Kentucky Launches Inaugural Online Auction for Confiscated Bourbon, Featuring Rare Bottles for Holiday Season

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Bluegrass State is set to launch its first-ever online auction of confiscated alcohol, offering bourbon enthusiasts a unique opportunity to acquire limited-edition bottles for the upcoming holiday season. This auction will feature hard-to-find bourbons including two bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle, a Blanton’s Single Barrel Gold with Japanese markings, and a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch Barrel Strength 2011.

This auction is the result of a new Kentucky law that permits the sale of alcohol confiscated during closed criminal investigations by the state’s alcoholic beverage control agency. Online bidding begins Wednesday, with the auction set to close at midnight on December 11. Proceeds from the auction will support responsible alcohol use programs and awareness initiatives aimed at youth.

“This is a really good auction,” stated Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. “There are some hard-to-find and rare bottles on there.” Although no specific revenue estimates for the auction have been released, Gregory and others are optimistic about the turnout.

Allyson Taylor, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, noted that they are already planning additional auctions for 2025, inspired by the response they anticipate for this inaugural sale. The auction features 32 distinct bottles, including a “stock the bar” bundle comprising various types of alcohol such as wine, vodka, rum, and whiskey.

The rarer bourbons are expected to capture the attention of collectors and enthusiasts. Gregory highlighted, “It’s not every day you go to a liquor store and find a bottle of Blanton’s Gold. You never go to a liquor store and find a bottle of Four Roses 2011.” Other notable selections in the auction lineup include bottles of E.H. Taylor bourbon, Blanton’s Single Barrel, Eagle Rare 10 yr., Weller Antique 107, Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Rye, and an Old Forester gift set.

Potential bidders should note that while the auction is online, all winning bidders must pick up their items in Frankfort, as the auction prohibits shipping. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association emphasized that this initiative makes it possible to save good bourbon that, prior to this law change, would have been destroyed.

With Kentucky being the world’s leading producer of bourbon, supplying 95% of the global market, this auction is being poised as a “can’t miss opportunity” for bourbon aficionados.