Chicago-based auction house Unicorn has launched one of the most significant American whiskey auctions ever assembled, shining a light on a pivotal chapter of the city’s bourbon history. The auction, which opened on Sunday and runs through 26 April, has already attracted fierce bidding on its headline lots.
The centrepiece is the “Binny’s 18” Van Winkle, widely regarded as one of the five most sought-after bourbon bottles ever produced. It made its world auction debut on Unicorn in 2024, where it sold for £63,600 ($86,000).
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The bottle returns this week with an estimate of £44,000–£60,000 ($60,000–$80,000) and had already reached £55,500 ($75,100) within hours of the auction going live.
A second Chicago lot generating intense interest is the Twisted Spoke 16 Year Bourbon, another Van Winkle private barrel selection.
This bottle was originally selected for the beloved Chicago bar Twisted Spoke, which permanently closed last year after a 30-year run. Estimated at £11,000–£13,000 ($15,000–$17,500), the lot surpassed its high estimate in less than 24 hours.
Both bottles date back to the early 2000s, a period when several of the most valuable private barrel Van Winkle bottlings in history were produced for Chicago bars and retailers. That era has become a focal point for serious American whiskey collectors, and bottles from the period now command some of the highest prices at auction worldwide.
The sale also features other historically significant releases. Among them is one of only three known Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year private barrel picks ever bottled, along with the only Van Winkle private bottling ever produced at exactly 16 years old and 105 proof. A rare fully custom private-label bourbon bottled by Willett, one of only a handful ever made, is also included.
The American whiskey auction market has grown considerably in recent years, with private barrel selections and single-barrel bottlings from celebrated distilleries attracting particular attention from collectors. Van Winkle bottles, produced in limited quantities and tied to the storied Pappy Van Winkle brand, consistently rank among the most coveted lots at auction globally.
Bidding on all lots remains open through 26 April.
