Most expensive bottle?

[bourbonmed]

Listen up bourbon lovers!

Got $32,000 sitting around in some lame mutual fund?
Fire your broker and check ebay collectibles item # 1162054104.

That's the ticket for a RARE bottle of Old Spendthrift Kentucky Straight Bourbon, bottled for the owner of Seattle Slew. Seller says bottle has a value of more than twice that amount! Almost forgot, price includes hand delivery!

Hey, Mike -- if this sale in completed, would it be the single most expensive bottle in bourbon history?

Cheers,
Omar

[cowdery]

This is not the first time someone has put a bottle in play at that kind of price. More power to the seller if someone bites, but come on. There is absolutely no record of values for "collectible" American whiskey approaching that or any other level that would justify such a price. If there is a secondary market for American whiskey, its existence has eluded me.

--Chuck Cowdery (http://cowdery.home.netcom.com)

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Omar I've got a little money in a mutual fund so lame I'm tempted to shoot it, but no bottle of anything is worth that kind of money. I've got just about a pint jar left of some peach liquor I helped make last year. It cost about 32 cents to produce, but I'll sell it for $32.


Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[vasshopper]

Hi Omar
That sure is a ridiculous price but there is a sucker born every minute as P.T. Barnum was fond of saying. Hey! anybody want to buy some OLD FITGERALD 100 proof made in spring of 1972 that i bought 2 weeks ago for $12 and i'd be willing to sell for $120 a bottle. just kiddin---Life is Good--den

[jbutler]

Methinks the seller's mind as muddled as his photographs, and mayhaps his appraiser lives in his backside.
Other than that, it seems like a hell of a deal. Somebody with the BIG bucks needs to go for it.

Cheers,

Jim Butler
Straightbourbon.com

[cowdery]

I wouldn't pay $120 for OF BIB from 72, but I would willingly pay more than $12. Is there more to be had?

--Chuck Cowdery (http://cowdery.home.netcom.com)

[bourbonmed]

Chuck and Giobo:

Regarding the issue of 'alcohol' sale on internet auction sites such as ebay, most of the sellers do specify that the contents are incidental and not meant for consumption. Thus it is possible to buy sealed, 'limited edition or collector' bottles. Chuck, the Maker's Mark you mentioned is an annual limited edition (since 1997) named for the Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington. The 2001 Keeneland bottle sold out two hours after its release in Woodford and Fayette Counties (long lines), and is a hot item on ebay at the moment, one bottle has attracted 22 bids so far.

Linn, for a modest $800 you can buy 3 bottles of your favorite wheater right now -- the '97 to '99 Keenelands. See ebay item # 1613240203.

Cheers,
Omar

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by bourbonmed on 07/03/01 03:51 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Omar my favorite wheater is not MM. If you have a subscription to "The Bourbon Country Reader" you shall find out soon.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[cowdery]

Legally, I seriously doubt that the words "contents are incidental and not meant for consumption" would hold much weight if any authority wanted to prosecute someone for this type of sale. The sale of beverage alcohol without a license is illegal, period. There is no exception for "incidental" sales. The reality is that while the laws do technically prohibit this type of sale, it is not the type of thing they were enacted to prevent. If, however, it were to become widespread and someone were to decide that their ox was being gored, you can bet there would be enforcement.

I would enjoy it if someone who frequents these sales could fill us in on what is being sold and what kinds of prices people are actually paying (as opposed to what they're asking).

&lt;A HREF="http://cowdery.home.netcom.com"&gt;--Chuck Cowdery&lt;/A&gt;

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Chuck,
The law considers selling liquor without a license bootlegging whether it is 1 bottle or 100.
Mike Veach

[Giobo]

Chuck, I tried to send you a private message but I guess I got " lost in space". I have purchased six or seven bottles on ebay. In every case, the description specified, "This bottle is sold as a collectible decanter, the contents are incidental, buyer must prove he is of legal age", or words to this effect.

I have purchased decanters of Rip Van Winkle, Geo. Dickel, Evan Williams(several) and Michters, all older, full and sealed. I paid from a low of $10 to a high of $20. Shipping usually adds about $7.50 to $10 more. I use the PayPal sytem which emails the seller the correct amount and charges it to one of my credit cards. I have only had one problem when a decanter shipped via the US Post Office arrived damaged. It took three months of redtape for the sender to receive the insurance. I won't buy a bottle if the seller uses the Post Office. Other than that, I am totally satisfied with buying bourbon on the internet.

I hope this answers your question. Let me know if you need more info.
Joe Bottari (Giobo)
.

[cowdery]

Thanks, Joe. That makes sense. The prices sound like retail or less, not a premium over retail. I frequently receive inquiries from people who want to know what something is worth and I tell them to try ebay because, as a general proposition, there is no secondary market for American whiskey.

&lt;A HREF="http://cowdery.home.netcom.com"&gt;--Chuck Cowdery&lt;/A&gt;

[bourbonmed]

Chuck, regarding the secondary market:

The Makers Mark Keeneland collection is THE hot ticket right now. Keeneland bottles signed by Bill Samuels and others aren't cheap -- collectors offering $100 to $150 in recent weeks typically do NOT meet seller's reserve, but the demand is there. The 2000 Keeneland, sold as an 'empty' bottle due to a shortage of Makers last year, is tough to find. All you get is a label inside the bottle.

This year's edition is gorgeous, with a blue and white wax top honoring the Univ of Kentucky Wildcats basketball. Released April 6 in just two Kentucky (Woodford and Fayette) counties, it was sold out in two hours -- people waited in long lines to pay $42.40 for the 90 proof, one liter bottle. Was it a good investment? Good luck finding one for less than triple its April retail.

Anybody friends with Bill Samuels?

Omar

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Omar I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Samuels at the DISCUS event at Mount Vernon this past May. He was both friendly and jovial. And smart. Very, very smart. Who else could sell 'empty' bottles for such tremendous profit?

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.