The Tamesis
Sotheby’s is investing heavily in whiskey at the end of the month, ditching any notion of a “Dry January” for good. On January 24, the company will host its first live, single-owner auction dedicated to American whiskey at its new Breuer Building headquarters.
Dubbed the “Great American Whiskey Collection,” the collection will be the most valuable of its kind on the market, with an estimated value of $1.7 million. A total of 360 bottles will hit the auction block, spread among 320 lots.
The sale is part of Sotheby’s week-long “Visions of America” series celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, celebrating American art, objects and innovation. The brand appears to be hoping to situate the sale within a cultural moment, placing bourbon and rye whiskey alongside other expressions of American creativity and craftsmanship.
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The collection was assembled over many years by an enthusiastic anonymous collector. These include private labels, unique single barrels and historic bottlings that are now almost impossible to find, according to Sotheby’s. Several of the bottles are appearing at auction for the first time. Production dates date back to 1900, giving you a comprehensive look at American whiskey through the ages.
“The Great American Whiskey Collection is a testament to the collectible value of truly rare bourbon and rye whiskeys,” Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s global head of wine and spirits, said in a statement. “We have never before witnessed a single owner bring such a sought-after range of wines to market.”
The centerpiece of the sale is a group of bottles from Old Rip Van Winkle, which represent the majority of the collection’s value and together form the most powerful display of the Van Winkle family legacy ever offered at auction. Additionally, there are examples from Old Fitzgerald, Red Hook Rye, Buffalo Trace, Michter’s, and Wild Turkey. Sotheby’s currently holds the post-Prohibition American whiskey auction record at $125,000, and the top lot here is expected to surpass that figure.
Other highlights include a 1982 Old Rip Van Winkle 20-year-old single barrel bottled for Sam’s Wines & Spirits in Chicago. Only 60 bottles were produced, but it remains the highest quality Van Winkle has ever released. The sale also includes four barrels of the famous LeNell’s Red Hook Rye Whiskey, one of the most famous rye whiskeys in the world.
“Not only is this the most valuable collection of American whiskey ever offered at auction, it is also the most carefully curated and features some of the hardest-to-find bottles in the industry,” said Fore.
