When it comes to auction sales, American whiskey hasn’t historically dominated as well as single malts from Scotland and Japan. However, there are some brands that rank high in the hearts of bourbon enthusiasts.
Sotheby’s is hosting a sale for what it’s calling the “most valuable single-owner collection of American Whiskey ever to come to auction.” Dubbed The Great American Whiskey Collection, this series features over 350 bourbon and rye bottles from the likes of Old Rip Van Winkle, Old Fitzgerald, and other Kentucky bourbon legends. It likely won’t break the record for most expensive single bottle of American whiskey sold at auction but it will certainly prove how consistently beloved vintage bourbons are to collectors.
Stitzel-Weller’s Golden Era on Display
The collection reads like a love letter to Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which operated from 1935 until its closure in 1992. Under Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle’s leadership, the distillery became synonymous with wheated bourbon excellence, producing both Old Fitzgerald and Old Rip Van Winkle expressions that defined Kentucky’s smooth, low-rye style.
What’s remarkable here is the sheer concentration of single-barrel selections that were never meant for mass distribution. The Sam’s bottling — a 20-year-old Van Winkle at 133.4 proof from 1982 — is still the the highest ABV bourbon the brand ever released, with only 60 bottles produced exclusively for Sam’s Wines & Spirits in Chicago. It’s estimated to sell for upwards of $70,000 and as high as $100,000. Similarly rare is the Binny’s selection, an 18-year-old at 121.6 proof from 1985, again bottled at full cask strength when such releases were practically unheard of. The estimate for this bottle sits between $60k and $80k.
Not Just Pappy’s
While the aforementioned Pappy’s bottles are the pièces de résistance, there are plenty of other decades-old bottles to gawk at from other brands. Towards the top, there’s the Blackhawk series of Very Very Old Fitzgerald. This expression wasn’t available for retail but private bottlings for the Wirtz family, owners of the Chicago Blackhawks and major alcohol distributors. The 18-year-old from 1950, bottled at 121 proof, exemplifies the era when Pappy refused to bottle Old Fitzgerald below the 100-proof Bottled-in-Bond minimum. This has an estimate between $50k and $80k.
In terms of truly vintage offerings, there’s also a complete 24-bottle case of Harry E. Wilken AMS Co. Special Old Reserve from 1917. Distilled in Fall 1917 and bottled in Fall 1932 by The American Medicinal Spirits Company — one of the few entities permitted to bottle whiskey during Prohibition for “medicinal purposes” — this case is a fascinating snapshot of pre-Prohibition distillation that survived through legal loopholes. The bottles sat in Distillery Bonded Warehouse No. 19 in Kentucky’s 5th District until a U.S. Storekeeper Gauger inspected them in November 1932, with taxes finally paid in April 1936. It’s rare to find an intact case from this era, making it a compelling piece of American whiskey history beyond just what’s in the bottles. This lot is a bit more attainable, relatively, with a $20,000 estimate.
Other lots come from legendary distilleries such as Buffalo Trace, LeNell’s Red Hook, Michter’s, and Wild Turkey.
Spec Sheet
Auction Date: January 24, 2026, 5:00 PM EST
Location: Breuer Building, Madison Avenue, New York
Total Bottles: 360+ (320 lots)
Estimated Total Value: $1.17–$1.68 million
Notable Bottles: Old Rip Van Winkle 20YR “Sam’s” (133.4 proof), Van Winkle 18YR “Binny’s” (121.6 proof), Very Very Old Fitzgerald “Blackhawk” 18YR (121 proof), Harry E. Wilken AMS Co. Special Old Reserve from 1917 (24 bottles)
Age Range: 1900s–2000s
Pricing & Availability
Online bidding for The Great American Whiskey Collection opened January 8, with the live auction taking place January 24 at Sotheby’s Breuer Building in New York. Attendance is invitation-only due to space limitations, though phone and online bidding remain available.
Recap
Sotheby’s The Great American Whiskey Collection Auction
Sotheby’s is auctioning off what they’re calling the most valuable private American whiskey collection ever — over 350 bottles of rare bourbon and rye estimated between $1.17 and $1.68 million, headlined by impossible-to-find single-barrel Van Winkles and Old Fitzgerald bottlings from Stitzel-Weller’s golden era. The live auction happens January 24 in New York, and while it probably won’t break the single-bottle record, it’s a serious testament to how much collectors value vintage Kentucky bourbon.
