Dank cellars are a gold mine for some drinkers. Rather than opening a bottle of wine — or, in some cases, a can of beer — right away, some hobbyists let their alcohol sit on racks for many years to develop complex flavors. And for Americans in particular, one of the most popular collectible beverages is bourbon.
Collecting bottles of the corn-based American whiskey became a common hobby during the so-called “bourbon boom” of the 21st century, but some of the most coveted bottles date back much earlier. And while the boost in sales has waned and the American whiskey category now faces an oversupply, the prices for allocated bourbons keep climbing higher.
This year’s most expensive bourbon, for example, sold for over $10,000 more than last year’s top seller. While the rest of the bourbon industry struggles in the face of low demand, the rising prices for highly allocated bottlings suggests the allure of collectible bourbon shows no signs of slowing down.
From pre-Prohibition whiskeys to special releases, here are the most expensive bourbons in the world right now, according to Wine Searcher.
10. A.H. Hirsch Reserve 17 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Pennsylvania, USA
A.H. Hirsch Reserve 17 comes from a historic line of whiskies. In 1974, Adolph Hirsch commissioned a 400-barrel batch of whiskey from a distillery in Schaefferstown, Penn. The whiskies aged untouched for 15 years, until the distillery ceased production in 1989 amid a slump in American whiskey consumption. Hirsch then moved the barrels to Kentucky, where they finished aging and were eventually bottled at 17 years old. The historic lore, coupled with the storied quality of the whiskey, resulted in some of the most coveted bottles of bourbon to date.
- Average price: $28,801
- ABV: 47.8%
- Tasting notes: Toffee, oak, rye spice
9. Old Rip Van Winkle Selection 17 Year Old Pot Stilled Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, USA
Casked in 1974 and bottled in 1991 by Julian Van Winkle III, this rare pot stilled Old Rip Van Winkle expression is believed to have been produced at the historic Old Boone Distillery. Originally intended for the Japanese market, this impressive 17-year-old bottling was later released in limited quantities as part of the sought-after Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve line.
- Average price: $29,086
- ABV: 47.8%
- Tasting notes: Vanilla, dried fruit, aged oak
8. Old Stagg 19 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, USA
This bourbon from the original George T. Stagg Distillery — now Buffalo Trace — in Frankfort, Ky. was distilled in 1914 and bottled in 1933 as a medicinal whiskey, a unique time capsule of how some distilleries continued production during Prohibition. Buffalo Trace has since revived the Old Stagg label as part of its Prohibition Collection.
- Average price: $31,746
- ABV: 50%
- Tasting notes: Oak funk, rye spice, citrus zest
7. Redemption 36 Year Old Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey, USA
Redemption debuted this high-age-statement bourbon as part of its lineup called “The Ancients” in 2017. With just 18 bottles released to the market, this 36-year-old, cask-strength bourbon is one of the most exclusive bottlings out there.
- Average price: $35,999
- ABV: 48.8%
- Tasting notes: Dried citrus, baking spices, smoke
6. Old Rip Van Winkle ‘Van Winkle Special Reserve’ Corti Brothers 19 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, USA
Produced at the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery in 1975, this wheated bourbon was distilled specifically for Corti Brothers, a legendary grocery store in Sacramento. When it came time to bottle the whiskey in 1994, Darrell Corti convinced Van Winkle III to package it in a cognac-style decanter.
- Average price: $35,000
- ABV: 45.7%
- Tasting notes: Peach skin, toffee, pepper
5. Old Rip Van Winkle ‘Blue Smoke’ 18 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, USA
Van Winkle III produced this ‘Blue Smoke’ bottling exclusively for Danny Meyer’s New York City barbecue restaurant of the same name in 2003. The origin of this whiskey has never been confirmed, though most collectors and inspectors speculate it came from Stitzel-Weller.
- Average price: $45,998
- ABV: 46.3%
- Tasting notes: Espresso, toasted nuts, oak
4. Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, USA
Production of this coveted wheated bourbon began in 1989 at the now closed Van Winkle family distillery in Shively, Ky., before Sazerac relocated it to Buffalo Trace in 2002. After 25 years in barrel, the whiskey finished its maturation in stainless steel for three years before bottling. Only 710 bottles of this expression were released.
- Average price: $46,428
- ABV: 50%
- Tasting notes: Oak, dark fruit, chocolate
3. Old Rip Van Winkle ‘Twisted Spoke’ 16 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, USA
The label for Old Rip Van Winkle’s ‘Twisted Spoke’ expression is unlike any other in its lineup. Van Winkle III bottled this whiskey in 1999 for the notorious biker-themed Chicago bar of the same name, which closed in 2025.
- Average price: $43,628
- ABV: 52.5%
- Tasting notes: Oak, cinnamon, cherry, vanilla
2. Old Rip Van Winkle Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, USA
This is an ultra-rare expression of Old Rip Van Winkle’s bottled-in-bond expression produced in 1916 and released in 1934. At the time, the label’s whiskeys were produced in Kentucky before they were aged in a Missouri warehouse and bottled in pint-sized decanters.
- Average price: $57,301
- ABV: 50%
- Tasting notes: Caramel, vanilla, dark fruit
1. Society of Bourbon Connoisseurs 20 Year Old Cask Proof Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, USA
If you thought the most expensive bourbon had nothing to do with the Van Winkle name, think again. There is no Society of Bourbon Connoisseurs — Van Winkle III created the lofty title specifically for this label of 20-year-old cask strength bourbons he produced for the Japanese market.
- Average price: $64,356
- ABV: 53.5%
- Tasting notes: Molasses, toffee, nuts, dried fruit
