Want to buy an ultra-rare bottle of bourbon?
It'll cost you a few hundred — or a few thousand.
And in some cases, you might even have to put buying that new car on hold.
This brand of bourbon is so rare that in some states, you'll need to win a lottery to buy it.
For instance, in January 2021, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board kicked off a statewide
drawing for the right to purchase one of 23 bottles of Pappy Van Winkle's 23-year-old
Family Reserve Straight Bourbon for $399.99 per bottle.
But it'll probably cost you far more if you don't win the annual lottery.
Demand for Pappy Van Winkle bourbons is so great that sellers have jacked up prices in
secondary and tertiary markets.
In other words, the manufacturer's suggested retail price, which has been advertised at
$299.99, may only be the starting point of negotiation, and odds are you'll have to pay
dearly to secure a bottle.
But buyer beware, because bourbon secondary markets for Pappy Van Winkle are a minefield
of greed and fraud — to the point where some sellers have sold cheap whiskey in Pappy
Van Winkle bottles on Facebook.
This elderly bourbon swoops through the whiskey marketplace like a lost comet.
Last bottled in 2016, Orphan Barrel Whoop & Holler bourbon is a codger of a whiskey
with 28 years of barrel aging under its belt.
With all that time mired in oak, you'd expect a taste that's swamped with it, but the experience
is surprisingly not oak-heavy.
The Whiskey Wash reports,
"[What you'll get is a nuanced nose of] marzipan, beeswax [...] [and] light molasses [with notes
of] cooked corn, pineapple rind, and fresh chili [on the pull.]"
Available on The Bourbon Concierge for over $1,000, this variety is so rare that its remaining
quantity is finite.
With 2016 intended as a one-time release, all of the Whoop & Holler 28-Year-Old you'll
ever see has already been bottled.
Whether and when the supply vanishes is up to you, your bourbon budget, and your fellow
bourbon drinkers.
Hailing from Frankfort, Kentucky, this sparsely made bourbon spends 20 years in the barrel
and comes out presented in a silver presentation box with a crystal decanter, per the Buffalo
Trace Distillery.
According to Beverage Dynamics, Double Eagle gets its name because it's aged twice as long
as Buffalo Trace's original Eagle Rare bourbon.
In addition, the complementary decanter is designed with a pair of crystal-carved eagles.
The eagles' wings are captured mid-flight, providing the necessary majestic imagery one
should expect when partaking in a bourbon so rare it amounts to an event.
As far as taste goes, Buffalo Trace insists you'll experience notes of vanilla and caramel
swimming through a balanced oaky body.
As far as cost goes, the suggested retail price of Double Eagle Very Rare is $2,000
for the 2021 release.
"You know, if it doesn't work, we're just gonna be stuck with a whole lot of bourbon."
For more than 20 years, Old Forester has issued a Birthday Bourbon on September 2nd of each
year in honor of founder George Garvin Brown's birthday.
The 2021 version clocked in at 104 proof and was aged in 119 barrels for 12 years.
For the 2021 edition,
"[Old Forester's aroma offers] a beautiful symphony of berry and dessert components [...] [and
a] velvety mouthfeel carries notes of buttery caramel, burnt sugar, and a touch of fresh
baked linzer cookie [...] [finishing with] subdued notes of chocolate, raisin and cool herbs."
When this rare bourbon arrives once a year, it's always a new bourbon.
Each bottling of Birthday Bourbon features a different flavor profile than the year before
— setting Old Forester not only apart from other bourbons, but from other vintages within
its own distillery.
A complex bourbon that clocks in at 116 proof, Michter's Limited Release 25-Year-Old Kentucky
Straight Bourbon is the kind of whiskey that will leave thick legs up the sides of your glass.
Several sources have confirmed the excellence of this whiskey, and also its rarity.
It's believed that fewer than 400 bottles of this bourbon exist.
A tiny batch among small batches, Michter's Limited Release 25 Year also generates a hefty
price tag, typically going for over $1,000 per bottle on the primary market, while fetching
upwards of $13,000 per bottle on secondary and tertiary markets.
For that much cash, The Whiskey Wash says to expect a palate ride of,
"[B]uttered toast, pecan pie bars, and vanilla cake with a brown-sugar glaze [...] [that
ends with a hint of] almond brittle [...] spiced apples, and cinnamon."
This rare bourbon punches like a thunderbolt with an alcohol by volume of 61.3%.
And if you can tame this high-proof member of the Parker's Heritage Collection, you should
experience cherry and cedar wood notes on your journey.
The tasters at Whisky Magazine also complemented this 1996 Cask Strength Straight Bourbon for
its extended finish.
