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    Home » Travel » Food Travel » Kentucky

    James E Pepper Distillery (Lexington, KY)

    Published: Apr 6, 2023 · Modified: Nov 15, 2024 · Leave a Comment

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    The historic James E Pepper Distillery is revitalized and ready for tours! It's also host to a new entertainment district in Lexington, KY.

    Sign for Old Pepper Distillery Tours and Tastings outside gray brick building.

    Located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, the James E Pepper Distillery has a history stretching back more than 200 years! Although its facilities fell out of use for the last half of the 20th century, it's now been brought back to life and is welcoming visitors.

    We were excited to get to check it out on a recent day trip in central Kentucky. (Besides this one, we also visited Whiskey Thief in Frankfort on the same day.)

    This distillery is part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. See my guide to the original nine Bourbon Trail distilleries for more ideas on where to visit.

    Intrigued by what James E Pepper has to offer? Here's what you can expect!

    Barrel labeled "Old Pepper Distillery."

    The Distillery District

    The Lexington Distillery District is a fairly new entertainment destination in the downtown area.

    The entire 25-acre property was once home to the James E Pepper Distillery, but now it's shared by another distillery, Barrel House, and several restaurants (including one of our fave ice cream shops, Crank and Boom, and the delightful coffee shop Brevede).

    It’s a cute little area along Town Branch Creek.

    While you're in town, don't miss out on Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., about a five-minute drive away!

    Touring James E Pepper Distillery

    When we visited, tours were $20 per person. We made our reservations online ahead of time.

    We checked in for our tour in the gift shop. While we waited, there was time to enjoy an Old-Fashioned. I love making a honey old fashioned or a cinnamon version at home! This bourbon also works well in a honey Manhattan.

    Old-Fashioned cocktail.
    Old-Fashioned

    There's a nice outdoor area for lounging (and a pizzeria right next door, too).

    Chairs and tables on brick patio.
    Outdoor Dining

    As our tour got underway, we heard a brief history of the distillery. The brand was a huge success throughout the 19th century, but had some reversals towards the 1960s and was then abandoned for decades.

    Brick buildings of James E Pepper Distillery.

    Fortunately, the history and reputation of the brand were rediscovered, leading to a new start (but the same recipe!) in 2017.

    Next, we moved on to the distillery, where we learned more about the bourbon-making process.

    Copper still at James E Pepper Distillery.
    Stills

    Interested in a more detailed look at the industry? We recommend the book Bourbon Curious by Fred Minnick.

    We got to check out the sour mash as it fermented, see the bottling area, and taste the “high wine” (moonshine), which is their bourbon before it goes into the barrel to age.

    Fermentation vat with mash streaming in from pipe.
    Mash
    Fermenting vat.
    Fermenting Vats
    Stacks of barrels in warehouse at James E Pepper Distillery.
    Whiskey Barrels

    We also tasted rye straight from the barrel before moving into the tasting room.

    Woman extracting whiskey from barrel.
    Thieving Whiskey From Barrel
    Tasting room with stools and barrels set up as tables.
    Tasting Room

    In the tasting room, we tried a rye, a bourbon and a bourbon ball. We got to keep a souvenir shot glass.

    Bottle of James E Pepper 1776 rye whiskey.
    Rye Whiskey

    The 1776 brand is an homage to the whiskey produced by the Pepper family all the way back in the Revolutionary era.

    Bottle of James E Pepper 1776 bourbon.
    Bourbon Whiskey

    The gift shop had some great bourbon-adjacent merchandise, including coffee beans aged in whiskey barrels and chocolate bourbon balls.

    Packages of James E Pepper coffee aged in whiskey barrels.
    Barrel Aged Coffee Beans
    Packages of bourbon balls for sale.
    Bourbon Balls

    This was a great afternoon out in Lexington, and we recommend the tour! The distillery district is definitely an up-and-coming place that foodies and bourbon-lovers will want to keep an eye on.

    Bottled whiskeys for sale at James E Pepper Distillery.
    Whiskey For Sale

    More Kentucky Food + Drink Destinations

    • Roadside sign for Red River Rockhouse burgers, burritos and beer with restaurant in background.
      Red River Rockhouse (Campton, KY)
    • Restaurant entrance and sign for Mr Brews Taphouse.
      Mr Brews Taphouse (Lexington, KY)
    • Entrance to Corto Lima, a grey painted building with black awning.
      Corto Lima (Lexington, KY)
    • Indoor dining area with Mirror Twin Brewing Co. stenciled on the wall in decorative script.
      Mirror Twin Brewing (Lexington, KY)

    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

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