Kentucky Bourbon Benefit Raises Over $3 Million, 

Tripling Goal for Western Kentucky Tornado Relief

Auction Proceeds Donated to Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Bourbon Benefit auction of rare bottles, private barrel selections and more raised over $3 million to help ease suffering and restore hope for residents of Western Kentucky whose communities were ravaged by a tornado outbreak earlier this month.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association partnered with the Bourbon Crusaders charitable organization and Bourbon curator Fred Minnick on the six-day auction. The fundraiser culminated with a live-streamed finale Tuesday night which alone raised $1.77 million.

The total – which is expected to climb – was $3,429,203 as of mid-day Wednesday.

The www.kybourbonbenefit.com auction site is still accepting donations and businesses continue to match funds. Proceeds from the benefit are going to the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund. The state-operated fund assesses no fees on donations.

Angel’s Envy, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Diageo, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Michter’s, Rabbit Hole and Wild Turkey also donated in excess of $1 million directly to the state’s fund, and Beam Suntory gave an additional $500,000 to the American Red Cross.

Those donations bring the distilling industry’s total impact to nearly $5 million.

“The outpouring of support, care and love for Western Kentuckians is truly unparalleled in the history of Bourbon. We are forever grateful for the generosity of distillers, donors and bidders,” KDA President Eric Gregory said.

“Through this event, thousands of participants are helping lift spirits across Western Kentucky, provide new hope and create momentum for the years of rebuilding and healing ahead,” Gregory said. “This is the spirit of Kentucky shining through.”

Minnick, a best-selling author and Bourbon expert, said the auction’s success demonstrates the fabric of Kentuckians and Americans. “In life, you get a handful of moments you hope to relive in your final moments. Tuesday night was one for me,” he said.

“The only comparison I have for what happened here was going to Iraq as a soldier and experiencing the full depth of the American military coming together under one mission. My team worked with two highly professional organizations in the Bourbon Crusaders and the KDA.

“While different than my Army days, I believe the Kentucky Bourbon Benefit represented the best of America. At the core of who we are, we are a people who want to help our neighbor. And in Kentucky, our neighbors needed our help,” Minnick said.

“The response was tremendous, far beyond our wildest hopes,” said R.J. Sargent, founder of the Bourbon Crusaders. “Our members pulled out treasures from their collections and the community responded enthusiastically.

“You can see it in the auction results. These rarities attracted lots of bids, and every dollar raised is going to be used to help Kentucky.”

A total of 5,158 bidders vied for the benefit auction’s 429 lots. Bidders came from all 50 states, Washington D.C. and as far away as Puerto Rico and Guam. Kentucky, by far, led the way with nearly 1,000 registered bidders, followed by Ohio (400), Florida (250) and Texas (240).

Highlights included:

A 19-year-old barrel of Willett sold for $401,001 – which Minnick said was the highest ever paid for a full barrel of Bourbon. The Bardstown distillery then donated another barrel which was matched by the second-place bidder for a total of $802,002 raised.

A private barrel selection at Four Roses Distillery, aged 17 to 24 years, sold for $278,000. The Lawrenceburg distillery also matched the barrel to its second-place bidder, totaling $556,000. With other rare donated bottles, Four Rose’s final tally was $569,920.

Willett also had the third best-selling item: an 8-year-old barrel that sold for $143,000. Again, the distillery donated a matching barrel to the losing bidder, raising a total of $286,000 for that lot – and nearly $1.1 total from Willett’s donations alone.

A barrel experience of cask-strength Angel’s Envy went for $130,000. An Elijah Craig barrel-strength barrel sold for $77,000. Wild Turkey and New Riff private barrels sold for $45,000 and $43,000 respectively.

Nevada-based Distillery Smoke Wagon’s lot of 60 bottles of Rare and Limited Special Batch Small Batch Bourbon sold for $45,000. Smoke Wagon donated another set of 60 bottles and the runner-up matched at $45,000. Smoke Wagon also had two separate donations that went for $26,000 and $6,650, bringing the company’s tally to $122,650.

An exclusive tour and tasting experience at Castle & Key in Woodford County – combined with a private suite at Keeneland for the distillery’s annual Bourbon Stakes in 2022 – sold for $44,000.

A hand-engraved decanter of 23-year Old Rip Van Winkle, one of only 1,200 released in 2009 and donated by Preston Van Winkle, went for $44,000.

