Stunning Vintage and Rare Bourbons Are Being Auctioned. Here's How You Can Bid Remotely

A 1966 Very Old Fitzgerald, distilled under Pappy Van Winkle’s watch. A 1941 bottling of Golden Wedding. A 1947 Old Forester. A 14 year old Dowling Deluxe from the 1960s. These incredible bottles are among the vintage whiskeys that will be sold during the seventh annual Art of Bourbon auction, which begins Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. EST. The best part? You can bid remotely.

Art of Bourbon’s annual gala and live auction benefits the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, and those who attend this lavish fête describe it as one of the premiere bourbon bashes of the year. Proceeds fund outreach and community programs for the museum, including summer camps for local youth and teens, and seasonal family days. This year, 35 auction lots include unicorn bottles, drool-worthy dusties, and several barrel selection experiences. Marc Abrams, a renowned bourbon collector and expert, and the event’s chairman, breaks down some of the more impressive auction offerings.

A Complete 2023 Pappy Van Winkle Vertical, Signed By Julian Van Winkle III

It’s not uncommon to see the complete set of Van Winkle bottles, including the particularly scant rye, at various auctions. “But very few of those are signed by Julian Van Winkle,” says Abrams. “We have photos of him signing the bottles and those will be included in the set.” This particular set of 2023 Van Winkle bottles was donated by Greg Fisher, the former mayor of Louisville. “He won it in a charity event and wanted to pay it forward, so he gave it to us,” says Abrams. Expect this lot to hammer for north of $20,000.

A Boone County 12 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon

“Boone County did the best job sourcing from MGP,” says Abrams. “This bottle is very tasty, and it’ll be one of the more affordable lots of the evening.” Anticipate it commanding somewhere around $1,000.

A 2017 Michter’s 25 Year Old Bourbon

This is an extremely rare release of a highly limited expression. “Only 317 bottles of the 25 year old were made in 2017,” Abrams explains, adding the final price may reach up to $30,000.

A 1976 Bicentennial Commemorative Bourbon

This rare unicorn could hammer for as much as $50,000. Why? It's a 16 year old bourbon, distilled in 1959 at Willett Distillery. It was the first single barrel offering selected by bourbon legend Gordon Hue (who later would create the A.H. Hirsch brand, among several others). Abrams got this bottle by happenstance. Five years ago, after a friend of a friend won “a wheelbarrow full of run-of-the-mill bourbons at a church raffle, he found this bottle and didn’t know what it was, so he brought it to me,” says Abrams. “I was familiar with Cork n Bottle, Gordon’s store, and Willett, of course. But I didn’t know much else. I offered him $1,000 and told him I’d drink it or donate it. After a little research, I decided to donate it.”

Two Tickets to Bourbon Lore’s Fall Champions Experience

Join the Bourbon Lore team in Louisville for a VIP tasting experience at Heaven Hill, led by master distiller Conor O’Driscoll. You’ll get to sip rare bourbon, and tour Evan Williams, Bernheim Distillery, and Heaven Hill’s Bardstown location. You’ll even get a special blending exercise inside a rickhouse.

Baxus Collector’s Package

Donated by the whiskey authenticator and vault company Baxus, these two Japanese exports are solid: a 1992 Wild Turkey 101 8 year, and a 2016 Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel.

1992 Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon

From Neat, the Louisville vintage bourbon bar and bottle shop, comes this coveted 1992 release of Blanton’s. It’s a prize bottle because it was one of the earliest releases but also because it still has the box and hang tag.

A Private Dinner by Chef Ed Lee

Acclaimed chef Ed Lee will cook dinner for you and seven others at his famed 610 Magnolia restaurant in Louisville. What’s more, Abrams and Fred Minnick will serve as the winner’s bourbon stewards for the affair, bringing bottles from their personal collections. “No one will be disappointed with what we will pour,” Abrams laughs. “I have an open [Four Roses] Al Young I’d bring, and an Old Commonwealth St. Paddy’s Day decanter from the 1980s, with the great Stitzel-Weller juice in there.”

If you’re interested in participating in the auction, it’s free to sign up, says Abrams, and it’s free to bid, too. To register, head to artofbourbon.org, enter your information, and you’ll be taken to a proxy site where you can bid. The live auction will be held on September 12, 2024, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST.