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otheby’s New York is pleased to announce Whisky & Whiskey | Aged Single Malt and Legendary Bourbon, a sale showcasing some of the world’s most distinguished and highly prized spirits. Leading the auction is the extraordinarily rare and highly coveted Blackhawk 18 Year Old 121 Proof, among the highest proof whiskey ever released by Stitzel-Weller Distillery.
This sale also presents an unparalleled selection of ultra-aged whiskies, with numerous lots exceeding 35 years in age and extending to 77 years. Highlights include bottlings from legendary names such as The Macallan, Bowmore, The Dalmore, Karuizawa, Hibiki, Glenfiddich, and Midleton.
Beyond the extraordinary whiskies, the auction also features one of the most coveted names in Chinese spirits, the iconic “Sun Flower” Kweichow Moutai Early 1970s "葵花牌"貴州茅台酒. With ten bottles offered, all bearing U.S. tax strips, this represents an exceptionally rare opportunity for collectors to acquire a legendary expression of Moutai - the best in the category.
Furthermore, the Legendary Bourbon portion of this sale presents many of the most envied releases from Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Prohibition era bottlings produced by former titans of the spirits industry, a choice selection of highly delectable Wild Turkey from different eras in its history, and bottlings from distilleries that are now defunct.
Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the famed Stitzel‑Weller Distillery released its signature wheated bourbon under a select number of private‑label programs. Among the earliest and most elusive of these expressions is the Very Very Old Fitzgerald Blackhawk 18 Year Old, bottled at a whopping cask strength of 121 Proof.
Equally noteworthy and produced in even smaller quantities than the standard Old Fitzgerald lineup, the Very Old Fitzgerald 8 Year Old editions were crafted for private clients and prestigious establishments. Bottled at the same 100 proof as Essex Club, these whiskies are composed entirely of Stitzel‑Weller distillate from what many regard as the distillery’s golden era.
Label reads: "This celebrated old whiskey was bottled at its original barrel proof of 121 proof for chief Blackhawk and his associates, Arthur M. Wirtz, William W. Wirtz, Arthru M. Wirtz, Jr."
Key facts about this bottle:
–This is the second time in history this bottle has appeared at auction.
–One of the rarest and most sought-after bottles of bourbon ever released, this was a private bottling exclusively for the Wirtz family, owners of the Chicago Blackhawks NHL team as well as the alcohol distributor, Wirtz Corporation.
–No "Blackhawk" bottlings were ever made available for public sale, rather, it is presumed these bottles were gifted to close family, friends and associates of the Wirtz family.
–There are three extremely rare bottlings in the "Blackhawk" series, made up of this 18 Year Old (distilled in 1950), a 15 Year Old (also distilled in 1950) and a 12 Year Old, distilled in 1951.
–Produced when Old Fitzgerald was the flagship brand of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, led by Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle, they refused to bottle Old Fitzgerald at anything less than the "Bottled in Bond Act of 1897" minimum of 100 proof. This "Blackhawk" 18 was bottled at 121 Proof and is amongst the highest proof whiskey ever released by Stitzel-Weller.
This sale features numerous bottlings of some of the oldest age-statement whiskies ever released across multiple categories, including both Scotch and Irish whiskies, not least of which is the Bowmore 50 Year Old, a release of only 339 bottles distilled in 1969 and aged in both ex-Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks.
This immaculate sale also offers 50 year old releases from Glenfiddich and The Dalmore, as well as Chapter No.'s 1 & 2 from Midleton's Old Silent Distillery series. In addition, a multiude of Single Malt Scotch whiskies aged in excess of 40 years are featured, including The Balvenie Vintage Cask #1236, a 45 year old release, and The Glendronach Single Cask 43 Year old, distilled in 1972 and of which only 414 bottles were produced using a Pedro Ximenez sherry butt.
The Japanese whisky highlights of this sale are not to be overlooked, and leading the way is an assorted array from the Geisha series distilled at the demolished Karuizawa distillery and bottled by Elixir Distillers in London. Also featured are 35 and 30 year old releases from Hibiki distillery bottled in artisan Japanese ceramic, making them a true standout amongst any collection.
Also from Asia, leading this sale is 10 bottles of Kweichow Moutai “Sun Flower” 1974 and a bottle of Flying Fairy from 1989. “Sun Flower” Moutai has significant history not just in the lore of Moutai distillery, but China as a nation, as the “Sun Flower” replaced “Flying Fairy” for the export branding during the cultural revolution. “Sun Flower" Moutai was first introduced in 1969, with the last batch being released to the market around 1983.
Ever the stalwart of whisky collecting, this sale features multiple bottlings from The Macallan boasting age statements of 40 Years or more. This includes the iconic James Bond 60th Anniversary Collection complete with it's original briefcase, three releases from the Red Collection, and Tales of The Macallan Volume I, a 71 year old release distilled in 1950 and bottled in a Lalique crystal decanter.
The sale includes numerous whiskeys bottled before, during, and shortly after national Prohibition, which lasted from 1920-1933, and features coveted bourbon and rye from the best-known distilleries of the era. Not only were these whiskeys distilled over 100 years ago, but distilleries incorporated more diverse forms of production, including a wider array of grain fermentation methods, the grain itself is completely different the grain we grow today, and the stills used are from a bygone era of industrial engineering. These pre-prohibition whiskeys can never truly be recreated, making them cherished by collectors, drinkers, and enthusiasts alike.
Highlights include bottles produced by the George T. Stagg Co., American Medicinal Spirits, and J.B. Beam.
Located in Lawrenceburg, KY, Wild Turkey is one of the oldest and most highly-revered distilleries amongst bourbon collectors. Often overlooked even by aficianados, Wild Turkey bottlings from the 1990s and earlier have garnered a cult following and are prized as some of the best bottles one could open for a special occasion. Like many legendary Kentucky Distilleries, the brand's origins are over a hundred years old but has changed names, ownership, and location thoughout its history.
Wild Turkey's origins can be traced back to 1855 and a wholesale grocer named Austin Nichols, whose name has graced many Wild Turkey releases throughout the decades. The name comes from Wild Turkey Hill, on which there's been a distillery since 1850, and first appeared in 1940 as an independent Austin Nichols label. It wasn't until 1971 that Austin Nichols bought the Boulevard Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY, shed its barrel sourcing roots, and became one of the "Big Six" brands we know today. This sale offers the rare opportunity to purchase bottlings from multiple eras of Wild Turkey.
