Pre-Prohibition Old Fitzgerald Bourbon Heads to Sotheby's Auction

The Old Fitzgerald Archival Collection, owned by Max Shapira, executive chairman of Heaven Hill, will be up for auction at Sotheby's. This collection includes three historic bourbons. The earliest is a pre-Prohibition 1934 Old Fitzgerald 18-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, distilled in 1917 by A. PH. Stitzel and bottled at 100 proof. Next is the 1965 Very Xtra Old Fitzgerald 10-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond, distilled in 1955 for the Colorado Electric Co. Lastly, the 2015 John E. Fitzgerald Very Special Reserve 20-Year-Old, distilled in 1992, comes from a limited batch of 12 barrels yielding just 3,000 bottles. Proceeds will support Bernheim Forest and Arboretum, established in 1929. Bidding takes place from June 11 to June 26 at 12pm EST. The collection highlights significant events in Old Fitzgerald's legacy, which dates back to the late 1800s, endured Prohibition as a medicinal whiskey, and was ultimately acquired by Heaven Hill in 1999.