Rare whiskeys available in PLCB limited-release lotteries

Through its Limited-Release Lotteries, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) will award lottery registrants an opportunity to purchase 1,775 bottles of rare whiskeys.

The whiskeys are from the Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Antique Collections (BTAC). Pennsylvania residents and licensees will have until 5 p.m. Friday to opt in to one or more of the lotteries and/or drawings.

Limited-Release Lotteries are open to Pennsylvania residents and licensees aged 21 or older who provide both a verifiable Pennsylvania billing address and a Fine Wine & Good Spirits (FW&GS) store address at registration. Any registrant with a billing address that cannot be verified as a Pennsylvania address will be removed from the lottery. Entries will be vetted for duplicative names, addresses, and other information, and duplicates will be deleted from the lottery pool.

Lottery drawings will be witnessed by an independent third party. Winners will be selected at random by computer program. Participants will be notified by email when the lottery process is complete.

Two separate lotteries will be conducted for each collection. Participants may opt in to one or both lotteries. Only one entry per household per lottery is allowed. The lotteries will be held to award the right to purchase individual bottles.

The first lottery, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Lottery, will feature 496 bottles from the BTAC. Winning entries are limited to one bottle per participant. If a participant wins a bottle in a drawing within this lottery, they will be removed from subsequent drawings in this lottery. Purchase is limited to one bottle per participant for the BTAC lottery.

The retail price for each 750-milliliter bottle in this collection is $149.99:

• Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon 17-Year-Old – 16 bottles for individual consumers, five for licensees.
• Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 18-Year-Old – 18 bottles for individual consumers, six for licensees.
• William Larue Weller Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof – 68 bottles for individual consumers, 22 for licensees.
• George T. Stagg Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof – 126 bottles for individual consumers, 42 for licensees.
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Barrel Proof – 145 bottles for individual consumers, 48 for licensees.

The second lottery, the Van Winkle Lottery, will feature 1,279 bottles of Kentucky whiskeys. The whiskeys are produced by Pappy Van Winkle’s grandson using recipes dating back four generations.

As is the case with the first lottery, winning entries are limited to one bottle per participant. If a participant wins a bottle in a drawing within this lottery, they will be removed from subsequent drawings in this lottery. Purchase is limited to one bottle per participant for the Van Winkle lottery. Drawings will be held, in the following order, to award the right to purchase individual bottles:

• Van Winkle Family Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey 13-Year-Old, $199.99 each – 45 bottles for individual consumers, 15 for licensees.
• Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 23-Year-Old, $449.99 each – 52 bottles for individual consumers, 17 for licensees.
• Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 15-Year-Old, $199.99 each – 52 bottles for individual consumers, 17 for licensees.
• Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 20-Year-Old, $319.99 each – 129 bottles for individual consumers, 42 for licensees.
• Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Straight Bourbon 10-Year-Old, $129.99 each – 207 bottles for individual consumers, 69 for licensees.
• Van Winkle Special Reserve Straight Bourbon 12-Year-Old, $149.99 each – 476 bottles for individual consumers, 158 for licensees.

Individual consumers and licensees interested in entering one or more lotteries or drawings must have an active account with FWGS with billing information on file. To prevent transaction delays or cancellations, participants should verify that accurate, up-to-date billing information is associated with their customer account.

Considering attempts by previous lottery winners to illegally resell products obtained through Limited-Release Lotteries, the lottery Terms and Conditions remind residents that the sale of alcoholic beverages without a license is strictly prohibited under Pennsylvania law. 

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates about 575 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses more than 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers.