A $10,000 Bottle of Charity: Cincinnati's Giving Voice Foundation Returns With Its Third Annual Rare Bourbon Raffle
There are bourbon raffles, and then there are moments that make even the most jaded whiskey collector stop scrolling and pay close attention. The Giving Voice Foundation's third annual Cincy $10K Rare Bourbon Raffle is firmly in the second category. For the third year running, this Cincinnati-based nonprofit has managed to obtain one of the most coveted whiskey collections in the country — the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection — and is putting all five bottles up as a single prize in a charity raffle that merges the worlds of high-end American whiskey and community health advocacy in a way that feels genuinely original.
The prize is not a consolation grab bag of mid-shelf bottles. The five bottles making up the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection are: George T. Stagg Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey, William Larue Weller Bourbon, and Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon. Any one of these bottles, acquired at secondary market prices, would cost more than most people's monthly rent. Together, the estimated value of the five-bottle collection is more than $10,000, and for a serious bourbon collector, putting a $25 ticket into this raffle is about as logical a risk as any in the hobby.
How It All Started: From Inaugural Idea to Annual Tradition
The Giving Voice Foundation did not stumble into the bourbon space by accident. The organization, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Cincinnati, has been on a deliberate mission to expand its fundraising reach beyond traditional gala events and direct donation drives. The bourbon raffle format — accessible, exciting, and built around a product with a passionate and spending-capable fanbase — turned out to be an ideal match for that goal.
The series kicked off with the inaugural raffle in 2024, when a Cincinnati nonprofit raffled off a collection of rare bourbon worth more than $10,000 to support its mission of improving the health of older adults, after an anonymous donor gave the Giving Voice Foundation an extremely rare five-bottle collection of Buffalo Trace Antique bourbon, which included the highly coveted 2023 Eagle Rare 17. The draw was tied to National Bourbon Day on June 14, a detail that proved to be both a marketing masterstroke and a genuine nod to the culture surrounding America's native spirit.
The response from the community was immediate and overwhelming. "We were blown away by the community support of our inaugural Cincy Bourbon Raffle last year," said Giving Voice Foundation founder and board president Dr. Christian Gausvik, MD, speaking about the transition into the second year. That enthusiasm set the stage for a second raffle in 2025, which raised the financial goal considerably, and the foundation has now built enough momentum to launch a third edition in 2026 — with an even broader reach and a draw date that stretches the raffle season well into the summer.
The 2026 Raffle: What's at Stake and How It Works
The Prize Itself
The centerpiece of the 2026 raffle is once again the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, a set that needs no introduction among serious American whiskey enthusiasts. Every autumn, Buffalo Trace — America's most awarded distillery — releases a limited collection of American whiskeys called the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC), consisting of three bourbons and two ryes, which are among the most highly sought-after American whiskeys. Allocation of the BTAC is notoriously tight at the retail level, and most consumers have a better chance of winning it in a state lottery system than finding all five bottles on a shelf in the same calendar year.
Fewer than 100 sets of this exclusive, limited collection were released to select retailers across the State of Ohio, which underscores just how uncommon it is for any individual to get access to a complete set. The fact that the Giving Voice Foundation has now done this for three consecutive years speaks to a remarkable donor network and organizational dedication. The Foundation obtained this extremely rare and valuable antique bourbon collection thanks to the generosity of a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.
The individual bottles in the set each carry their own legend in bourbon circles. George T. Stagg is routinely cited as one of the most powerful and expressive uncut bourbons ever bottled, known for its massive proof and layered complexity. William Larue Weller, a wheated bourbon with roots tracing back to the original Weller mash bill, has developed a cult following among fans of Pappy Van Winkle-style profiles. The Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye is widely regarded as one of the best American ryes in production, and the Sazerac 18-Year-Old Rye represents one of the few aged ryes available in the mainstream market. And then there is the crown jewel of the set.
Bourbon aficionados are fully aware of the rarity and high value of the Buffalo Trace release of this unique, antique collection, which includes the highly-coveted and extremely limited release, Eagle Rare 17. The 2023 vintage of Eagle Rare 17 held particular historical weight: the 2023 release of Eagle Rare 17 was the oldest in the collection's 23-year history, bottled at 19 years and three months. That's not just a superlative for the series — it's a record-setting pour that bourbon historians will be referencing for decades.
