Here’s How You Can Get a Barrel of Pappy Van Winkle

The damage wrought by January’s wildfires in the Los Angeles area almost defies comprehension. 

More than 50,000 acres burned. More than 16,000 structures destroyed. Tens of thousands homeless. And at least 28 dead. In the wake of the tragedy, relief and aid have come from all over the United States and the world. 

Frankfort, Kentucky, the home of the Buffalo Trace distillery, is more than 2,000 miles away from the devastation, but its parent company, Sazerac, is participating in efforts to rebuild the community — and to give a few lucky bourbon lovers a chance to acquire some of the most coveted and sought-after whiskeys in its portfolio, including the first-ever barrel of Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old to ever be offered for purchase. 

Partnering with two non-profit organizations who have been on the ground providing support throughout the crisis, Another Round Another Rally and World Central Kitchen (WCK), the brand is hosting an auction and two sweepstakes via its Sazerac California Wildfire Relief Fundraiser. 

“World Central Kitchen is excited to come together with Sazerac and their community,” said Matthew Tripsas, director of community fundraising for WCK. “Their commitment to giving back enables us to respond swiftly in times of crisis… Together, we’re making a meaningful impact where it matters.”

Beginning February 11th at 2 p.m., bidding will be live for the barrel of Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old, with the opening bid at $10,000 and increasing in $1,000 increments. The whiskey will be bottled by Buffalo Trace and the winner will receive them along with the barrel. According to the distillery, a single barrel typically yields about 125 bottles, though each barrel is unique. Given that a bottle of 15-year-old Pappy can typically sell for more than $1,000 on the secondary market, and single barrel Pappys haven’t been bottled for decades, the value of this barrel is astronomical.

For whiskeyphiles without as large a bankroll, $50 will buy a ticket to one of two sweepstakes. The first, which benefits World Central Kitchen, offers a complete set of the Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Collection — including Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year, and Pappy Van Winkle aged 15, 20, and 23 years. Also included is the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year. 

The prize in the second sweepstakes, benefitting Another Round Another Rally, is a bottle of Eagle Rare 25, the oldest bourbon ever released under the Eagle Rare banner. Aged for a quarter century and released in 2023, it’s the inaugural release from Buffalo Trace’s experimental Warehouse P, which was constructed to push the limits of the aging and maturation processes typical for American whiskey and bourbon. 

Both the Pappy Van Winkle Collection and Eagle Rare 25 are virtually impossible to find at retail (the latter was limited to 200 bottles) and have sold for more than $10,000 at auction. Entrants can, and are encouraged to, buy as many tickets as they want. To bid on the auction or enter each sweepstakes, visit the Sazerac California Wildfire Relief Fundraiser site. The deadline for all entries/bids is 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 23rd. Winners will be notified via phone and email the week of March 3. And remember, as with anything else involving alcohol, entrants must be at least 21 years of age.

According to Sazerac, all the money raised from the auction and sweepstakes will go to World Central Kitchen and Another Round Another Rally, both of whom have been hard at work helping the affected communities in and around Los Angeles since the wildfires first spiraled out of control. Founded by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen goes to the scenes of disasters and, utilizing local resources and practicing quick adaptability, provides fresh meals to those in need — more than 450 million since its launch in 2010. 

Another Round Another Rally focuses on restaurant and bar workers, providing professional resources and educational scholarships for historically marginalized communities in the hospitality industry, as well as emergency assistance for bar, restaurant, and hotel employees who encounter unexpected crises. “It’s going to be a long road to recovery for bar and restaurant workers in L.A.,” says Another Round Another Rally CEO Amanda Gunderson. “But we know this partnership with Sazerac will bring much-needed relief and ultimately have a profound impact on the hospitality community here in Los Angeles.”

The catch? Due to legal requirements brought about by America's Prohibition-era three-tier system, the auction's winning bidder and sweepstakes winners will receive their hauls in a roundabout way: Rather than getting the actual bottles and barrel, they will be “winning” cash prizes equivalent to the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), which they can then use to “purchase” the goods directly from Sazerac. And while the whole thing may seem like an ordeal, it's still easier than attempting to find the Eagle Rare 25 and the Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Collection out in the wild — let along a barrel of Pappy 15.