Rare Van Winkle Bourbon Sells for $80,600 at Auction

(Photo: Unicorn Auctions)

A rare bottle of Van Winkle Bourbon has sold for $80,600 at a recent auction hosted by Unicorn Auctions, marking one of the most significant American whiskey sales in recent years.

The headline lot, Van Winkle 18 Year Special Reserve Bourbon ‘Binny’s’ Private Barrel Selection (2003), originally sold for just $113 in 2003. The bottle’s final price evidences the continued surge in demand for ultra-rare, pre-boom-era American whiskey.

The bourbon was distilled in 1985 at the now-closed Stitzel-Weller Distillery and bottled in 2003 as a private selection for Binny’s Beverage Depot, a liquor retail chain based in Illinois. Aged 18 years and bottled at barrel proof, the whiskey is notable for its 121.6 proof — making it one of the highest-proof official Van Winkle releases ever.

Released before the modern bourbon boom, most bottles of Binny’s 18 were opened and consumed rather than saved, leaving only a small number believed to remain today. Estimates suggest a total yield of around 80-100 bottles.

The release is often compared to other historic high-proof expressions, including the 1969 Very Very Old Fitzgerald Blackhawk 18 Year, due to its similar age and proof profile.

Other Rare Van Winkle Bottles Draw Strong Bids

The auction also featured several other notable Van Winkle-related bottles tied to Chicago’s bourbon scene.

A “Twisted Spoke” 16-year private barrel selection — originally chosen for the now-closed Twisted Spoke bar — sold for more than $18,400.

Another highlight included a rare bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year, one of only a handful known examples from a unique private bottling, which fetched more than $12,000.

The latest results from Unicorn Auctions reinforce how far the market has evolved, with bottles once purchased for just over $100 now commanding prices typically reserved for fine art or luxury collectibles.