We reported on Sotheby’s Great American Whiskey Collection a few weeks ago, which was said to be the most valuable individually-owned collection of American whiskey ever to appear at auction. Well, this proved to be right, and then some—over the weekend, the auction brought in a stunning $2.5 million, and included the record-setting sale of a bottle of 20-year-old Old Rip Van Winkle for $162,500.

That $2.5 million figure was more than double the initial estimate of the 360 bottle collection’s value. Every lot was sold, 89 percent of the bottles went for more than their high estimates, and according to Sotheby’s a third of the buyers were new to the auction house and more than half were under the age of 40. This seems to provide some anecdotal evidence that, while the global whiskey market is undoubtedly experiencing some strong headwinds, the secondary market seems to be thriving. “This was a landmark moment for American whiskey,” said Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s global head of spirits, in a statement. “Breaking the record for the most valuable American whiskey collection ever sold is a testament to the extraordinary rarity and quality of this collection, as well as the passion and expertise of collectors worldwide. The enthusiasm from bidders was phenomenal, reflecting a global appreciation for American whiskey that continues to grow year after year.”

The star of the show, Old Rip Van Winkle 20 Year Old Single Barrel “Sam’s,” now stands as the most valuable American whiskey ever sold at auction. It was a single-barrel selection for Sam’s Wines & Spirits that was distilled in 1982 at Stitzel-Weller (well before the Buffalo Trace partnership) and bottled in 2003. And at 133.4 proof, it’s the highest-proof Van Winkle release to date. There were some other bottles of note, including another Van Winkle bourbon—Van Winkle 18 Year Old Special Reserve Single Barrel “Binny’s,” a single-barrel selection for the liquor retailer that was distilled in 1985 (the third highest proof Van Winkle at 121.6), which sold for $106,250. A bottle of Very Very Old Fitzgerald 18 Year Old “Blackhawk” was even more valuable—this private bottling for the Wirtz family (owners of the Chicago Blackhawks), which recently sold for more than $80,000 at Unicorn Auctions, went for $112,500. And a vintage, pre-Prohibition O.F.C. Bourbon Whiskey, distilled in 1909 and bottled in 1919, fetched $47,500, showing that collectors are still willing to pay a premium for dusty booze.

The rest of the top sellers included a variety of other Van Winkle expressions, many of them private selection bottlings. “This sale represents a defining moment for American whiskey at auction, underscoring the legendary status of the Van Winkle name and the extraordinary significance of the ‘Sam’s’ Old Rip Van Winkle,” said Zev Glesta, Sotheby’s whiskey specialist, in a statement. “The result reflects the continued maturation of the global market for the rarest American whiskeys and a growing appreciation for the craftsmanship, heritage, and rarity that define the very best of American distilling.”