Master Distillers' Unity Bourbon to Raise Money to Fight ALS

Limited editions have become a fixture of the whiskey world and this is the most limited one yet. Only two bottles of Master Distillers' Unity Bourbon will be sold, in a two bottle boxed set, to the highest bidder at Bonham's Whisky, Cognac and Rare Spirits Auction on Sunday, October 13 in New York City. There will be only one opportunity for consumers to taste this bourbon, on Saturday, October 12 at WhiskyFest New York.

All proceeds from the auctioned set will go to the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund, which was established by the ALS Association to raise money for research and patient care, in honor of 6th generation Master Distiller Parker Beam. In 59 years at Heaven Hill Distilleries, Beam has created leading bourbons such as Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, and Larceny.

In February, Parker Beam and his family announced that he has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Since then, Heaven Hill has launched a series of initiatives to raise money for the fund. In this one, the seven major Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries (Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, and Woodford Reserve) have united to marry their bourbons together in a once-in-a-lifetime bottling, with the final blend being overseen by Parker Beam. The idea behind the two-bottle set is that there will be one to drink and one to keep for the winning bidder.

Each master distiller made a special selection of whiskey to donate to the cause. Other bourbon industry partners such as Saxco Industries, Walsen International, and Promotional Wood Products donated the high-end packaging materials (e.g., silver closures, silk lining). Bonham's 1793 Auction House is waiving its commissions.

If you want to taste the Master Distillers' Unity Bourbon before you bid, you can. Ten additional bottles will be poured during a WhiskeyFest Tribute to Parker Beam on Saturday, October 12. Parker will be in attendance to talk about his long career as an elite whiskey maker. The event will be hosted by Whisky Advocate Publisher and Editor John Hansell.

"The Master Distillers' Unity initiative is perhaps the best single example of how our competing distilleries can come together for one of our own and join forces for a greater good," noted Heaven Hill President Max L. Shapira. "We are proud to have spearheaded this effort and proud of how our industry can collaborate for a great cause."

Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund.