Daylight robbery: $500k of Noble Oak Bourbon stolen
The theft of 1,800 cases of whiskey in Philadelphia on 5 June may have been part of a ‘coordinated cargo theft operation’.
Last week, 18 pallets of Noble Oak Bourbon were illegally removed by truck from a warehouse facility in North Philadelphia’s Fair Hill neighbourhood between 1pm and 3pm ET.
The incident has been reported to local police and the FBI, and a criminal investigation is underway.
A spokesperson for Noble Oak’s parent company, Apogee 21 Holdings (A21), said in a statement: “We are treating this as a serious criminal matter and are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities.
“The theft involved a significant quantity of premium Bourbon from our newly acquired brand, Noble Oak, and appears to have been executed with knowledge of logistics operations and product movement schedules.”
They went on to describe the robbery as “one of the largest known Bourbon thefts in the region”.
A21 encourages anyone with information regarding suspicious activities involving large quantities of Noble Oak Bourbon to contact Philadelphia law enforcement.
The company specifically called for vigilance among bar and restaurant owners, retailers, warehouse operators and consumers.
Scottish spirits company Edrington launched Noble Oak Bourbon in 2018 with the promise to plant a tree for every bottle sold.
Las Vegas-based A21 acquired Noble Oak in 2024.
Speaking at the time, the company’s chief operating officer, Rob Kock, said: “Apogee 21 was created to identify and scale brands with authentic stories and long-term value. Noble Oak exemplifies that philosophy, and we look forward to building on the brand’s strong foundation in the years ahead.”
Valuable whisky has been an increasingly popular target for thieves in recent years, with high-profile thefts reported at The Glenturret Distillery in the Scottish Highlands in 2025 and Glenfarclas Distillery in Speyside in 2022.
In terms of retail value, this recent incident in Philadelphia exceeds the infamous Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon heist, in which thieves removed bottles then priced at US$26,000 from Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, in 2013.
That case remains unsolved to this day.
The Spirits Business has contacted A21 and the Philadelphia Police Department for further comment.
Last year we took a deep dive into the murky world of spirits freight theft.
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