But like most rare whiskeys, this one also comes with sticker shock.
An inaugural release from the Parker's Heritage Collection has fetched over 1,400 pounds — or
about 1,600 US dollars — on Whiskey Auctioneer.
And when bottles went up for auction at Christie's in 2020, the winning bidder was expected to
shell out between $3,000 to $4,000 for three of them.
The A.H.
Hirsch Reserve 1974 16-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey is so rare that there's a book about
its scarcity.
Titled "The Best Bourbon You'll Never Taste," the 108-page book by Charles K. Cowdery covers
the immense history of a distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, that dates back to the 1750s.
The tumultuous tale described by Cowdery serves up a fraction of A.H.
Hirsch's mystique, because what makes this bourbon truly rare is that only 400 barrels
were in the batch when it was distilled in 1974.
The distillery that made this bourbon eventually slid toward bankruptcy, so it was acquired
by Gordon Hue in 1989.
The bourbon was then bottled by Julian Van Winkle III as A.H.
Hirsch Reserve.
A bourbon that's survived a shifting life in the barrel, this vanishingly finite whiskey
should please enthusiasts both for the thrill of the hunt as well as the opportunity to
take part in the continuing story of A.H.
Hirsch Reserve.
Barrelled at Heaven Hill's Bernheim Distillery, this rare bourbon comes from a facility that
ironically possesses the second-largest bourbon inventory in the world.
It's also the only remaining family-owned distillery in Kentucky, an establishment that
pairs quality with care, as it perennially wins awards such as Distillery of the Year
2019 at the SF World Spirits Competition.
Regarding the taste of this bourbon, For Whiskey Lovers says,
'[The palate is] "sweet with vanilla, caramel, and oak notes, followed by a touch of spice."
The William Heavenhill 13 Year is a limited edition, and for its 2020 release, the Heaven
Hill distillery issued just 35 barrels.
When the small batches are bottled and hit the market, the price they fetch typically
spans between $500 to $800.
Not as expensive as some of the bourbons in this rarified space, the William Heavenhill
13 Year could be considered a relative discount that fits nicely on the shelves of any bourbon aficionado.
Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year comes with a recommended retail price of $1,800, but given its immense
popularity with consumers coupled with its rarity, this bourbon often sells for far higher
than the price of a new sedan.
A bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year can entertain a price tag going as high as $60,000.
The Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year is the oldest Van Winkle variety to date.
If you're looking to buy a bottle, know that only 710 decanters of Old Rip were released.
Their packaging is almost as special as the spirit itself: wooden boxes with lids made
from the staves of the barrels that the bourbon was once stored in.
Each bottle also comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity that's signed by Julian Van
Winkle, grandson of Julian P. "Pappy" Van Winkle.
Listed for $2,599 on Bourbon Concierge, the 2017 Four Roses Al Young 50th Anniversary
is already no longer available on store shelves.
To purchase this bourbon, you'll need to seek secondary markets and travel into the territory
of rare spirits.
"I'll be in the hospital bar."
"Uhhh, you know, there isn't a hospital bar, Mother."
"Well, this is why people hate hospitals."
This specific bourbon is named after the late, legendary Al Young, who was a member of the
Four Roses team for 52 years.
A member of the Kentucky Distillers' Association's hall of fame, Young was considered a bourbon
evangelist to those who knew him.
Fifty years into his dedicated tenure, Four Roses paid tribute to Young with a 2017 bottling
of his namesake bourbon.
Four Roses describes the bourbon as,
"[One that delivers] aromas of sweet caramel and floral honeysuckle [...] [while tempting
the palate with] [...] peaches and apricots" [...] [before finishing its bite with] a hint
of mint."
This limited-edition small-batch whiskey clocks in at 107.6 proof and comprises a blend of
bourbons aged a minimum of 12-23 years.
Arriving in a batch of just 12 barrels, John E Fitzgerald Very Special Reserve is as rare
as its name implies.
A product of Heaven Hill Distillery, this bourbon entered the barrel in 1992 and then
migrated to steel tanks in 2013 to prevent over-aging.
The bourbon was released in 2015 and bottled in 375 ml decanters with a gold and platinum
key graphic etched onto the bottle.
Bottled at 90 proof, the alcohol content might be middle of the road, but this may leave
more room for a fuller mouthfeel.
The Whiskey Wash explains,
"[The barrels of John E Fitzgerald VSR] were not chill-filtered […] [so the whiskey]
retains more of the natural esters and fatty acids [during the aging process, culminating
in a] richer mouthfeel] [...] [with notes of] cocoa and vanilla."
