New Hampshire Liquor Commission Raising Money With Van Winkle Raffle

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) aims to raise $200,000 for Best Buddies New Hampshire by giving whiskey lovers the opportunity to win an unprecedented prize package featuring some of the most sought-after bourbons and whiskeys in the world. NHLC is launching the Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Raffle to benefit Best Buddies NH today, offering entrants the chance to win Pappy Van Winkle’s 10-year, 12-year, 15-year, 20-year and 23-year bourbons, in addition to the entire Buffalo Trace Antique Collection—representing a combined market value of nearly $18,000.

NHLC raised $150,000 for Best Buddies NH the past two years by offering prize packages of Pappy Van Winkle bourbons with age statements of 10, 12, 15, 20, 23 and 25 years. NHLC will expand this year’s raffle to 2,000 tickets and include limited-release whiskeys from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Tickets are on sale now for $100 each and available at www.distillersshowcase.com/pappy-2019 until October 4.

“Our goal this year was to develop a prize package that simply could not be matched and I firmly believe we have accomplished that – for the benefit of an incredible organization,” said NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica. “This raffle shines a spotlight on NHLC’s commitment to offering our 12 million annual customers exclusive opportunities to obtain rare, unique and hard-to-find products, while showcasing our commitment to New Hampshire’s nonprofit community.”

In addition to the 10 bottles of rare whiskey, the prize also includes an all-expense paid trip to New Hampshire and tickets to an exclusive Pappy Van Winkle Tasting Dinner, Women of Whiskey & Spirits tasting event, and VIP access to the Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits. Now in its seventh year, the Distiller’s Showcase is one of the largest spirit tasting events in the country drawing more than 1,000 guests and featuring more than 400 premium and ultra-premium spirits for sampling.

The full prize package for the Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Raffle includes:

• One bottle each of:
• • 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
• Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (one bottle each of):
• • William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
  • Sazerac 18 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
• Coach airfare for two to New Hampshire or mileage reimbursement
• Hotel accommodations for three nights in Manchester, NH (November 5 – November 8, 2019)
• Two tickets to an exclusive Pappy Van Winkle Family Tasting Dinner on November 5, 2019
• Two tickets to the Women of Whiskey & Spirits Event on November 6, 2019
• Two VIP tickets to the Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits on November 7, 2019

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 social activities through one-to-one friendships.

“Best Buddies New Hampshire is honored and thrilled to be the beneficiary of this Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Raffle. Thanks to this tremendous support from NHLC and its customers over the past two years, we are expecting to double the number of School Friendship Programs in New Hampshire by 2020,” said Sarra Dennehy, executive director, Best Buddies New Hampshire. “With NHLC aiming to raise $200,000 this year, we are anticipating using that extraordinary funding to bring the JOBS program to New Hampshire, which provides individuals with intellectual and development disabilities with highly competitive jobs in a field suited to their individual talents and skills.”

In addition to the expansion of the School Friendship Program, support from NHLC and its customers has enabled Best Buddies New Hampshire to broaden and enhance its programming across the board. Best Buddies New Hampshire launched its Citizens program last year, providing friendships for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have aged out of the school system with a peer match in their community. In 2019 alone, Best Buddies was able to facilitate workshops for 30 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to empower them to get out into their communities, learn to advocate for themselves, and develop skills that will help them get the jobs they want and to live the lives they want.

In addition to Best Buddies New Hampshire, NHLC has worked with suppliers and brokers over the past six years to raise more than $1.88 million for nonprofit organizations making an impact in New Hampshire and beyond. Those nonprofits include: Crotched Mountain Foundation, Easterseals New Hampshire, Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, Homes for Our Troops, Operation Care for Troops, New Hampshire Food Bank, Toys for Tots, Granite United Way, Community Foundation Sonoma County, Napa Valley Community Foundation, Concord Hospital, Wildlife Heritage Foundation for New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association.