Bourbon is America’s spirit, and its popularity is surging like never before. A mix of savvy marketing and a resurgence of cocktail culture has spurred a bourbon boom that’s seen some of the country’s most prized distilleries’ rarest bottles fly off store shelves. That’s why you’ll see bourbon fans camping out Supreme-style outside liquor stores, waiting to snag bottles of the latest limited-release from a distillery like Buffalo Trace or Four Roses. It’s also why you’ll find bourbon enthusiasts willing to bend or even break laws in their quest to score the rare stuff.
But despite the popularity of bourbon, there are still many factors keeping the industry from expanding at its normal pace. One is allocation—the process of restricting the availability of a product to prevent its resale. Allocation is common for premium products, and it’s become especially prevalent in the whiskey world with the rise of a “secondary market” that’s driven by collectors seeking to buy and quickly resell (or flip) rare and limited-release bourbons.
The secondary market for bourbon is fueled by an ever-growing number of bourbon aficionados, as well as a group of Bourbon for sale people who see a way to turn a profit by buying and selling bourbon on the black market. But it’s also driven by the fact that a growing number of retailers and bourbon-focused clubs are offering more rare bourbons than ever before. And that means a growing number of people are willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a bottle—and then go out and try to sell it on the secondary market for a much higher price.
In 2022, bourbon was the fourth-largest spirits subcategory on Drizly, but it’s expected to grow into the third largest by 2023—a strong indicator of its continued consumer appeal. It’s a category that should continue to perform strongly as consumers continue to discover new brands, flavored options, and special-release bourbons.
A few years ago, I joined a secret Facebook group that was one of several black market bourbon groups. With more than 10,000 members, the group was a melting pot of profiteers and bourbon lovers. Some were buying rare rarities like Twisted Spoke bourbon made at Stitzel-Weller and red wax closure Van Winkles for astronomical prices, while others were just looking to offload their stash of Weller Antique or 1970s Rebel Yell. But the group was also a place where law enforcement officials could drop in to arrest sellers for illegally selling alcoholic beverages. It’s a common story, and it underscores the complexity of regulating bourbon sales.
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