The World's Most Valuable American Whiskey Collection is Up for Bidding
Some 320 lots of rare bottles will be auctioned live by Sotheby’s later this month at its new global headquarters in New York
January 9, 2026 –––––– Jonny McCormick
Sotheby’s will put some of the most highly prized bottles in American whiskey history on the auction block in New York this month, which will also mark its first live single-owner American whiskey auction. Pre-sale bidding has already opened on The Great American Whiskey Collection, the most valuable of its kind ever to come to market—a 320-lot sale of 360 bottles estimated to be worth $1.2–$1.7 million. The live auction will take place January 24th at the Breuer Building in New York, the new global headquarters of Sotheby’s and former home of the Whitney Museum on Madison Avenue, where Sotheby’s moved late last year.
The chance to acquire some of these rarities is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The collection is the result of years of dedicated collecting, and the unnamed owner is known to have stored and displayed their acquisitions in an elaborate custom-made bar. Leading the list are single barrel, private label Van Winkle bottlings including a 20 year old Single Barrel bottled for Sam’s Wine & Spirits in Chicago (Est. $70,000–$100,000), an 18 year old for Binny’s (Est. $60,000–$80,000), 18 year old for Park Avenue Liquor (Est. $26,000-$45,000), 18 year old Blue Smoke (Est. $18,000–$24,000), and Old Advocate 15 year old (Est. $15,000–$20,000). Julian Van Winkle III has signed many of the Van Winkle bottles for this sale, making them valuable still. There’s a bottle of Very Very Old Fitzgerald 1950 18 year old Blackhawk (Est. $50,000-$80,000), one of the breakout auction stars of 2025. For rye collectors, the sale also includes bottles from all four barrels of LeNell’s Red Hook Rye ($24,000–$35,000 each).
The collection is a love letter to Stitzel-Weller Distillery across the decades. There’s a feast of private barrel s to choose from, and an impressive vertical of George T. Stagg annual releases from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The sale catalog is organized alphabetically and caters to collectors at all levels, not just those bidding on the five and six-figure bottles. In fact, there are over 40 lots with estimates of $500 or less, including rare bottles of Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Blanton’s, and Wild Turkey.
Attendance at this auction is by invitation only. The Breuer Building can accommodate only 200 people, compared to 450 at Sotheby’s old location on York Avenue in New York’s Upper East Side. If you are not an existing customer but want to bid on the premium lots in person, contact enquiries@sothebys.com to discuss your invitation request in advance. Serious bidders should register for an account with Sotheby’s and provide the required financial references and deposits in order to bid on premium lots. If you cannot attend in person, you can still register to bid by phone or online and make advance bids before January 24th. Buyer’s premiums are 24% of the hammer price, plus a 1% overhead premium, for a total of 25%. The sale begins at 5 p.m. EST and you can watch all the action live on the Sotheby’s website.
