Historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery Partners With Colman Domingo to Auction Its Rarest Bourbon Ever

(Photo: Diageo)

I.W. Harper on Thursday unveiled a 34-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the oldest and rarest bottling in the brand’s 150-year history. Only 11 bottles of the bourbon exist, and five of them will be auctioned through Sotheby’s in New York between July 24 and Aug. 7, with proceeds benefiting Native Son, a nonprofit supporting Black queer men.

The whiskey was distilled in 1989 at the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery and aged for 34 years before being bottled at a cask-strength 63.1% ABV, the release comes from four barrels. The brand estimates the starting value will be $3,000-$5,000 per bottle.

The launch is in partnership with actor and director Colman Domingo, who helped shape the release as a personal expression of legacy and representation.

(Photo: Sekou Luke)

“As a Black queer man, I know how vital visibility, support, and community are,” Domingo said in a news release. “Choosing Native Son as the charity partner was intentional—it reflects the same values we’re honoring through the whiskey: legacy, cultural expression, and creating space to be seen and celebrated.”

Diageo Director of American Whiskey Development Nicole Austin said the project has been years in the making.

“These barrels were marked for I.W. Harper all those years ago, and I’ve been waiting for the right moment to do something truly meaningful with them,” Austin said. “This release is the rarest in the brand’s history—a liquid that’s been carefully stewarded for 34 years.”

The limited-edition offering includes packaging designed by Brooklyn-based creative Michelle Cadore, incorporating fashion and identity into its visual presentation. The bottles will be sold exclusively through Sotheby’s, which emphasized the historical and collectible significance of the release.

“Exceptionally well-aged, bottled at cask strength, and five of only 11 in existence, it’s the kind of release collectors dream about,” said Zev Glesta, spirits specialist at Sotheby’s. “What makes it even more special is that the proceeds will go directly to Native Son.”

Founded by Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, I.W. Harper has longstanding ties to Black culture in America. The 34-Year-Old release continues that legacy while spotlighting cultural representation.

Bids for the bourbon can be placed at Sothebys.com through August 7.