Wouldn’t you like to win an entire barrel of bourbon? Especially if you get to use a whiskey thief to do your own single barrel pick. Or perhaps you would prefer one of another 21 lots of exquisite bourbon including among other things the entire B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S eight letter collection. There are only 2,000 tickets so your chances of winning are pretty darn good. And, did we mention, it’s for the benefit of the kids, ‘Come on man’.
Kentucky Bourbon Raffle Drawing
Drawing: Friday, June 23, 2023, at 8pm EST.
Ticket Purchase Cutoff: The last time to purchase tickets is 6pm EST on the day of the drawing.
No. of Tickets: 2,000
Cost per ticket: $100
No. of Winners: 22 total lots
Purchase Raffle Tickets: Kentucky Bourbon Raffle
Proceeds from the bourbon raffle will benefit the Educational Justice a nearly 10-year-old 501C3 non-profit organization striving to end educational inequity by pairing 5th-8th grade students with high-achieving high school peers for long-term one-on-one tutoring and mentorship to improve their academic performance and social development.
Educational Justice Executive Director Bryan Andres Azucena Warren said, “Bourbon Country has become a feeling that represents all that is special about Kentucky. Collecting rare, unique, and important Bourbons is a fun past time for many and the distillery experiences the region offers make doing so lots of fun.
“This raffle is an exciting chance for folks to own some of the best Kentucky can offer. For Kentuckians, Bourbon embodies our culture of generosity, care for others, gracious hospitality, and focus on Kentucky’s people and natural resources that we share with others around the world. As a Kentucky organization that embraces these values, it is only natural to employ our native spirit’s popularity to raise support for our educational mission.”
Bourbons Range from a Single Barrel Pick to the Full Blanton’s Collection
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The Kentucky Bourbon Raffle chose to procure a barrel of Bourbon from Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Experiences member, Whiskey Thief Distilling Company, as the top prize. The owner of the winning ticket will hand select their barrel among those resting at Whiskey Thief, tasting the various flavors in a private selection. The net number of bottles will vary based on the barrel selected but a barrel of 5–7-year-old bourbon generally yields 200 to 225 bottles of 750 ML each and has a retail value of between $8,000 and $15,000.
Whiskey Thief CEO Walter Zausch offered, “At Whiskey Thief our goal is to blend our passion for Kentucky Bourbon with innovative technology and a great customer experience. We are excited to welcome the winner of the Kentucky Bourbon Raffle to Whiskey Thief to hand select their very own barrel of Bourbon. The bourbon industry is known for its generosity, and we are eager to be part of supporting Educational Justice as it strives to end educational inequity.”
The popularity of single barrel selection inspired the Kentucky Bourbon Raffle team to bring this whole new level of personalization to the bourbon raffle experience. The search for something truly unique also educates Bourbon fans on how nature shapes the whiskey during its journey through charring or toasting, resting in a rick house during fluctuations in temperature, wind, rain and pressure. These factors alter the way the whiskey breathes in the barrel. No two barrels of whiskey are identical, and the winning raffle ticket holder will enjoy this intimate experience of tasting and selection with a master distiller and their group of friends.
Other prizes in the offering include 22 lots of rare, unique, and important Bourbon including 2 bottles of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (2016 and 2022) celebrating the birthday of George Garvin Brown the first to bottle bourbon in glass bottles and a bottle of Metallica Blackened Batch 82 signed by all the members of the band Metallica (Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo), and the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell. Other prize lots include the hard-to-find Old Fitzgerald 17 year Bottled in Bond and 8 year Bottled in Bond and Michter’s Cask Strength Bourbon and Rye, 8 bottles of Blanton’s Single Barrel spelling B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S with the cork stoppers, and the WL Weller Collection.
The Fine Print
You should read the fine print on the raffle website but here are the big parts. The raffle is open to anyone over age 21. Winners must pick up their winning items in person. The prize drawing is open to the public and will take place at Whiskey Thief Distilling Company, 283 Crab Orchard Road, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601 on Friday, June 23, at 8 p.m.
Food trucks and live music will be present for the drawing and will help you to either celebrate or drown your sorrows. Either way, it will be a fun time, of course it will be more fun if you win. Good luck!
The Kentucky Bourbon Raffle 22 Lots
- Whiskey Thief Distilling Company Barrel of Bourbon – The winner of Lot 1 will hand select a barrel of Bourbon with the Master Distiller at Whiskey Thief Distilling Company on the grounds of their beautiful 127-acre working farm in the heart of Kentucky.
- Metallica Blackened Batch 82 was the 2nd Batch Released to the Public. It is signed by the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell and members of Metallica Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Robert Trujillo.
- Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2016 and 2022
- Old Fitzgerald 17 Year Bottled in Bond – Spring 2022 and Old Fitzgerald 8 Year Bottled in Bond – Spring 2021
- The Weller Collection – Weller Special Reserve (Green Label), Weller 12 Year (Black Label), Weller Full Proof (Blue label), Weller Single Barrel (Brown Label), Weller Antique 107 (Red Label) and Weller CYPB (White Label)
- Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel – Named after Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee
- Blanton’s Collection – 8 bottles of 750 ml Blanton’s are included, spelling out the letters B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S with the horse figurine cork stoppers. A barrel stave to display the corks is included.
- Buffalo Trace Collection – George Stagg Jr., William L Weller Green, Eagle Rare (10), Sazerac Rye, EH Taylor Small Batch, Blanton’s, Buffalo Trace
- Henry McKenna – 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond (2 Bottles)
- GlenDronach Port Wood Highland Single Malt – The GlenDronach Port Wood is inspired by the historical import of casked port into Scotland during the 19th century.
- Rabbit Hole’s Shakespeare Collection – Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest
- Kelvin Cooperage Behind the Scenes Tour and Craft Collection – Kelvin Cooperage Tour, Distiller Bottle of Michter’s, Distiller Bottle of Rabbit Hole, Distiller Bottle of Kentucky Peerless, Distiller Bottle of Four Gate, Distiller Bottle of Angels Envy, Distiller Bottle of Jefferson Reserve
- Kentucky Owl Collection – Kentucky Owl Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Kentucky Owl Straight Bourbon Whiskey St. Patrick’s Day Edition
- Jack Daniel’s Distillery – Jack Daniels Single Barrel Proof 2021, Jack Daniels Distillery Series 008, Jack Daniels Distillery Series 009 and Jack Daniels Distillery Special Bottle Single Malt
- Old Forester Collection – The 117 Series: High Angels’ Share, 1897 Bottled in Bond, 1910 Old Fine Whisky, 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky, Statesman, 1870 Original Batch Whisky, 86 Proof Bourbon Whisky and Old Forester 100 Proof
- A Bevy of Special Bottles – Kentucky Vintage Small Batch Original Sour Mash from Willett Distillery, Estate Bottled Old Bardstown from Willett Distillery, Russell’s Reserve, Jefferson’s Ocean Voyage 19 and Very Olde St. Nick Harvest Rye
- Kentucky Peerless Distillery – Peerless Absinthe Rye and Peerless Double Oak
- Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Uncut and Unfiltered Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
- Out of State Single Barrel Lot – Koval Single Barrel Whiskey Four Grain from Chicago and Basement Rickhouse Old Elk Single Barrel Bourbon Pick
- Two Times Oak Collection by Signed by Master Blender Dixon Dedmon – Two Times Oak The Phoenix Blend and Two Times Oak The Inn Keeper’s Blend
- Woodford Reserve Collection – Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and Woodford Reserve
- Michter’s Collection – Michter’s Barrel Strength Bourbon and Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye
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