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Whisky & Whiskey | The Camouflage Collection Part I
Comprising Some of the Finest and Rarest Bourbon and Rye Whiskies Ever Bottled
Bidding has opened on Sotheby’s March whiskey sale in New York, led by The Camouflage Collection Part I, comprising some of the finest and rarest bourbon and rye whiskies ever bottled, and carefully assembled by a dedicated and passionate collector over a period of many years. The collection includes numerous bottles of high-end Pappy Van Winkle, Willett Family Estate, Michter’s, Eagle Rare and many more.
The full collection consists of around 1,500 bottles, including full original cases, first editions and some of the rarest and hardest to find whiskeys – a feat only made possible by the commitment and knowledge of a connoisseur who dedicated much of his life seeking out each individual bottle. Collections of this variety and scope rarely come to market, all from a single source.
Supporting these are the finest and rarest Scotch and Japanese whiskies including The Macallan Fine & Rare 32 Year Old 1969, The Macallan 40 Year Old The Red Collection and The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara Cask.
With almost 470 lots on offer, the sale carries a combined pre-sale estimate in the region of $670,000.
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“The Camouflage Collection is a perfect example of what whiskey collecting is all about: years of dedication by a single owner in the hunt to obtain the rarest Bourbons imaginable. The rarity of these bottles combined with the exceptional provenance makes this auction out of New York truly exciting – a market-defining sale that is sure to ignite the interest of collectors.”
Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Head of Whisky & Spirits, North America and EMEA
Pappy Van Winkle – The Record-Breaking Bourbon
The Van Winkle line of whiskeys needs little introduction. Praised by celebrities and the subject of a bestselling book, it is by far the best recognized and most widely coveted whiskey in America.
One of the leading bottles is undoubtedly the Old Rip Van Winkle 23 Year Old Decanter, distilled in 1986 and one of only 1200 ever produced (lot 119, est. $12,000-16,000). Also coming from the Camouflage Collection are bottles of Van Winkle stretching back to the 2008 Release, including a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle’s 23 Year Old Family Reserve from that year (lot 118, est. $3,000-4,000). Sotheby’s recently broke records when a similar bottle sold for $52,000, more than 17 times the pre-sale estimate.
The Finest Whiskey In Louisville
The Michter’s name originated in the decades after World War II, when a Pennsylvania businessman named Lou Forman named a distillery after his sons, Michael and Peter. But the Pennsylvania whiskey industry was in a steady and terminal decline, and the distillery shut its doors in 1990. Six years later, Joseph Magliocco, the president of New York-based Chatham Imports, acquired Michter’s abandoned trademark and moved its base of operations to Kentucky.
Today, Michter’s is one of the few whiskeys to stand alongside Van Winkle at the top of the luxury market and its 20 and 25 Year Olds are considered some of the best in the business. The Camouflage Collection Part 1 includes over 40 bottles of Michter’s, from the entry level Toasted Barrel (lot 297, est. $450-600) all the way up to the ultra-rare Single Barrel Rye 25 Year Old (lot 324, est. $9,000-12,000).
Willett – The Family Estate With Unrivaled Pedigree
The Willett family traces its roots to the 1690s, when Edward Willett immigrated to Maryland from England and started making whiskey and other spirits. The family eventually moved to Kentucky, where, a few years after the end of Prohibition, Thompson Willett founded the Willett Distilling Co. outside Bardstown. The company ceased distilling in 1981; however, in 1984, Even Kulsveen, a Norwegian immigrant who had married into the family, bought the distillery.
The Camouflage Collection Part I includes over 40 bottles from the Family Estate Range, both bourbon and rye, ranging from 4 years in age all the way up to 26, including Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Rye 25 Year Old 100 Proof, lot 462, est. $4,000-6,000).
Buffalo Trace Distillery – The Whiskey Powerhouse
Whiskey distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery features heavily throughout the Camouflage Collection Part I. From Colonel E.H. Taylor to Double Eagle Very Rare, O.F.C. to William Laure Weller, the collection spans the full range and spectrum of Buffalo Trace brands, including O.F.C. Old Fashion Copper Bourbon 90 Proof 1980 (lot 330, est. 8,000-12,000), Double Eagle Very Rare 20 Year Old 90 Proof NV (lot 224, est. $8,000-12,000) and Colonel E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash 100 Proof 2002 (lot 219, est. $7,000-10,000).
Perhaps among the most iconic of all Buffalo Trace whiskies are those in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, released annually since the early 2000s. The Camouflage Collection Part I features the very first releases of George. T. Stagg and Eagle Rare, alongside a plethora of releases from all five of the whiskies which make up the collection each year.
Additional Rarities
Whilst the sale features mainly American whiskies, there are some additional highlights in the form of some of the most sought-after and collectible Scotch and Japanese Whiskies. Leading the sale, The Macallan Fine & Rare 32 Year Old 1969 and The Macallan The Red Collection 40 Year Old sit alongside notable lots from Japan, including an older release of The Yamazaki 25 Year Old and The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara Cask, named after the indigenous Japanese oak used to mature the whisky.
Last but by no means least, and for the first time ever at auction, Sotheby’s sale introduces the Redemption Rye 36 Year Old Barrel Proof – the oldest Rye ever bottled (lot 370, est. $10,000-15,000). This was released in extremely limited quantities with only 18 in total and gives collectors and drinkers the almost mythical opportunity to procure a whiskey aged for well in excess of 30 years.
About Sotheby’s Wine
Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative.
Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits achieved a record total of $150 million in 2022, a 14% increase from 2021. Sotheby’s currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most valuable bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most valuable bottle of spirits ever sold at auction, in addition to the highest ever total for a charity wine auction.
In addition to auction, Sotheby’s Wine launched a retail business in 2010. With a retail store located in Sotheby’s New York headquarters and e-commerce at www.sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Wine offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by our experienced specialists, the selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages. A second retail location opened in Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries in 2014.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.
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