An Added Layer of Urgency in 2025 and Beyond
The 2025 raffle carried an additional dimension that any bourbon drinker paying attention to industry news would have recognized. This rare collection was especially in demand given that the Buffalo Trace distillery, located in Frankfort, Kentucky, was flooded with its inventory severely impacted that past April. When one of the most storied distilleries in American history faces a production disruption of that magnitude, the supply of already-scarce expressions tightens further, and a complete BTAC set takes on the character of a genuine historical artifact. The 2026 raffle inherits some of that gravity — the bourbon world is still recalibrating from that disruption, and a full, intact BTAC set commands serious reverence among collectors.
Tickets, Timing, and Where the Draw Happens
The entry mechanics are straightforward and deliberately accessible. Anyone age 21 and older may purchase raffle tickets, which are priced at one for $25 or five for $100. That five-for-$100 bundle is the obvious play for anyone serious about their odds — it offers a modest bulk discount and enough entries to feel like genuine participation. Raffle tickets may be purchased online at cincybourbonraffle.com.
For the 2026 edition, the foundation has moved the draw date later in the summer. The winner will be drawn at 2:00 p.m. on July 11, 2026, at Revival Vintage Bottle Shop in Covington, where the winner will be contacted by phone. Revival Vintage Bottle Shop is a well-regarded destination for spirits collectors in the Covington, Kentucky area — sitting just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati — making it a fitting venue for an event of this nature. The location in Covington carries its own bourbon country significance, given that the greater Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati region sits at the northern edge of the Kentucky whiskey corridor.
The collection must be picked up in person locally in Cincinnati, which means the winner needs to be able to make the trip or arrange for someone to do so on their behalf. For anyone traveling for a $10,000 whiskey haul, that's a short road trip worth making.
The Mission Behind the Pour: Alzheimer's, Dementia, and the Cost of Caring
The Scale of the Problem in Greater Cincinnati
The Giving Voice Foundation did not choose its cause arbitrarily. More than 151,000 individuals across the Greater Cincinnati area are currently living with or caring for a loved one who has a form of dementia, and the Giving Voice Foundation exists to help them all receive much-needed support and to achieve their highest quality of life through connection and movement. That number — 151,000 people in a single metropolitan area — is not an abstraction. It's neighbors, parents, grandparents, and spouses, and it represents one of the most pressing public health challenges facing the aging American population.
Caregiving for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia is an exhausting, isolating, and financially punishing experience for millions of American families. The medical costs are well-documented, but the emotional and social costs — the withdrawal from community, the loss of identity, the grinding daily labor of caregiving — are harder to quantify and far less likely to be addressed by traditional healthcare infrastructure. That's the gap the Giving Voice Foundation has built itself to fill.
Programs That Run on Raffle Proceeds
The foundation does not run abstract awareness campaigns. Its programs are hands-on, community-rooted, and free of charge for participants. Raffle proceeds directly support the Giving Voice Foundation's free, interactive music and movement initiatives for local seniors, which include programs like Creative Connections, Music in Motion, Brains in Bloom, and Dancing to Remember — a ballroom dancing program. Each of these is designed around the well-documented therapeutic effects of music, physical movement, and social engagement on cognitive health and quality of life in older adults.
Dancing to Remember deserves special mention for anyone skeptical about whether arts programming can deliver measurable health outcomes. The evidence base for dance as a therapeutic intervention for dementia patients has grown substantially over the past decade — studies consistently show that structured movement programs improve balance, reduce fall risk, enhance mood, and support memory retention in ways that passive activities simply cannot match. The Giving Voice Foundation has built a program lineup that reflects that research. Giving Voice also offers complimentary writing programs and peer support for caregivers, addressing not just the patients but the people who carry the daily weight of their care.
The financial target for the 2026 raffle reflects the growing ambition and reach of the organization. The organization is aiming to raise $35,000 through the raffle to support its free community programs provided to older adults with Alzheimer's and dementia and their caregivers. That goal has climbed steadily year over year — the inaugural raffle targeted $20,000, and by the time the 2025 raffle launched, the organization had set its sights on $50,000. The 2026 figure represents a recalibration rather than a retreat, suggesting the foundation is thinking carefully about sustainable growth rather than simply chasing a headline number.
