A Kentucky Priest Is Releasing an Extremely Rare Bourbon — and 2 Bottles Are Already Reserved for Pope Francis and Shaquille O’Neal

Kentucky priest Father Jim Sichko has reserved two bottles of his rare Willett barrel pick bourbon for Pope Francis and Shaquille O’Neal. (Photo: Father Jim Sichko)

Father Jim Sichko, a Kentucky priest known for gifting multiple bottles of whiskey to Pope Francis, is releasing his own bourbon barrel pick. Only 125 bottles of the whiskey, which is from Willett Distillery, are being made available. Two are already reserved for the pope and former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.

Sichko is releasing the barrel pick to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis.

“As a Papal Missionary of Mercy and one who always brings Pope Francis a bottle of bourbon on my visits, this is a true honor for me and I am grateful for Willett Distillery, the Willett family and especially Willett’s Master Distiller Drew Kulsveen,” Sichko said.

Sichko wanted his barrel pick to be a special and memorable one. It was for that reason he landed on Willett, a Kentucky distillery that doesn’t often partake in barrel picks.

Sichko had some trouble connecting with Willett until Julian Van Winkle patched him through to Willett Master Distiller Drew Kulsveen.

Sichko joined Kulsveen at Willett for the selection process. He invited along a group that included Lexington Bishop John Stowe; Delta Airlines Vice President Tim Mapes; Vice President for the Atlanta Braves Jim Allen; Matt Morris, a friend of Sichko’s who works for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

While sampling various Willett barrel-proof samples, Sichko revealed the inebriation he experienced caught him off guard.

“All of the others are huge bourbon connoisseurs and then there’s me,” Sichko told the Lexington Herald-Leader. “My bishop said, ‘wow, it’s big and bold and robust’ and another said ‘look how dark it is.’ And the Delta vice president said ‘what a nose.’

“I’m the host, I’m with my boss and with Delta Air Lines which has underwritten me for the past two years … and I’m wasted.”

The selection was unanimous: a barrel filled in January 2013 stored for 10 years on the fourth floor of Willett’s five-story Warehouse A in Bardstown.

Bottled at 132.6 proof, the whiskey bears the Papal Seal with the Coat of Arms of Pope Francis on its bottle. Sichko plans to deliver the first bottle to the pope and hopes he will sign it. Another bottle is also reserved. No. 34 has already been delivered to Shaq, along with a pair of custom sneakers.

Shaqs shoes I presented him! pic.twitter.com/R0ezkC18hQ

— Father Jim Sichko (@JimSichko) April 8, 2023

How You Can Get a Bottle and Drink the Same Bourbon as Pope Francis

Those hoping to buy a bottle of Sichko’s Willett barrel pick can visit www.frjims.com. Once registered, you can bid on a bottle, buy one outright for $2,000 or buy tickets to enter a raffle for a chance to win one of three bottles that were set aside.

In May, Sichko traveled to The Vatican to give the pope a bottle of bourbon signed by University of Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops. In 2018, Sichko even delivered Pappy Van Winkle to Pope Francis.

Pope Francis is known for being a fan of liquor. In 2020, he referred to scotch as “the real holy water,” and in May, he joked that he needed some tequila to help his knee feel better.

In January 2022, Sichka sold a rare bottle of 1995 O.F.C. Vintage Bourbon and a basketball blessed by the pope for $16,698 at auction. All of the funds went toward recovery in western Kentucky from a tornado that caused destruction in the area.

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