On a visit to the Vatican, Father Jim Sichko of Kentucky asked Pope Francis to sign two bottles of Willett bourbon, each from a different single barrel.
Whisky Advocate Exclusive: Two 10 Year Old Willett Bourbons Signed by Pope Francis Are Headed to Sotheby's
November 19, 2024 –––––– Sean Evans
Update December 9, 2024: The two bottles of Willett sold above the pre-sale estimate and achieved $13,750 each. The sale price includes the buyer's premiums/fees.
Nine years ago, Lexington, Kentucky-based priest Father Jim Sichko wanted to bring something that embodied the spirit of Kentucky on a trip to Vatican City to meet with Pope Francis. Sichko’s gift? Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old bourbon. The moment, predictably, went viral, and ever since, Sichko has been bringing Pope Francis rare and allocated whiskeys as gifts.
Sichko’s visit with His Holiness this past May included two rare Willett Distillery bourbons, but those bottles weren’t gifted; instead they were signed by Pope Francis and will be heading to a Sotheby’s Whisky & Whiskey auction, with all proceeds benefiting a quartet of charities. The auction opens for bidding on November 20 and will end with a live sale on December 7.
What Are the Papal Willett Distillery Bourbons?
“I know nothing about whiskey or bourbon,” Sichko laughs. “That’s what's so funny about this. I’ve lived in Kentucky for 26 years, and the first time I had bourbon was when doing the barrel pick with Willett.” The priest had long wanted to do a custom barrel in honor of Pope Francis, and “I kept bothering Julian Van Winkle about that,” as it was Van Winkle who gave Sichko the Pappy bottle nine years ago. “Julian put me in touch with [Willett master distiller] Drew Kulsveen, and Drew said he’d be happy to help,” adds Sichko.
And so, about two years ago, Sichko, his bishop, and two other friends met with Kulsveen and picked a barrel of 10 year old Willett bourbon, to commemorate Francis’ 10th anniversary as the 266th pope. “I’d never been to a barrel pick, so I sat down and there were six samples and I tried them all right away,” Sichko chuckles. “I was spinning pretty quickly. Luckily, everyone else guided us to the right barrel.”
That resulting selection registers at 132.6 proof, and features only 149 bottles, all of which bear the papal Coat of Arms. Nearly all the bottles in this run, save for one the Pope signed, were sold for charity.
The following year, Sichko and friends returned to select a second barrel. This 10 year bourbon is hazmat-level, clocking in at 144.2-proof, and was an extremely short barrel, yielding a scant 59 bottles. The second bottle celebrates the upcoming 2025 Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” and features the Official Jubilee sticker. The Pope signed bottle number one.
Getting His Holiness to Sign Willett Bottles
Sichko typically brings “suitcases of whiskey” when traveling to Vatican City, disseminating the offerings to Pope Francis, other high-ranking church officials, and even to the Swiss Guard. Knowing he wanted this duo of Willetts signed, Sichko invited Kulsveen and his wife along to Rome, to witness the historic moment.
“As the Pope came by, I pulled both bottles out from under my cassock,” Sichko says, referencing the garment worn during formal church affairs. “That didn’t surprise His Holiness, so I handed him a pen and he signed both. He looked at me and said, ‘Which one of these is mine?’ and I felt awful. I told him, ‘Not this time; I’m going to do something good with them.’ He laughed and nodded.”
Sichko, who has gifted the Pope everything from a 1995 O.F.C., Old Rip Van Winkle from Commonwealth Distillery, Old Fitzgerald, and King of Kentucky, doesn’t know if Francis has ever sampled any of these bottles. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s had some, but I can’t speak for him,” says Sichko.
How Much Are Papal Willett Bourbons Worth?
We’ll collectively find out after Sotheby’s live auction concludes, but estimates per bottle are between $1,000 and $10,000. “These estimates have a wide range, as we expect that Pope Francis’s name and signature holds incredible value around the world,” says Zev Glesta, assistant vice president and whiskey specialist for Sotheby’s. “Plus, those few lucky buyers can truly say they have a blessed whiskey shelf.”
As all proceeds from the sale will go to charity, Sichko praised Sotheby’s for waiving all consignor fees associated with the sale. The funds will be split between the Southeast Texas Hospice, in Orange, Texas; PAWs 4 the Cause, in Lexington, Kentucky, Diocese of Lexington – Preaching/Giving Ministry run by Sichko, and Maxwell Street Legal Immigration Clinic in Lexington, which “helps individual immigrants become citizens through the proper channels who can’t afford that process,” says Sichko.