Dr. Christian Gausvik and the Philosophy of Fundraising Through Passion
The creative engine behind this raffle series is Dr. Christian Gausvik, MD, the foundation's founder and board president. Gausvik has built an organization that recognizes something too many nonprofits miss: effective fundraising has to meet donors where their genuine interests lie. Rather than asking the bourbon-loving men of Cincinnati and the surrounding Tri-State region to simply cut a check to a worthy cause, the Giving Voice Foundation has created a scenario where engaging with the cause feels like a natural extension of something they already love.
Gausvik has been transparent about the strategic thinking behind the raffle format. "We continue to look for new ways to support funding for our programming that enables us to keep offering them to Cincinnati's aging community at no charge," he said. "As we diversify our fundraising efforts beyond hosting annual events, we felt this unique and rare raffle would be a great way to engage and encourage our bourbon-loving Tri-State to get involved in our important cause!"
That philosophy — using a culturally resonant prize to activate a donor base that might not otherwise engage with a dementia-focused charity — has proven effective. The foundation's willingness to build on each year's success while keeping the core structure intact (five-bottle BTAC set, National Bourbon Day timing, Revival Bottle Shop as the draw venue) shows an organization that understands the value of a recognizable brand event. Three years in, the Cincy Bourbon Raffle has become a known commodity in both the local nonprofit space and the regional bourbon community.
The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection: Why It Commands This Kind of Attention
A Release That Defines the American Whiskey Calendar
For the uninitiated, the reverence surrounding the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection might seem disproportionate. It helps to understand the mechanics of how this release reaches the market — and why a complete set is so difficult to obtain. Buffalo Trace releases the BTAC once per year in the fall, through a state-controlled allocation system that distributes bottles to licensed retailers. The quantities are limited by design, reflecting both the age of the whiskeys involved and the distillery's commitment to quality over volume.
At the retail level, most shops receive only a handful of individual bottles across the five expressions. Getting all five in a single transaction — let alone as a matched set from the same release year — requires either extraordinary luck, serious relationships with multiple retailers, or a deep allocation pipeline that most consumers simply do not have access to. The anonymous donor who made this raffle possible holds that access, and the decision to route it through the Giving Voice Foundation rather than the secondary market says something meaningful about their values.
Secondary Market Realities
On the secondary market, individual BTAC bottles regularly trade at multiples of their suggested retail price. George T. Stagg and William Larue Weller routinely command prices that would each exceed the total cost of a five-ticket raffle bundle on their own. Eagle Rare 17, especially from a historically significant vintage, pushes into territory where the bottle itself becomes a collector's item rather than simply a drinking whiskey. The aggregate value of a complete set in pristine condition exceeds $10,000 by a margin that makes the raffle pricing look almost absurdly favorable for the buyer.
This is the genius of the Giving Voice raffle structure: the ticket pricing is low enough to be genuinely accessible — anyone who can budget a dinner out can afford a $25 ticket — but the prize is extraordinary enough to attract serious collectors who understand exactly what they'd be winning. The result is a fundraising event that draws participation from across the economic spectrum of bourbon enthusiasts, from casual fans looking to support a good cause to hard-core collectors calculating their expected value per ticket.
Revival Vintage Bottle Shop: A Draw Venue That Gets It
The choice of Revival Vintage Bottle Shop in Covington, Kentucky as the home for the live draw is not incidental. Covington sits directly across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati and functions as a culturally integrated part of the greater metro area. Revival has built a reputation as a destination for spirits collectors throughout the region — the kind of shop where the staff can speak knowledgeably about secondary market pricing, distillery history, and the nuances of specific releases. Hosting the live draw at a venue with that kind of credibility lends the event authenticity that a generic hotel ballroom draw could never replicate.
The winner will be drawn live from Revival Vintage Bottle Shop in Covington at 2:00 p.m. on July 11, 2026, and contacted immediately by phone. For anyone who can make the trip to Covington that afternoon, the draw itself promises to be a genuinely exciting event — the kind of moment that the local bourbon community will be talking about regardless of who wins.
