A private barrel selection bottling of Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon sold for £166,000 (US$209,462) at a charity auction in London Sunday, July 12.
“This is the highest price ever paid at an auction for a single barrel of Bourbon anywhere in the world, far exceeding previous records,” said Justin Sloan, Co-Founder of Justins’ House of Bourbon and the world’s foremost expert on rare and exclusive Kentucky Bourbon.
In total, Michter’s-related items and experiences raised £215,450 (US$271,859) for 50 Best for Recovery, an auction benefiting the global hospitality industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the private barrel, the Louisville-based whiskey distiller donated several unique experiences and extraordinary bottles to raise money for the charity drive, which was organized by William Reed, the parent company of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars.
“Michter’s is committed to doing everything possible to support bar and restaurant professionals during this unimaginably difficult time,” said Matt Magliocco, Michter’s Executive Vice President, adding, “While we do not offer private barrel selections as a standard policy, we made an exception for this immensely important initiative. The results are a testament to the global community of Michter’s collectors, who stepped up massively to support the hospitality sector in its period of greatest need. We commend the organizers of 50 Best for Recovery for their extraordinary efforts to make this auction so impactful.”