Record-breaking whiskey sells for more than 17 times its pre-sale estimate

Pappy Van Winkle has developed a reputation as one of the world’s finest whiskies, but a recent auction at Sotheby’s has set a new record for the most expensive bottle of Pappy ever sold.

The Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was expected to fetch around $3000 prior to the sale, but in the end, it went for an amazing $52,500.

The auction attracted a lot of attention due to the rarity and quality of the drink, with multiple bidders pushing the price up to this extraordinary amount despite its already hefty pre-sale estimate.

The bottle was part of a larger auction that included thirteen other Van Winkle bottlings, which brought in a combined $396,250. The Pappy Van Winkle 15-year-old sold for $9,375, and the 20-year-old sold for $27,500, both setting records of their own.

The bottles were sold as part of the Whisky & Whiskey / Seasonal Spirits and The Yamazaki 55 collection, which brought in a total of $1,786,625. This figure, which significantly surpassed the pre-sale expectations, is a testament to the growing international interest in rare and special whiskeys from around the world.

The auction featured several other notable bottles, including Bowmore Bourbon Cask 38 Year Old, The Macallan The Red Collection 78 Year Old, and The Yamazaki 55 Year Old.

However, despite featuring some of the finest whiskeys in the world, the highlight of the night was undoubtedly the performance of the Pappy Van Winkle lot.

While bourbon has yet to achieve the status of a truly global spirit, the results of this auction demonstrate that rare and high-end bourbon is being recognized as an increasingly desirable collectable.

This growing international interest in premium bourbon will no doubt help propel the prices on the secondary market, making bourbon an increasingly valuable asset for both the collector and investor alike.