Raffle History and Growing Goals: A Scorecard Through Three Years
Tracing the arc of the Giving Voice bourbon raffle across its three editions reveals an organization finding its stride. The 2024 inaugural raffle set a $20,000 goal, built around the 2023 BTAC release that included the record-setting Eagle Rare 17 bottled at 19 years and three months. The draw happened on National Bourbon Day with a live reveal that matched the energy of the occasion. The community response, by Gausvik's own account, exceeded expectations.
The 2025 edition built on that momentum with an elevated $50,000 target and the additional context of the Buffalo Trace distillery flooding in April of that year — an event that made the 2025 BTAC set an even more emotionally weighted prize, representing distillery resilience at one of the most difficult moments in Buffalo Trace's recent history. The Giving Voice Foundation announced it had once again obtained and was raffling off one of the rarest and most sought-after five-bottle antique bourbon collections in the country.
The 2026 raffle targets $35,000 — a recalibrated number that reflects honest assessment of donor capacity rather than pure ambition. The draw date has shifted from June 14 to July 11, suggesting the foundation may be experimenting with a longer ticket sales window to maximize total revenue. What remains constant is the structure, the venue, and the quality of the prize — the three pillars that have made this raffle a recognizable annual event rather than a one-off novelty.
How to Enter: Everything a Prospective Buyer Needs to Know
The process is deliberately simple. Anyone aged 21 and above can purchase raffle tickets at one for $25 or five for $100, with tickets available online at cincybourbonraffle.com. There is no requirement to be a Cincinnati resident to enter — the online platform opens participation to bourbon enthusiasts across the country, though the in-person pickup requirement in Cincinnati does add a logistical consideration for out-of-state winners.
The collection must be picked up in person locally in Cincinnati, which is a standard provision for alcohol-related raffles operating within Ohio's legal framework. Winners coming from outside the metro area would need to plan accordingly, but for a $10,000 whiskey haul, a weekend trip to Cincinnati is an easy sell. The city's bourbon scene, proximity to Northern Kentucky's distillery row, and the general vibrancy of its food and drink culture make it a worthwhile destination regardless.
The five-for-$100 option is the obvious value play. Each additional ticket meaningfully improves the odds in what is, by design, a raffle with a relatively limited total ticket pool. Unlike a state lottery drawing from millions of entries, a charity raffle of this nature typically operates within a universe of thousands of tickets at most, making individual entry probability genuinely meaningful. The math is as favorable as it gets in the world of bourbon collecting.
Why This Raffle Matters Beyond the Bottles
There is a version of this story that is purely about whiskey — about the thrill of winning a five-bottle set that most collectors will never lay hands on. That story is real and worth telling. But the more complete story is about what happens when a community organizes its passions in service of something larger than the hobby itself.
With more than 151,000 older adults across the Greater Cincinnati area currently affected by this life-altering diagnosis, the Giving Voice Foundation exists to help them all receive much-needed support and achieve their highest quality of life through connection and movement. Every ticket purchased is a direct investment in free programming for people who are navigating one of the most difficult experiences a human being can face — watching a loved one lose their memories, or losing their own. The ballroom dancing classes, the music therapy sessions, the writing programs, the caregiver peer support groups — none of that happens without funding, and the bourbon raffle has become one of the most creative and effective ways the foundation generates it.
Dr. Gausvik's vision was to build a fundraising mechanism that felt native to the culture of the community it was asking for support. The bourbon-loving Ohio River Valley, spanning Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, is one of the most whiskey-engaged markets in the country — a region where distillery tourism, bottle hunting, and secondary market participation are genuine leisure pursuits, not niche hobbies. Tapping that energy on behalf of a dementia care organization was not an obvious idea. Three successful years later, it looks inevitable in retrospect.
Tickets are available now at cincybourbonraffle.com, and the window to enter closes ahead of the July 11, 2026 draw at Revival Vintage Bottle Shop in Covington. For any bourbon drinker who has ever stared at an empty shelf where a BTAC bottle should have been, this is the most realistic path to bringing one — or all five — home.
