The Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet has announced the second auction of bourbons confiscated by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), with proceeds benefitting alcohol responsibility programs across the Commonwealth.
“This auction has raised nearly $10,000 to fund alcohol responsibility events for our youth,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “By repurposing these funds, we’re helping Kentucky high school graduates celebrate legally and responsibly in an alcohol-free environment and providing alcohol education at eleven Kentucky college campuses.”
The online auction opens September 15 and closes at midnight on Sept. 30. A link to this year’s online auction will be available at the ABC.ky.gov on Sept. 15.
Auction items cannot be shipped and winning bidders must pick up items in Frankfort on Oct. 2, 3 or 5 in conjunction with Frankfort’s annual “Bourbon on the Banks” event.
The auction includes 70 bottles of bourbon, some of which are highly collectible. A full list of sale items will be posted on ABC’s website by Sept. 15. This year’s bourbon auction highlights include:
• Five bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle 10-Year;
• Eight-bottle set of Blanton’s Single Barrel with each letter included;
• Four-bottle set of E.H. Taylor including Small Batch, Sour Mash, Barrel Proof and Single Barrel;
• Four-bottle set of Weller including Special Reserve, 107 Antique, Single Barrel and 12-Year;
• Bottle of Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel; and
• Bottle of Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel.
“We have some unique bottles of bourbon in our sale this year, and we are excited to offer these to Kentucky bourbon enthusiasts,” said ABC Commissioner Scotty Tracy. “We are proud of our partnerships including Project Graduation and the college campus initiative Responsible Alcohol and Substance Misuse Education (RASME), two important programs that provide alcohol education to Kentucky students.”
The auction is possible by a state law that allows products confiscated from closed criminal investigations conducted by the ABC to be auctioned.
In April 2024, Gov. Beshear signed House Bill 439, expanding the Malt Beverage Education Corp., which funded Project Graduation events, to become the Alcohol Wellness and Responsibility Education (AWARE) board.
The AWARE board’s mission is to provide grants to Kentucky high schools, colleges, universities and outside organizations to support alcohol responsibility programs. House Bill 439 also gave the ABC the ability to dispose of alcoholic beverages through public auction.
For more information on the AWARE Board, visit ABC.ky.gov.
Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet