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T he history of I.W. Harper is interwoven with the history of American whiskey itself, owed to its longevity and changing of hands among giants of the industry during every era of American distilling. Despite being one of the oldest American whiskey brands in existence, it remains largely underrecognized among its peers; many afficionados have never even tasted this Kentucky whiskey, due to its being exclusively offered overseas for decades. Diageo returned the brand to the USA in 2015, and since then interest in I.W. Harper releases has grown tremendously, exemplified by Diageo’s latest release of the oldest I.W. Harper ever, an immaculate 34-year-old expression that’s making its auction debut.
To follow the arc of I.W. Harper’s history gleans an understanding of American whiskey’s chaotic history.
Isaac Wolfe Bernheim emigrated from present-day Kippenheim, Germany to the United States in 1867 at the age of 19. He spent some time in Pennsylvania before settling in Paducah, KY, where he and his brother formed a liquor-wholesale business called, naturally, Bernheim Brothers. The pair’s product quickly gained traction, and in 1879 they began marketing their whiskey as I.W. Harper for the first time. They gained further notoriety after winning a gold medal at the 1885 New Orleans Exposition and again at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.
But perhaps the key element to I.W. Harper’s longevity is its survival through Prohibition – Bernheim was awarded a rare distilling license during the shortlived ban on American drinking.
I.W. Harper’s subsequent periods are well documented: In 1888 the company moved from Paducah to Louisville, and, shortly after Prohibition ended in 1933, the brand and distillery were sold to Schenley in 1937. But what’s often left out of the story is in 1933 Isaac Bernheim sold his distillery to Leo Gerngross and Emil Schwarzhaupt, two Chicago businessmen, who in turn flipped it to Schenley Distillers Corporation in 1937, which owned the company until 1987 when Bernheim Distillery was sold to United Distillers, known today as Diageo.
In between these transactions, I.W. Harper had its moment in pop culture, crossing into both politics and entertainment. In 1959, First Secretary of the USSR Nikita Khruschev and US Vice President Richard Nixon shared glasses of I.W. Harper aboard an airplane after their famous “Kitchen Debates.” And in Ian Fleming’s James Bond novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond imbibes I.W. Harper with the antagonist syndicate boss Marc-Ange Draco. Both of these appearances immensely helped the brand achieve greater recognition in international markets, with I.W. Harper becoming particularly popular in Japan.
“This is very good whiskey, but you Americans spoil it. You put more ice in there than whiskey.”
The brand was so successful internationally that in 1990 United Distillers (Diageo) discontinued its domestic sales for 25 years. The pivot overseas proved savvy, as it helped I.W. Harper survive the “Whiskey Glut” of the late 70s through mid-90s, where a significant number of US bourbon distilleries either closed or consolidated. When I.W. Harper returned to the US in 2015, it was sourced from Heaven Hill’s prestigious New Bernheim Distillery.
Today, Isaac Bernheim’s legacy lives on in the form of Bernheim Forest & Arboretum just south of Louisville, a 16,000-acre plot of land he left in a trust to the people of Kentucky. Designed by the Frederick Law Olmstead firm and opened to the public in 1950, Bernheim Forest is the largest privately held land area in the state open for public use. Built on the site of stripped land from a mining operation, the park is beloved by Kentuckians and is frequently visited.
I.W. Harper’s history is a showcase of American whiskey’s immigrant influence, the whiskey boom of the late 1800s, the devastation of Prohibition, the glut period and the most recent boom of the past 15 years. It’s a brand that’s proven its staying power and marketability over and over again.
Tasting different I.W. Harper releases will take you on a journey of whiskey over the ages. The brand’s whiskeys from the Prohibition era, mid-20th century and today were all distilled at different distilleries by different companies using varying mash bills – and all are fantastic.
Advice given on which I.W. Harper’s are needed for a collection will differ depending on who you ask.
Prohibition-era nerds will certainly tell you to look for releases from the 1910s-30s, while many barrels that aged at Bernheim Distillery during the 60s, 70s and 80s have earned legendary reputations. And one would be remiss not to mention I.W. Harper 34 Year Old, which is among the oldest age statement bourbons ever released. Additionally, the I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask delights the palate with its barrel finishings, and you might even find bars using the standard I.W. Harper for their house Old Fashioneds and Manhattans.
It is safe to conclude that all I.W. Harper is worth getting yourself.
In the last year, Sotheby’s has auctioned I.W. Harper from nearly every era of its existence. These include single pints of whiskey from the Prohibition era for over $3,500, half gallons that many collectors consider well-kept secrets for opening to drink, Japanese releases distilled at the famed Old Bernheim, as well as bottles from nearly every decade during the 1900s.
The true highlight of them all, though, is the cask strength I.W. Harper 34 Year Old currently being offered exclusively through Sotheby’s New York. With only 11 bottles made, it is one of the oldest and rarest bourbons ever released. Selected from just four legacy barrels laid down in 1989 and matured for 34 years at the iconic Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, KY, this release is launched in collaboration with award-winning actor, director and philanthropist Colman Domingo, as both a reflection of enduring style and an intentional celebration of identity, individuality and artistic expression.
Proceeds from the sale will be donated to Native Son, a platform dedicated to empowering Black queer excellence through visibility, leadership development and community-building initiatives. The bottles are adorned by a silk scarf designed by entrepreneur Michelle Cadore of Brooklyn, NY.
As a global leader in bringing I.W. Harper to auction, Sotheby’s trusted team is on hand to support you on your collecting journey. Having sold many of the most expensive I.W. Harper examples to come to market, Sotheby’s is ideally placed to advise on collecting Van Winkle bourbon.
Trust our worldwide network of leading whiskey specialists from a globally renowned auction house with a 280-year history.