Private barrel experiences at Maker’s Mark, Old Forester, Boone County, Woodford Reserve and Jefferson’s Ocean, which donated a 300-bottle lot, all sold between $30,000 and $35,000 each.

The “Mayfield Collection” of 14 bottles recovered intact from Carr’s Steakhouse in downtown Mayfield, Ky., which was destroyed in the EF 4 tornado, sold for $69,475. Nearly all of the bottle’s brands are matching the sales prices with half of the money going to Carr’s for its 29 employees – with a combined 22 children – many of whom are now homeless.

The total amount raised from the Kentucky Bourbon Benefit will continue to climb throughout the coming days as final results are tallied, including matches from Vendome Copper & Brass, Independent Stave Company and the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA).

Auctioneer Bill Menish, founder of Menish Productions in Louisville, Ky., donated his services for the live auction and waived all of his fees. Westport Whiskey and Wine, the benefit’s official retail partner, is assisting with fulfillment.

For a list of the auctioned lots and their sales prices, visit www.KentuckyBourbonBenefit.com.

To watch the live auction call, visit Fred Minnick’s YouTube Channel.

Happy Hogmanay, or as you may know it, Happy New Year’s Eve.

Here in Scotland, Hogmanay is a celebration steeped in history and tradition. Famed across the world we sing “Auld Lang Syne” and toast the bells with whisky.

Hogmanay literally means “last day of the old year.” And what a year it’s been.

Together, we welcomed thousands of new Friends of Laphroaig with open arms. We also bid farewell to John – our Distillery Manager of 26 years – with tears in our eyes.

We added our 10-year-old Sherry Oak to the core range to cheers of delight, unbottled history with our third expression in the Ian Hunter Story, and celebrated our second ever virtual Fèis Ìle with a traditional dram in hand, all online at our #LaphroaigLive events.

None of it would’ve been possible without your Friendship.

So Happy New Year, good health and every good blessing to you.

Now it’s time to stop looking back and start looking forward to another amazing year together.

From all of us here on Islay, we hope 2022 treats you well.

Sláinte.

Inspired by our deep-rooted connection to nature, the first release in this new series is an exploration into the world of sustainable packaging. The Harmony Collection Rich Cacao brings together the worlds of chocolate and whisky in collaboration with renowned pastry chef Jordi Roca and Casa Cacao, a hotel and chocolate factory in Girona, Spain.

In homage to its chocolate influence, this single malt is presented in sustainable packaging, made using discarded husks from cacao pods in the chocolate making process.

Sustainable Innovation

A by-product in the chocolate-making process, these cacao husks would have been sent to landfill or destroyed but have now been reborn with a renewed purpose.

In Collaboration with Casa Cacao

Discover our collaboration with Casa Cacao and Jordi Roca for The Harmony Collection Rich Cacao, bringing together sustainability and chocolate.

The Macallan Distillery Experience,

The Macallan Distillers Ltd,  Easter Elchies,  Craigellachie,

Moray AB38 9RX, Scotland, +44 (0)1340 318 000

Our December 2021 auction ENDS SOON!

Place your bids (from Friday 17^th December 2021) until Sunday 2^nd January 2022.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Macallan – 50 & 57 Year Old (Lalique) 

Black Bowmore DB5 – 31 Year Old (1964)

Balvenie – 42 Year Old (Tale of the Dog)

Macallan  – 23 Year Old (Fine & Rare) 1988

Balblair – 1953 (Gordon & MacPhail)

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

The first 11 years in 1st and 2nd fill bourbon casks then the final year Oloroso sherry casks creating a seductively nutty, sweet, sherry finish.

Ideally paired with Speyside Chocolate from Chocisky.

Editor – this is one of those bottles that should always be available to pour at home.
Distilled at Balvenie Distillery and Bottled by Wm Grant, Dufftown, Scotland.

£40.00

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 419: Auchentoshan 17 Year Old 2000 The Ultimate 850^th Cask

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries yet another Auchentoshan. The Ultimate barely needs introduction. The Dutch independent bottler van Wees releases single casks under this banner, often at cask strength. Meanwhile, there are more than 1000 and in the run-up to that they released some special bottles and this one belongs in that list. This was the 850th single cask in The Ultimate, a 17-year-old Auchentoshan at 60.2% ABV. That’s why it was released in a nice box.

https://youtu.be/KbizXh47Kck