Raw materials
corn
rye
malted barley
Distillery
James Pepper
Explore the spirits, production style and story of James Pepper.
James Pepper is a historic American whiskey brand (Old Pepper / 1776) based in Lexington, Kentucky. The brand and the historic distillery were relaunched in the 21st century and today produce and bottle Bourbon and Rye, including the 1776 Straight Bourbon and 1776 Straight Rye labels.
American whiskey
Kentucky Bourbon
Rye whiskey
historic distillery (revival)
historic brand
Producer range
Producer range James Pepper
Spirit categories
American whiskey
Kentucky Bourbon
Rye whiskey
historic distillery (revival)
historic brand
Representative products
Straight 1776 Bourbon Whiskey - 70cl
Straight 1776 RYE Whiskey - 70cl
Casks and ageing vessels
American oak (first-fill / American oak)
Distillation and production
Distillation and production
Production method
Mixed model: the relaunch initially involved the use of purchased/finished whiskey in partnership with other producers; since 2017 the historic distillery has resumed on-site distillation. Labels may therefore contain both internally produced spirits and acquired batches; origin information is indicated on labels and official product sheets.
Distillation
Production in copper stills (system inspired by historic designs; Vendome is cited as the technical supplier of equipment for the refurbishment) and a mixed operational model (sourcing + in-house production since 2017).
Ageing
Aging in American oak barrels for bourbon/rye expressions; some product sheets and databases report the use of first-fill American oak casks for certain releases.
Producer history James Pepper
The Pepper family produced whiskey in Kentucky since the Revolutionary era; Colonel James E. Pepper (1850–1906) built his distillery in Lexington around 1879–1880 and the Old 1776 brand became historic. After a long period of inactivity of the site and brand in the second half of the 20th century, the brand was relaunched in the 21st century (early relaunch activities documented around 2008) and production at the historic distillery resumed in 2017. The relaunch took place under the guidance of modern investors/managers (including Georgetown Trading Co. / Amir Peay) with an initial combination of purchased spirits and subsequent on-site production.
Production philosophy
Highlight the historical heritage of the Pepper brand, recover historic recipes and ensure product integrity through documented production practices; the relaunch is oriented toward balancing respect for traditional recipes with modern production practices.
Territory
Lexington and the Distillery District, Kentucky (with warehousing/expansion activities also in Woodford County / Midway).
James Pepper
This producer is a useful reference point for enthusiasts looking for authentic spirits, distinctive production identity and a carefully selected online catalogue.
On this page you can discover the producer, understand its main categories and browse the products currently available for purchase.
Products from
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Europe
USA, UK, Switzerland