FRANKFORT, Ky. — If you’re on the hunt for elusive Kentucky bourbon bottles to celebrate the festive season or enhance your collection, get ready to participate in an exciting event. The state of Kentucky is set to kick off its inaugural online auction featuring seized alcoholic beverages.

Among the whiskeys available for bidding are two coveted bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle, a Blanton’s Single Barrel Gold packaged with Japanese markings, and a Four Roses Small Batch Barrel Strength from 2011.

This auction is made possible by a recent legislative change in Kentucky that permits the auction of alcohol confiscated during closed criminal cases by the state’s alcoholic beverage control agency.

Bidding will commence on Wednesday and will wrap up at midnight on December 11. The funds raised from the auction are targeted to support initiatives that promote responsible drinking among adults and educational programs for young people regarding alcohol awareness.

Eric Gregory, the president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, expressed enthusiasm for the auction, highlighting the impressive selection of rare items. “This is a really good auction,” he stated. “There are some hard-to-find and rare bottles on there.”

No projections have been provided on the anticipated revenue from this auction, but Allyson Taylor, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, is optimistic about the potential turnout and is already planning for additional auctions in 2025.

This auction includes a total of 32 bottles and offers a “stock the bar” bundle featuring various wines, vodka, rum, and whiskey, as reported by the control agency. However, the highlight remains the rare and hard-to-find bourbons.