After a year of falling prices on the bourbon secondary market, falling to the tune of just over eleven percent over the course of 2024 according to the Bourboneur Secondary Market Index, low and behold rare bottles are still rare bottles and they still cost more than you or I will probably ever be willing to pay to attain one. Absent of course selling off a kidney on the black market (P.S. the interwebs suggest that’ll fetch you a cool $200k…not advised however), taking out a second mortgage on your home…have you seen the rates?!? (pass)…or coming into some money from your great uncle Bob, who was as crazy as the day is long, most of us aren’t laying hands on any of these. Today’s post is dedicated to a review of some of the most spendy bottles on the secondary market and some interesting details on each.
With this release being comprised of only 18 bottles from a single barrel, it is one of the rarest and most elusive bourbons out on the market. Of the 18 bottles, the rumor is that one broke in transit, one was opened for a dinner party in February of 2020, one was drunk at a bar in San Antonio Texas the year before last, and perhaps one other was drunk at another undisclosed bar, leaving 14. It’s likely that ten or fewer exist overall and the last “in search of” or “ISO” post I saw on this bottle had an asking price of $80,000!!! Other sought after OFC vintages include 1982, 1983 and 1985 which collectively share less than 200 bottles between them!
Old Rip Van Winkle is a legendary name in the bourbon world, known for its high-quality and high-proof whiskeys. The 25 Year is the oldest and rarest expression of the brand, released in 2017 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the partnership between Julian Van Winkle III and the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Only 710 bottles were made, each hand-numbered and encased in a silver box. The suggested retail price was $1,800, but the secondary market value is much higher, with this bottle currently averaging $38,400 according to the Bourbon Blue Book®.
Thirty what? Six? Yes, thirty-six years old! As a part of the Seagram's "Ancients" lineup this bourbon pushes the limits of the possible and is perhaps one of the oldest to ever be released by anyone. As we all know, as the juice sits in the barrel year by year, it gives up an increasing amount of the "angels share" to evaporation; over the course of nearly four decades of sitting in the wood that doesn't leave much...in fact, from four barrels only 18 bottles were what was produced. A typical barrel yields around 200 bottles...so the angels had more than their fair share you might say! A unique aspect of this bottling as well is that they are sealed with a 1978 U.S. penny marking the year in which the juice hit the barrel. The presumed value for this bottle is around $36,000
Produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery, this bourbon is the oldest expression in the Eagle Rare portfolio, aged for 25 years. Like the other Eagle Rare expressions, the 25-year-old bottling is based on Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill #1. Only 200 bottles in total were produced, making it very extra unicorny. According to the Bourbon Blue Book® the scant few bottles that have traded hands given the low number even in existence, are averaging $34,000 per bottle…only…yeah, could you pour me 1/25 of an ounce please, thanks.
So, I know there’s a TON of great bourbon out there, but Michter’s 20 just has this certain alure to it and is the “if I was going to spend stupid money on a bottle this would be it bottle.” 2012 marked the first release of Michter’s 20-year-old bourbon (and the third release of “ultra-aged premium” brownwater by the company). This bottle comes from sourced stocks, and in line with Michter’s mantra of “it’ll be released with its ready and not a moment sooner.” The Bourbon Blue Book® puts its value at $24,500 in the current market.
Colonel Edmund Hayes Taylor Jr. was known to use a technique in the late 1800’s for making "Old Fashioned Sour Mash” whiskey. Edmund Hayes Taylor Jr. This technique involved allowing the mash to sour naturally for a certain number of days before being distilled. With this bottling being barreled in 2002, and bottled in 2012, it embodies a modern replication of this old-fashioned method. Using Taylor's original sourcing process, this bourbon is suggested by some to be “like none other available today.” Between the combination of the technique, winning the 2012 Gold Medal as one of the fifty best bourbons, and the extremely limited nature of the release this bottle is nearly impossible to find. Unsurprisingly it comes with a price tag to match, with the last few that have traded hands on the secondary averaging $11,330 according to the Bourbon Blue Book®.
Bottled at cask strength, only 225 bottles of William Heavenhill Signature were produced by Heaven Hill to commemorate what would have been William Heavenhill's 225th birthday. The 225 bottles were aged for 225 months and retailed for around $500 when they were released in 2008. Expect a bottle of this juice to set you back $9,400 according to the Bourbon Blue Book®.
In closing, our review of these seven bourbon unicorns has highlighted the allure and mystique of these rare spirits…not to mention the jaw dropping figures associated with the price of ownership! These unicorns, however, are more than just collectible bottles; they embody the artistry, tradition, and innovation that make bourbon America’s spirit – and when and if I win the lottery, I’ve got a list now to check off for filling my top shelf in the garage bar! Cheers!
Data matters and having up-to-date and reliable information to make informed decisions about buying, selling or trading coveted bottles of brownwater is critical. The secondary market doesn’t stand still and neither do we in cataloguing and providing the web’s most accurate, reliable and up-to-date pricing around. As new bottles hit the market, their pricing changes daily…finding a ceiling, and eventually a floor. The market shifts up and down, commensurate with the economy – with the bourbon secondary market down just over ten percent year-to-date. If you’re looking for a resource that’s based on real data grounded in actual sales on the secondary market, is updated regularly, and has values for over 5,500 bottles and growing at your fingertips, you need to look no further than the Bourboneur App for iOS and Android. The app does require a paid subscription, only $3 per month or $25 a year, which easily pays for itself!
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