What was sold: Hard-to-find bourbons top sellers under Kentucky’s Vintage Spirits law

Kentucky legalized the sale of “vintage spirits” by private citizens to liquor stores, bars and restaurants beginning in 2018.

In the wake of the raids of high-profile vintage whiskey stores Justins’ House of Bourbon in Lexington, Louisville and Washington, D.C., the Herald-Leader wanted to find out who was buying, who was selling and what was changing hands.

Through open-records requests, the Herald-Leader compiled a database of sales reported to the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control agency.

Thousands of bottles sold under the Kentucky Vintage Spirits law were new hard-to-find bourbons such as Weller and Blanton’s rather than decades-old spirits.

The records provide a window on the thriving secondary market for bourbon. Bourbon collectors also buy from each other and trade through online forums in a largely underground ecosystem that is illegal.

Kentucky’s regulation allows for sales of up to 24 bottles in 12 months, with some exceptions, but some sold much more than that limit.

According to the state, ABC tracks vintage sales. But apparently the state did not have a database of purchases. The Herald-Leader created one based on records provided; here’s what was found:

▪ More than 1,150 purchases from January 2018 through March 2023.

▪ About 50 licensed entities (bars, restaurants, liquor retailers, festivals and events) reported purchases.

▪ At least 14,213 bottles changed hands. The most common brands sold were Blanton’s (about 2,000 bottles) and Weller (more than 2,400 bottles), accounting for more than 31 percent of all reported sales, but there were also many vintage bottles such as Jim Beam decanter sets and Pre-Prohibition whiskeys.

▪ While there were hundreds of individual sellers, the Top 25 accounted for 36 percent of all sales with almost 5,100 bottles reported from January 2018-March 2023.

According to state records, here are the top 25 sellers by volume with what they sold and to whom, as reported to Kentucky ABC.

1) 1,141 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek in Lexington from Oct 2021-March 2023 by Ryan Orahood, including Blanton’s (254), Eagle Rare (239), Weller (413), EH Taylor (117), Pappy Van Winkle 12y Lot B (2) Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked (22) among others.

2) 1,084 bottles sold to Neat Bourbon Bar and Bottle Shop in Louisville from the collections of the owners, Danie and Owen Powell, Jan 2022-Feb 2023, including Blanton’s (177), hundreds of various of bourbons including many vintage.

3) 874 bottles sold to Revival Vintage Bottle Shop by Fiduciary Services from Jan 2022-Feb 2023, including vintage bottles from various estates.

4) 367 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek by Shawne Mingua from June 2021-Aug 2022, including Weller (358) and Blanton’s (9).

5) 301 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek in November 2021 by John O. Lewis, including Blanton’s minis (240), Blanton’s (6), Elmer T Lee (12), EH Taylor Barrel Proof (12), EH Taylor Single Barrel (9), Weller Single Barrel (10), Stagg Jr. (12).

6) 198 bottles sold to Justins’ House of Bourbon in Lexington March 2019 by Tim Pearl, including Old Charter 8 Year 200 ml (38), Old Charter 8 year Old Label 375 ml (13), Old Charter 10 year 200 ml (16), Old Charter 8 year 375 ml (30), Weller Special Reserve 750 ml (12), Weller Special Reserve 1.75ml (6), Old Charter 8 year 750 ml (30), Weller SR (13), Austin Nichols Wild Turkey, Austin Nichols Wild Turkey 50ml (39).

7) 197 bottles sold to Pat’s Snack Bar in Manchester June 2021 by Jim Moore, including Blanton’s, Weller, Pappy Van Winkle, various other current bourbons and other spirits.

8) 188 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek May 2021 by Randy Gray, including Blanton’s (5), Blanton’s minis (10), Weller Special Reserve (6), Weller Antique 107 (2), Weller 12y, various others.

9) 180 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from June 2021-May 2022 by Mark Thomas, including Blanton’s Gold (14), Blanton’s Green (2), Weller (24), Buffalo Trace (106), Bourbon Cream (24), among others.

