Curated Spirits

The act of curation allows a collector to connect with items capable of capturing emotions. Through storytelling, it evokes a profound appreciation for craftsmanship and culture. This process, often driven by personal interest and curiosity, transforms what might initially be a hobby into a life-defining journey. Curated Spirits: The Connoisseur Collections is an anthology compiled by those compelled to experience, explore, and taste history through the bottle. Bidding will open April 17th at noon and will end April 29th on a rolling close of 30 second intervals starting at 7pm ET // 12am GMT // 1am CET //8am HKT.

A remarkable vertical consisting of one bottle of each of the first 13 Editions of Parker's Heritage Collection opens the auction. This exceptional lot is being offered without reserve. In 2007, Heaven's Hill introduced the Parker's Heritage Collection at the direction of Parker Beam, industry innovator behind brands like Elijah Craig and Evan Williams. Where this label differs from other annual releases is each year welcomes an entirely unique expression. One that not only stands apart through varied age statements, and diverse mash bills, but also by experimental finishes such as Curacao barrels. In 2013, Parker publicly revealed his diagnosis of ALS along with his intent to raise awareness and funds to combat the disease. Starting with that year's release, the "Promise of Hope", a portion of proceeds are donated to ALS research and patient care. Parker Beam passed away in 2017, but his legacy lives on through each expression and the positive change he helped establish.

No gallery is complete without a showpiece. The Dalmore 45 is truly a work of art from the Highlands distillery, and their ultimate age statement. Matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and finished in Port pipes it was released in 2018 as one of 500 decanters. The baccarat decanter is enclosed in a fittingly luxurious presentation case. The whisky inside holds up the promise of Dalmore which boasts an unparalleled skill in cask selection necessary to nurture its exceptional distillate.

Through research, persistence, and time, the collector's knowledge will surely deepen. The interconnectedness of the American Whiskey industry through the last century can be a rabbit hole, and diving into its history of bottlers, distilleries, and their master blenders is an inevitability for any interested enthusiast. A wide range of mysterious labels inserted themselves into the market in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. Many received high praise from consumers, and their limited availability led to an all-out panic by aficionados to bolster their bar shelves. Blak Maple Hill was one of the most elusive of these labels. A straightforward label of a vague forest and handwritten age statements hide the luxurious spirit within. The maestros of bottling, the Kulsveen family, sourced liquid from just about every facility in Kentucky besides their own during this period. This batch in particular was distilled and bottled by none other than Julian Van Winkle III. The 23 Year Rye, the rarest of the Black Maple Hills from this era, is marked by a silver wax top.

No stranger to collaboration, Julian also had his hand in the equally prestigious limited release: A. H. Hirsch Reserve. Along with Gordon Hue they worked to bottle and store old stock from the closed Pennsylvania distillery, Pennco. This sale offers an unfathomable variety of the highly sought-after limited release. A Gold Foil, Black Wax, Red Wax, and Blue Wax decorate this section of the sale with the whiskey referred to as "the best bourbon you'll never taste".

The result of collecting is ideally a catalogue that speaks to the individual's personal taste, growth, and passion. This listing goes on to showcase the wide world of exceptional spirits with a breadth of available bottles that is simply stunning. The offering showcases Pre-Prohibition whiskies, unearthed independent bottlings of the world's greatest single malts, top expressions from Japan, collectable rum and mezcal. Unlimited opportunities for the newcomer to explore, discover, and learn or for the connoisseur to add trophies to an already accomplished selection.