CONCORD, NH – The New Hampshire Liquor Commission is giving bourbon lovers the chance to acquire the world’s most sought-after bourbon while contributing to a worthy cause. NHLC launched the third annual Pappy Van Winkle Raffle & Exclusive Tasting Experience, providing bourbon enthusiasts the opportunity to obtain the entire collection of Pappy Van Winkle bourbons, including the oldest bourbon Pappy Van Winkle has ever released: the Old Rip Van Winkle 25yr Handmade Bourbon. Only 1,000 tickets will be sold for $100 each with proceeds benefiting Best Buddies New Hampshire. Tickets are available until October 2 at www.distillersshowcase.com/pappy.
“We are proud to offer our customers from across the country this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain the most sought-after bourbons on the planet,” said NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica. “This initiative is indicative of both our longstanding commitment to offering customers limited, rare and premium products, and our dedication to supporting the New Hampshire nonprofit community. We are honored to partner with Best Buddies New Hampshire, a remarkable organization making a significant impact on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
In its inaugural effort in 2016, NHLC raffled a single bottle of Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The raffle generated more than $10,000 for the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association. Building on the success and momentum of the 2016 raffle, NHLC made the decision to expand the Pappy Van Winkle Raffle & Exclusive Tasting Experience to feature the entire line of Pappy Van Winkle bourbons in 2017. Last year, the raffle generated more than $42,000 for Best Buddies New Hampshire.
With high demand for Pappy Van Winkle and overwhelming support for Best Buddies New Hampshire, NHLC decided to increase the amount of tickets available to 1,000 and to enhance the prize package by including a bottle of the Old Rip Van Winkle’s 25-year Handmade Bourbon.
Introduced in April 2017 with just 710 bottles available worldwide, the Old Rip Van Winkle 25yr Handmade Bourbon has a suggested retail price of $1,800 per bottle, but some retailers list it at $15,000 per bottle.
In addition to the full collection of Pappy Van Winkle bourbons, one winner will receive VIP access to one of the largest spirits tasting events in the country, the Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits, which features more than 400 premium and ultra-premium spirits for sampling and draws more than 1,000 guests. The Distiller’s Showcase takes place on Thursday, November 1, 2018 at the Manchester Downtown Hotel in Manchester, NH. The prize package also includes access to an intimate Pappy Van Winkle tasting and fine dining experience in Manchester.
The full prize package for the Pappy Van Winkle Raffle & Exclusive Tasting Experience includes:
- One bottle each of:
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- Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr Handmade Bourbon
- Van Winkle Special Reserve 12yr Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15yr Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20yr Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23yr Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Old Rip Van Winkle 25yr Handmade Bourbon
- Two VIP tickets to Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits
- Two seats at a Pappy Van Winkle Tasting Dinner on Tuesday, October 30
- The five-course dinner will include samples from Pappy Van Winkle’s line of bourbons
- Transportation for two to New Hampshire
- Hotel accommodations for three nights in Manchester
Best Buddies New Hampshire helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience friendship and build a life-giving social network outside of their families and service providers. The organization’s programming allows students and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to take part in age-appropriate social activities through one-to-one friendships.
“Best Buddies New Hampshire is honored to have been chosen as the nonprofit partner for the Pappy Van Winkle Raffle & Exclusive Tasting Experience,” said Best Buddies New Hampshire Director Sarra Dennehy. “This is a terrific opportunity for our organization and we plan to use this funding to expand and enhance our School Friendship Programs in elementary, middle, high school and colleges. We are also planning to use this critical funding to establish our Citizens program, which offers the thousands of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New Hampshire the opportunity for one-to-one friendships. We are extremely grateful to NHLC for continuing to support our mission of inclusion and friendship for everyone.”
In addition to Best Buddies New Hampshire, NHLC has worked with suppliers, brokers and customers over the past five years to raise more than $1.47 million for nonprofit organizations making an impact in New Hampshire and beyond, including Community Foundation Sonoma County, the Napa Valley Community Foundation, New Hampshire Food Bank, Currier Museum of Art, Easterseals New Hampshire, Homes for Our Troops, Operation Care for Troops, Toys for Tots, Granite United Way, Concord Hospital, Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, Crotched Mountain Foundation, Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association.
About the New Hampshire Liquor Commission
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) operates 79 retail locations throughout the Granite State and serves more than 11 million customers each year. More than $3.5 billion in net profits has been raised since the first store opened in 1934. NHLC set an all-time sales record in Fiscal Year 2017, generating $698.2 million in gross sales, an increase of $19.8 million – or 2.92-percent – over the previous fiscal year. Total liquor net profits reached $159 million, of which $155.7 million was transferred to the New Hampshire General Fund, which is used to fund programs including education, health and social services, transportation and natural resource protection. Additionally, $3.3 million was transferred to New Hampshire’s Alcohol Abuse Prevention and Treatment Fund, which utilizes a percentage of NHLC profits to fund addiction treatment and prevention programs.
Visit www.LiquorandWineOutlets.com to locate a store, search for product availability, learn about monthly sales, review wine tasting schedules, and sign up to receive significant savings with monthly Email Extras.
About Best Buddies New Hampshire
Best Buddies New Hampshire (BBNH) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement to create opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, multiple disabilities and autism. NH fulfills this mission by providing 8 different programs to middle school, high school and college students, and the greater community. Best Buddies was founded in 1989 when Anthony K. Shriver observed the unjustified lack of opportunity for people with IDD to socialize with their peers without disabilities. Best Buddies has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,970 middle school, high school and college chapters located in all 50 states along with 54 international locations.
Best Buddies New Hampshire (BBNH) is a state affiliate of Best Buddies International. Since the Best Buddies New Hampshire office opened in January 2014, they have expanded to 30 colleges, high schools, and middle schools. Their programs support over 750 students with and without IDD. These participants impact over 7,500 people in the community, spreading their mission of inclusion. As of January, 2017, they expanded into Maine and Vermont.
