PLCB opens lottery to buy bottles of exceptionally rare whiskey

Pennsylvanians are accustomed to our peculiar liquor-purchasing system, tightly regulated by the Liquor Control Board (PLCB), which purchases all of the state’s booze before reselling it to us. But every so often, the PLCB does something a lot less familiar: It raffles off the opportunity to buy a bottle of something special.

Why do you need to enter a lottery to buy booze? Because this stuff is truly rare. You won’t find them on the shelf at the state store, and you’d even be hard-pressed to buy them across state lines (technically illegal). Sure, you can find them online, but Pennsylvania prohibits the direct shipment of spirits made out of state. Plus, the PLCB’s rates — in one bottle’s case, for thousands of dollars less than competitors’ prices — are a steal in this case.

Here’s how it works: The PLCB has 4,429 bottles of rare whiskeys available to sell to bars and restaurants and plain old retail customers (Pa. residents only). They’re breaking their stash up into five lotteries, sorted by brand. Individuals and licensees have until 5 p.m. Friday to enter.

To enter, you need an account on the Fine Wine and Good Spirits website with up-to-date billing info, and you must familiarize yourself with the LCB’s terms and conditions, which vary for licensees and individuals respectively. You can enter one, several, or all of the five lotteries; if you win the right to purchase one bottle, you’ll be limited to that single bottle, but may still win in a different lottery. Only one entry per household per lottery allowed.

There are six bottles of booze in this season’s lottery. With the exception of Lottery 2, which entails a single bottle reserved for a retail customer, each drawing has designated allotments for both licensees and individuals.

Lottery 1: Blanton’s Gold Straight Bourbon, $119.99 each, 477 bottles for individual consumers, 159 bottles for licensees; and Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel Bourbon, $149.99 each, 483 bottles for individual consumers, 160 bottles for licensees.

Lottery 2: Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon 17 Year Old 2022 Release, $109.99 each, 1 bottle for individual consumers.

Lottery 3: Heaven Hill Heritage Collection Straight Corn Whiskey 20 Year Old 2023 Edition, $289.99 each, 150 bottles for individual consumers, 49 bottles for licensees.

Lottery 4: Russell’s Reserve Straight Bourbon 13 Year Old Barrel Proof, $149.99 each, 566 bottles for individual consumers, 188 bottles for licensees.

Lottery 5: Stagg Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof, $54.99 each, 1,647 bottles for individual consumers, 549 bottles for licensees.

Lottery winners are on the hook to follow through with the purchase (and pickup) or forfeit their spot. The PLCB notes it is illegal to resell these products without a license. Lottery drawings will be witnessed by an independent third party to ensure there’s no funny business. Winners will be selected at random by computer program. Participants will be emailed when the lottery process is complete.