The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B-
James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon
(Credit: Richard Thomas)
James E. Pepper has now come home to its roots, with brand owner Amir Peay having opened a new distillery in part of what used to be the Pepper distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. Production only began this past January, however, so it will be at least a few years (more likely several) before any in-house spirit finds its way into the bottles. In the meantime, James E. Pepper whiskey remains sourced.
Most enthusiasts would guess the sourcing for Pepper Bourbon is MGP; that Indiana distillery supplies much of the stock whiskey used in America, and is the supplier for Pepper Rye. However, James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon is stated as coming from a very high rye mashbill with “over” 38% rye. MGP stock bourbon peaks at 36% rye, so where this even higher rye whiskey came from is a good topic for speculation. Breckenridge and Redemption also have bourbons with 38% rye content, and very likely got it from the same source.
Beyond the mashbill, it’s often said that this no age statement whiskey has been aged for five or six years on average. It’s bottled at 100 proof and goes in unfiltered.
The Bourbon
Some folks start calling a bourbon “high rye” when the rye content is just in the upper 20s. So, if you’re a fan of the high rye style, here is something in the upper 30s!
The nose is a little sweet and a little woody, seasoned with cookie spices, ginger, a little chili powder and a drop or two of vanilla extract. The flavor follows from there, leaning just a smidge into dryness. It’s mild, easy going and balanced.
The thing that strikes me about the main expression of Pepper Bourbon is that it’s so high rye that it’s kind of a restrained, very moderate take on the already pretty sweet, only middlingly spicy Kentucky Rye style. This makes sense when you consider the mashbill corn to rye ratio for this bourbon and those ryes are basically flipped. It’s an easy drinker and should have strong appeal to Old Granddad/Basil Hayden fans, but I just can’t shake how close it is to Kentucky Rye. That is not a bad thing, but it does smudge the distinctiveness of its niche as an ultra high rye.
The Price
The price point is a good winner: $30 a bottle. As usual, James E. Pepper delivers on affordability.
