For as long as humans have been distilling liquors, manufacturers have faced the accompanying challenge of how to store and distribute them. Bottles need to be functional, allowing various levels of fermentation and oxygen to be present. Storage, transportation, and ease of pouring are concerns as well. While many wine producers have settled on standardized shapes, spirit makers enjoy greater latitude in the shape, size, and style of their packaging. 

Brunk Auctions’ upcoming Wine & Spirits Auction on January 30, 2025 includes a fine selection of liquors that embrace this spirit of thoughtful, creative design without compromising on taste. Here are some of the most notable bottles in the catalog. 

Courvoisier Cognac

Seven bottles of cognac from French house Courvoisier is among the top lots in this sale (lot #655; estimate: USD 3,000 – $5,000). Produced between 1989 and 1995, these 750 ml bottles come to auction with individual presentation cases. Colorful labels designed by Russian-French Art Deco artist Erté adorn each round, curved bottle. The designs offer an artistic interpretation of the cognac-making process (vines, harvest, distillation, age, tasting, spirit of cognac, the angel’s share). Gold-colored details accent the bottles. 

Considered one of the “big four” cognac producers in the world, Courvoisier is based in Jarnac, France. It is recognized for being favored by Napoleon Bonaparte, its distinctly-curved bottles, and its partnerships with notable creatives such as Erté and Vivienne Westwood. Courvoisier’s famed Erté collection includes a mix of flavors and aromas, ranging from an apricot and spice flavor in Erté N°1 to coffee, chocolate, and dried fruit flavors in Erté N°5. Some bottles contain well-aged cognac dating back to the 19th century. 

Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon 

Also available in this wine and spirits sale is a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. This 15-year-old family reserve was bottled in circa 2019 (lot #647; estimate: $1,000 – $2,000). The 107-proof bourbon offers a bloom of sweet, fruity flavors and a caramel corn aroma. It is presented in a 750 ml bottle that offers a personal touch; the back label is inscribed with words from brand president Julian P. Van Winkle, III. He notes that this bourbon is a “younger expression of our famous 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve.” The style of this bottle embraces the old-fashioned with a black-and-white photo of Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle on the front label, smoking a cigar. Clean lines frame the portrait. 

Based in Kentucky, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve produces quality bourbon whiskey in small, limited batches. The relative rarity of Pappy Van Winkle bottles have made them especially valuable in the secondary market. Pappy bourbon is also known for its quality and complexity– the brand ages its bourbon longer than many of its competitors and utilizes a secret family recipe based on a higher-than-usual portion of wheat. 

Very Very Old Fitzgerald Bourbon 

A bottle of 1979 Very Very Old Fitzgerald bourbon will also cross the auction block this January (lot #650; estimate: $1,500 – $2,500). This 100-proof bonded 12-year-old whiskey was distilled, aged, and bottled in Louisville, Kentucky. Laced with thin yellow lines, the bottle design evokes age and craftsmanship. In accordance with the domestic tax laws of the period, the bottle is capped with a green label noting the year it was made (1967) and bottled (fall 1979).

Considered a collector’s item by both the brand and the market, this bottle of Very Very Old Fitzgerald belongs to a rare batch of whiskey made by Stizel Weller under the tutelage of Julian P. Van Winkle Sr. The Pappy Van Winkle brand, which purchased Old Fitzgerald during the Prohibition era, left a lingering mark on the latter brand’s bourbon recipe. Old Fitzgerald’s “whisper of wheat” gives the resulting bourbon a softer, sweeter taste. 

Rounding out the fine spirits offering in this sale are bottles of the Macallan whisky, George T. Stagg bourbon, and assorted whiskies presented in collectible bottles. 

Brunk Auctions’ Wine & Spirits Auction will begin live on January 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST. Visit Bidsquare to browse the complete catalog and register to bid. Find additional coverage of this sale on Auction Daily.