$550 for a bottle of whiskey?

That was the price a Butler County man recently asked for a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle — considered the gold standard among bourbon enthusiasts.

But when the buyer turned out to be an undercover officer with the state's liquor control, 73-year-old Barry L. McClain was charged with a modern version of bootlegging.

Actually, the Lancaster Township man faces a charge of unlawful sale of liquor, an ungraded misdemeanor under state law.

“In Pennsylvania, unless you have a liquor license, you shouldn't sell alcohol,” Sgt. Shawn Fischer said Wednesday of the bust earlier this month. “There are people (who) don't know that.”

Fischer serves as the commander of the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement district office that includes Butler and eight other counties.

The local hooch hullabaloo began when McClain placed an ad on Craigslist for the ballyhooed bourbon.

Pappy Van Winkle is so coveted that some states — including Pennsylvania — hold lotteries to distribute the limited supplies.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board placed 2,005 bottles of Pappy Van Winkle up for grabs last fall through its Limited-Release Lottery.

The whiskey is crafted in Frankfort, Ky., by the Sazerac Co. at its Buffalo Trace Distillery. The distillery annually releases only around 7,000 cases, which comes to about 84,000 bottles.

Pennsylvania's lottery offered three different bottle packages of the bourbon. At the top of the line was a five-bottle package for $1,899.99.

The least expensive package was three bottles for $999.99.

The bourbon buzz, according to industry sources, dates back to 1996 when the Beverage Testing Institute awarded Pappy Van Winkle a score of 99 out of 100.

The ranking was the highest ever for any whiskey. Thus, the legend was born.

Fischer said the BLCE is wise to the bourbon craze these days and of the popularity of Pappy Van Winkle.

Officers, he said, keep their eyes out on Craigslist, eBay and other online market platforms in search of capitalists seeking to sell their high-end liquors and wines for a tidy profit.

“We regularly monitor those sites,” he noted, adding that officers periodically conduct stings.

Officer Brian Johnson saw McClain's ad and sent him a text asking how much he wanted for the coveted bottle. According to Johnson's affidavit, McClain responded that he wanted $550 for the bourbon. However, a check by Johnson revealed McClain is not licensed to sell liquor or spirits.

The two agreed to meet April 4 at the Home Depot parking lot in Butler Township. Johnson brought along “buy money,” and McClain arrived carrying a box. Playing the part of bourbon buff, Johnson opened the box, verified it contained a 750 ml bottle of Pappy Van Winkle, and then carefully examined the bottle. He said he told McClain the bottle “looked good.”

Johnson handed over an envelope containing the money, and McClain took out the bills and counted them. But as the defendant was leaving, Johnson advised him of the sting.

“I explained to the suspect that it was illegal to (sell) alcohol in Pennsylvania without a license,” Johnson said in his affidavit. “(McClain) stated he was unaware of this and didn't realize he was breaking the law.”

While the excuse is not uncommon, according to Fischer, he pointed out that the law is still the law. Johnson noted that the BLCE targets speakeasies and clubs that sell alcohol without a license.

The charge against McClain will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Kevin O'Donnell, authorities said, in the next few days.

McClain has an unlisted telephone number and could not be reached for comment.