There are bourbons, and then there are moments—liquid relics of patience, precision, and purpose. The newly unveiled I.W. Harper 34-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey belongs unapologetically to the latter. Distilled in 1989 and aged at the hallowed Stitzel-Weller Distillery, the whiskey—drawn from just four hand-selected barrels—is as much an archival artifact as it is a spirit, and it’s being released in a way that defies the usual rhythm of premium bottle drops.
Only 11 bottles exist. Five will be sold. And those five will be consigned exclusively through Sotheby’s New York, with proceeds going to Native Son, a platform and community built to empower and elevate Black queer men. The auction runs July 24 through August 7, 2025, online at Sothebys.com.
This is not a quiet release, but it is a measured one—crafted with intention and a kind of emotional architecture. Actor and director Colman Domingo, who partnered with the brand on the launch, doesn’t merely lend celebrity to the bottle. He lends soul.
“As a Black queer man, I know how vital visibility, support, and community are,” Domingo said. “This release isn’t just about rarity; it’s about storytelling that honors both past and future.”
Domingo’s involvement reframes the whiskey as a kind of cultural prism, refracting themes of legacy, identity, and endurance. It’s a collaboration not just of craft but of cause—an 89-proof act of advocacy.
Inside the glass: 34 years in new charred oak, bottled at cask strength (63.1% ABV), and stewarded with quiet reverence by Nicole Austin, Diageo’s Director of American Whiskey Liquid Development. “I held onto this whiskey knowing exactly how special it was,” she said. “This release has been incredibly personal.”
Outside the glass: design elements like a silk scarf by Brooklyn’s Michelle Cadore and a custom wrist cuff nod to the intersections of fashion, resistance, and storytelling—touchstones Domingo has long explored in his own work.
“This is the kind of release collectors dream about,” said Zev Glesta of Sotheby’s. “But what makes it extraordinary is the cause. This is whiskey doing more than aging—it’s giving back.”
And in doing so, I.W. Harper 34-Year-Old becomes more than a bourbon. It becomes a message in a bottle—for those willing to listen.
