktail hour, bourbon tastings and a seated dinner with a bourbon-inspired menu. Seating is limited and guests are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Among the 35 lots, the auction includes exclusive and illusive experiences:

  • Rabbit Hole Distillery select barrel pick – Your Heigold Bourbon comes in the distillery’s highly coveted, limited-edition series of bottles. Estimate: $25,000 – $30,000
  • Bardstown Bourbon Company barrel selection – One of the very first 100 barrels produced in the Origin Series single barrel release. Estimate: $20,000
  • The much-anticipated Green River Barrel selection experience, one of the hot new bourbons in the industry. Estimate: $20,000

Now in its sixth year, the annual bourbon auction draws serious bourbon aficionados and collectors from around the globe, as well as those who view it as a passionate spectator sport.

Curated by Author and Bourbon Critic Fred Minnick

The Art of Bourbon Auction is led by Wall Street Journal-bestselling author and renowned bourbon critic Fred Minnick. Marc Abrams, a well-known bourbon expert based in Louisville, also serves as an auction advisor.

“Since 2018, I’ve worked closely with the Speed to auction the rarest whiskey bottles and experiences ever, raising more than $1.2 million dollars for this institution,” said Minnick. All proceeds support education programs and exhibitions at the Speed.

Minnick, widely considered the world’s leading bourbon authority, knows these bids make a difference. “These rare whiskeys can make a huge impact on one of our country’s best art museums. We have the vintage and rare, and the new and unique. These sort of in-the-know bourbons don’t come up very often,” he said.

Prominent collectors show their support by either attending or donating bottles from their stash to this event. “It’s not every day you can get your hands on these. You’re buying a piece of history in a bottle,” said Abrams, chair of the auction’s Advisory Committee.

“For one night only, the Speed will rival the nation’s best bourbon bars so that all year long we can share the best art in the world with all of the people of Kentucky,” said Museum Director Raphaela Platow.

Bill Menish will serve as the evening’s auctioneer.

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