10) 150 bottles sold to Justins’ House of Bourbon from March-June 2019 by Riley Riccardo, including WL Weller Special Reserve 50ml “minis” (130), Blanton’s, Rhetoric 25, George T. Stagg 2018, Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr (5), Weller Special Reserve (3), George T. Stagg, EH Taylor Small Batch (2), Sazerac Rye, Parker’s Heritage 2018.

11) 137 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from March-June 2019 by Sarah Heady, including Blanton’s (91) Eagle Rare (6), Blanton’s 50ml (14), Woodford Double Double Oaked (4), Woodford Reserve Honey Barrel (2), Elmer T. Lee, EH Taylor Single Barrel, EH Taylor Small Batch, Hancock’s, Michter’s Toasted, Knob Creek 18

12) 133 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from Feb-May 2022 by Jonathan Hansford, including Buffalo Trace (132), Weller CYPB

13) 129 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from June 2021-March 2023 by Marty Powell, including Blanton’s Black Takara (20), Blanton’s Red Takara (18), Blanton’s (20), Blanton’s Gold (10), Blanton’s Green (9), Weller CYPB (3), EH Taylor Single Barrel (4), EH Taylor Barrel Proof, EH Taylor Straight Rye, Elmer T. Lee (16), Four Roses Super Premium (6), Pappy 13 Rye, Pappy 15 (3), Pappy 12 Lot B, Old Rip Van Winkle 10, Wild Turkey Father and Sons 13 Year, Angel’s Envy Ice Cider, Weller Full Proof (3).

14) 126 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from May-June 2021 by Joshua Shneydman, including Weller Special Reserve (108), Weller Antique 107 (12), Weller Full Proof (6).

15) 123 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from July-Nov 2021 by Chris Bethel, all Weller Antique 107.

16) 111 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from Aug 2021-June 2022 by Tim Higgins, including Blanton’s (20), Blanton’s 50ml (4), Weller (64), Elmer T Lee (4), various others.

17) 106 bottles sold to Justins’ House of Bourbon Feb 2018 by Justin Sloan, including Four Roses SB LE 2012 (12), Four Roses SB 2010 (7), AH Hirsch 16y Gold Foil (7), Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2012 (4), Rittenhouse 15y Rye (4), various assorted others, many vintage.

18) 100 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from April-Dec 2021 by Kurt Brand, including Weller (99), Rock Hill Farms.

19) 97 bottles sold to Justins’ House of Bourbon Feb 2018 by Justin Thompson, including John E. Fitzgerald 10y (5), EH Taylor Warehouse C (12), Booker’s 25th Anniversary (5), various assorted.

20) 96 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from April 2021-Aug 2022 by Shawn Keathley, including Blanton’s 50ml (60), Blanton’s (8), Weller (15), Pappy Van Winkle (3), Rock Hill Farms (6), various others.

21) 89 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from April 2022-Feb 2023 by Edward Cox, including Woodford Double Double Oaked (20), Blanton’s (16), Weller (28), Elmer T Lee (11), various others.

22) 86 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek from Jan-Nov 2022 by Mauro Avalos, including Blanton’s (35), Blanton’s Gold (12), Blanton’s 50ml (10), Weller SB, Four Roses Super Premium (6), Weller Full Proof (2), Stagg Jr (10), Rock Hill Farms (2), Stagg Jr B17 (3), Elmer T. Lee.

23) 81 bottles sold to Pat’s Snack Bar June 2022 by Charles Stivers, including Pappy Van Winkle 10y (5), Pappy Van Winkle 12y (8), Pappy Van Winkle 13y (3), Pappy Van Winkle 15y (7), Pappy Van Winkle 20y (7), Pappy Van Winkle 23y (8), Rip Van Winkle 10y stump (4), Rip Van Winkle England 10y, Rip Van Winkle Rye 12y, William Larue Weller (3), George T. Stagg (3), Thomas Handy (3), Sazarac Rye 18 (2), Eagle Rare 17, Stagg Jr (5), Old Weller stump bottles (5), Weller (15).

24) 70 bottles sold to Bourbon Creek Oct 2021 by Israel Stacy, all Blanton’s.

25) 68 bottles sold to Revival Jan 2022 by Worthwhile Estate Sales, all vintage.