This month’s auction for five enormous 6-liter bottles of vintage 1982 O.F.C. Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey generated a record amount for five charities. The bottles were donated by Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky and sold via auction as five non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on BlockBar.com – the world’s first Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) NFT marketplace for luxury wines and spirits. This was BlockBar’s first auction and bourbon drop.
$280,000 was raised in total over five days, with a top bid of $60,000 for a single bottle, setting what is believed to be a record for the highest sales generated from a bourbon NFT.
‘We are humbled by the result of our first NFT and being able to contribute to such well-deserving charities,’ said Sara Saunders, vice president, bourbon, Buffalo Trace Distillery.
Each of the five NFTs represent an authentic six-liter sized bottle of O.F.C Vintage 1982, available to be redeemed by December 31st, 2022. When redeemed, the NFT holder will also unlock a personal invitation to Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky for a private VIP tour experience that includes exclusive tastings of whiskeys from its rarest and most sought-after private collection, including some previous vintages from the O.F.C. collection.
“Buffalo Trace is one of the most celebrated and awarded distilleries in the world and we were so excited to partner with them for our first auction,” said Dov Falic, CEO and Co-Founder of BlockBar. “The sales raised over a quarter of a million US dollars and proceeds benefited five global charities including World Central Kitchen, which has been supplying hot meals to thousands of Ukrainian refugees. It’s a fantastic privilege to be able to raise money for such a worthy collection of causes and we look forward to our next drop with Buffalo Trace.”
Proceeds from the auction benefited the following charities:
- World Central Kitchen – A non-profit organization that is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises, currently supporting thousands of refugees in and around Ukraine
- The James Beard Foundation – through their Open for Good campaign, the Foundation is committed to helping independent restaurants survive this crisis, rebuild better, and thrive for the long term
- Elton John Aids Foundation – a global HIV charity that funds frontline partners to prevent new cases of HIV, fight stigma and provide care for those affected
- The Art of Elysium – an artist organization built on the idea that through service, art becomes a catalyst for social change
- 261 Fearless – a global, non-profit women’s running organization dedicated to encouraging and uniting women through running
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Exactly How Big is a 6 Liter Whiskey Bottle?
Buffalo Trace says this vintage O.F.C. bottle will be elegant, hand-cut crystal with inlaid copper lettering custom created for the brand, but “supersized” in a six-liter bottle. A bottle of this magnitude has rarely been seen on the whiskey market.
6L Bottle Stats
- This bottle is nine times the size of a usual whiskey bottle
- It holds over a gallon of whiskey
- It stands 2 feet tall
- It weighs 22.5 pounds (with liquid inside)
- The cap itself weighs in at a hefty six pounds.
What Does a Quarter Century Year Old Bottle of O.F.C. Taste Like?
Master Distiller Harlen Wheatly and the Buffalo Trace tasting panel says the taste is sophisticated, with an extraordinary richness and butteriness with layers of apple, pecans, ripened pear, dark Belgian chocolate, caramel and a kiss of black cherries.
“This remarkable whiskey transitions to a memorable finish of dried dark fruit with delightful lingering oak,” said Wheatly. “All the time knowing that you’re tasting history as you taste the last drops. This truly is a once in a lifetime taste experience.”
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