James E. Pepper Distillery Opening for Tours

The renovated and relaunched James E. Pepper Distillery is opening for public tours this Thursday.  Visitors to the Lexington, Ky., distillery will learn about the Pepper brand, spend time in a museum and take a behind-the-scenes distillery tour, then wrap up with tastings.

The project to renovate and rebuild the historic distillery was announced in May of 2016. The distillery utilizes historic recipes, the old limestone well 200 feet below ground, and locally grown corn, rye and barley.

Production at the distillery commenced in December 2017, and is headed up by master distiller Aaron Schorsch, who brings close to 20 years of experience to the project from time spent at Seagram’s, Jim Beam and Sam Adams.

The distillery features a unique copper still system built by Vendome Copper in Louisville, and its design was inspired by the archive of historic mechanical drawings from the old distillery. Vendome also built the still for the same distillery in 1934—the year Prohibition was repealed in Kentucky.  The distillery museum showcases the life of the original founder, Col. James E. Pepper, and a collection of historic materials assembled over a decade of research.

The new distillery is inside a portion of the 1936 building that housed the last Pepper distillery. It was built by the Schenley spirits company on the site of Pepper’s original 1879 distillery, which was destroyed by fire just as Prohibition was about to be lifted.

The building is part of the now-thriving “Distillery District,” a 25-acre entertainment district in downtown Lexington on the grounds of the historic James E. Pepper Distillery and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  In addition to working distilleries, the district features a brewery, restaurants, bars, gourmet ice cream, coffee, and more.

The Pepper family brand of whiskey was founded during the American Revolution and distilled over three family generations in Kentucky. Originally built in 1879, the Pepper Distillery in Lexington was in operation until 1958, when it was abandoned by Schenley Distillery.  It sat idle for more 50 years.

Over the last several years the blighted property and surrounding area have undergone a revitalization as part of a community redevelopment and collaboration among independent local entrepreneurs.

The now thriving “Distillery District” is a 25-acre entertainment district in downtown Lexington on the grounds of the historic James E. Pepper Distillery and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  A vibrant and thriving destination, visitors can enjoy working distilleries, a brewery, restaurants, bars, gourmet ice cream, coffee, and more.

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