Chicago-based Unicorn Auctions has completed one of the most consequential American whiskey auctions ever assembled, with the rare “Binny’s 18” Van Winkle bottle selling for more than $80,600. The sale represents a staggering jump from the bottle’s original retail price of just $113 when it was released in 2003.
The “Binny’s 18” served as the auction’s headline lot. It is widely regarded as one of the five most sought-after bourbon bottles ever produced.
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The unfiltered, barrel-proof Stitzel-Weller bourbon was distilled in June 1985. Chicago-area retailer Binny’s Beverage Depot selected the barrel in 2003.
Another lot with deep Chicago roots also drew significant attention. The Twisted Spoke 16 Year Bourbon, another Van Winkle private barrel selection, sold for more than $18,400.
That bottle was originally selected for the Twisted Spoke, a beloved Chicago bar that permanently closed last year after an epic 30-year run.
Both bottles date back to the early 2000s. That era saw several of the most valuable private barrel Van Winkle bottlings in history produced for Chicago bars and retailers.
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The auction featured additional historically significant releases beyond the two Chicago-connected lots. One of only three known Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year bottles sold for more than $12,000.
The Twisted Spoke bottling holds a unique distinction in the Van Winkle catalog. It is the only Van Winkle private bottling ever done at exactly 16 years old and 105 proof.
It also stands as one of the few fully custom private-label bourbons ever bottled by Willett, the Kentucky distillery that has produced spirits for various brands over the decades.
The results underscore the continued strength of the American whiskey secondary market, particularly for bottles tied to the Van Winkle name. Private barrel selections from the early 2000s have become increasingly prized among collectors as awareness grows around the Stitzel-Weller distillery’s historic output.
Unicorn specializes in rare spirits auctions and has established itself as a key player in the American whiskey collecting space. The platform has facilitated numerous high-profile sales of allocated and vintage bourbon in recent years, contributing to the broader surge in whiskey auction activity across the United States.
