Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services to Open Registration for Lotteries Offering Opportunities to Purchase Rare Spirits on Sunday, Jan. 19

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Montgomery County’s Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) will open registration on Sunday, Jan. 19, for its annual limited availability whiskey lotteries, offering residents the opportunity to purchase highly sought-after spirits. The lotteries are free to enter, but there are residency requirements.

ABS expects to release more than 900 bottles for purchase through the lotteries. Among the spirits that County residents will have an opportunity to purchase are five bottles of Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year, four bottles of Double Eagle Very Rare and three bottles of Michter’s 20 Year. Maryland residents selected in the lottery will also have the chance to purchase one bottle of George T. Stagg and two bottles of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2024.

Two lotteries with be held:

• The first lottery will be open to Maryland residents 21 and over.
• The second lottery will be open only to Montgomery County residents 21 and over.

Both lotteries feature a variety of available spirits, with some overlap. County residents may enter both lotteries.

Registration for the lotteries begins at 12:01 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. After the lotteries close, a random drawing will be conducted. The winning numbers will be posted on the ABS website at noon on Monday, Feb. 10.

Lottery winners will be able to purchase their allocated bottle at a designated store between Monday, Feb. 17, and Sunday, March 16. No alternative dates will be provided. Bottles not picked up by close of business on March 16 will be forfeited.

Participants in the lotteries can select their top preferences from the list of available bottles. Bottle counts are listed on the registration forms. Details on how to enter the lottery, including registration forms, are available on the ABS website.

A third lottery will be open to Montgomery County alcohol license holders who are authorized to sell spirits on their premises. The licensee lottery will run concurrently with the resident lotteries and will increase the availability of these exclusive items for sale by the glass. Licensees can enter this lottery on the ABS website.

“We are excited to, once again, be offering residents the chance to acquire these highly allocated and rare offerings,” said ABS Retail Chief Sean Peters. “ABS is proud to continue our partnerships with manufacturers and suppliers to make these products available to residents using the lottery program, providing equitable access and transparent pricing to our customers.”

ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine and spirits for Montgomery County. It operates 27 retail stores throughout the County. In addition, ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Generating more than $35 million in net income annually, its profits are used to pay down County debt with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that would otherwise be funded by County tax dollars.

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Release ID: 25-025
Media Contact: Jocelyn Rawat 202-604-7289
Categories: ABS