‘Tis the season for rare bourbon to start hitting the shelves in North Carolina ABC stores. The distribution of allocated whiskey in NC is done mostly at the board level. As we understand it here, the cases come in to the state warehouse as a single allocation for the entire state. Then the state divvys it up amongst the boards to distribute as they see fit.
Some boards choose to release these whiskeys by putting them up the shelf. Still others “reserve” them for regular customers or those on a list. Quite often, though, ABC boards will host allocated bourbon lotteries. Entries can be online or in person, depending on the board.
So which North Carolina ABC boards are hosting lotteries this year? Here’s what we know so far:
2024 Wake County ABC Bourbon Lottery
Wake County, serving Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina, and others, is once again holding their allocated spirits lottery online at wakeabc.com. The “Holiday Lottery” has become an annual event. In 2024, entries are officially open through December 9th to Wake County residents or those who live in “adjoining communities”. That phrase is a little vague, but cities like Greensboro, Wilmington, and Charlotte are directly excluded by name, so Durham/Chapel Hill residents may still qualify.
Products included in the 2024 Wake County Bourbon Lottery include various expressions of E.H. Taylor, The 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, five different Van Winkles, and more Wellers (amonth plenty of others).
Durham ABC Lottery
This year, it seems like Durham will not be holding a lottery, though we can’t confirm this for sure. Recently, Durham has taken the approach of “drops” where they release several allocated bourbons at one of there stores, and announce to the public the location at the same time. There is some indication that the Durham ABC “Dropzone” will replace lotteries. We’ll update this page if we learn something different.
Charlotte/Mecklenburg County ABC Lotteries
Charlotte also does periodic bourbon lotteries, usually around the holidays, through the Mecklenburg ABC Board. These lotteries include the typical rare bourbon releases you’d expect each year. It doesn’t look like the 2024 Bourbon Lottery has been announced yet, but you can get on the Meck ABC mailing list by visiting the website.