Spending its final year of aging in Madeira wine casks originally found on the Madeira
islands off the coast of Portugal, Angel's Envy bourbon clocks in at 100 proof.
As a result, The Whiskey Wash says,
"[This gives the bourbon] "deeper wood notes and an extra layer of complexity."
And if you ask Angel's Envy what makes aging in Madeira casks unique is that prior to holding
bourbon, they stored Madeira wine.
As the wine aged, the casks were heated, throwing residual flavors into this bourbon that should
recall sherry and tawny port wines.
"Cheers."
As far as aroma, texture and flavor, Angel's Envy says,
"[The nose should be reminiscent of] caramelized banana, brown sugar, freshly baked raisins,
almonds, and faint cherry [...] [while the palate should detect] notes of toasted oak,
grass, smoke, leather, chocolate, and dried cherries [...] [resulting in a finish that]
[...] lingers with notes of almond and hazelnut."
Named after the Texas Military Institute, also known as "The Castle," Milam & Greene's
Castle Hill Series 13-Year-Old Bourbon is a blend of whiskeys created by master blender
Heather Greene.
With only 20 barrels put into circulation, this rare bourbon runs at "a suggested retail
price of $119.99" but can fetch up to $350 on the secondary market.
All things considered, considering the scarcity of this spirit, the price is reasonable relative
to other rare bourbons, especially compared to any variety bearing the name "Van Winkle."
If you can get your hands on this stuff, then Milam & Greene has notes for you,
'[Expect scents of] "vanilla, almond, citrus, chocolate, oak, and tobacco" [on the nose
upon opening] [...] [while tasting spice and traditional] "bourbon sweetness" [as it glides
to a warm finish on the palate.]"
A truly rare whiskey, it's actually the most limited of Milam & Greene's boutique offerings.
"Alcohol is a way of life.
Alcohol is MY way of life, and I aim to keep it!"
Arguably one of the best bourbon distilleries on the planet, Buffalo Trace continues churning
out hits barrel after barrel.
For its George T. Stagg offering, it placed a minimum of 15 years on the bourbon's barrel aging.
In addition, this whiskey comes to the consumer straight out of the barrel.
As far as tasting notes,
"[Buffalo Trace guarantees a taste that is] powerful, flavorful, and intense [with] toffee
sweetness and dark chocolate, hints of vanilla, fudge, nougat, and molasses."
And these notes seem to resonate.
Renowned whiskey taster Jim Murray claimed,
"[The George T. Stagg] is one of the whiskeys of the year, easily."
As an annual release, the George T. Stagg variety from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection
continues dominating the rare bourbon scene, banking on a history that's draped with gold
medals and a bottle on the secondary market that can go for $1,299.
In April 2022, Midleton Very Rare, an aptly named line of whisky based in Ireland, released
its third and most sought-after entry to date in its Silent Distillery collection of scarce spirits.
Chapter Three is a whisky blend aged in oak bourbon barrels and then finished in a sherry cask.
Chapter Three combines two whiskies, both produced in 1973 and then mixed before bottling.
As part of a collection of special releases to celebrate the run up to the 200th anniversary
of the Old Midleton Distillery, the nose offers hints of cherries, muscovado sugar, oak, leather,
pipe tobacco, with a taste suggesting elements of pistachio, hazelnuts, herbs, and peppermint.
Each bottle comes in an individually numbered, hand-blown glass decanter bottle made by Ireland's
famous Waterford Crystal concern, placed inside a handmade wooden box made from Burr Elm.
Midleton prepared only 97 bottles of Chapter Three.
In June 2022, InternetWines had only one 700 milliliter bottle of the 111.4 proof spirit
left to sell, and at a steep cost of $42,999.99.
Since 2009, Redemption Whiskey has operated out of an old and disused Seagram's distillery
in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and bottled in small batches in Bardstown, in the traditional bourbon
hotbed of Kentucky.
Redemption's operators got their hands on some spirits committed to barrels by Seagram's
back in 1978, and in 2017, they finally released the resulting bourbon to the public.
Alongside an 18-year-old rye, Redemption 36-Year-Old Bourbon comprises the Redemption Ancients Collection.
Each bottle is hand-poured, adorned with leather cords, and includes a wood stopper that contains
a real penny minted in 1978, around the time the bourbon was first distilled.
Only four barrels of what would become the 36-Year-old bourbon ever existed, so when
it was divided up into bottles, there wasn't much to go around.
Only 18 bottles of the product were made, which is said to have a taste hinting at cinnamon,
anise, smoke, and dried orange.
The initial suggested liquor store price was $1,200.
More than five years after its debut, a bottle of the Redemption 36-Year-Old can fetch around
$42,000 on the secondary market.