Day 17 of DB's Bourbon Trail 2024 Advent Calendar - James E. Pepper Barrel Proof

Derek Burkhard
Oct 30, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Dec 17, 2024

Cheers and welcome to our 5th Annual Advent Calendar!

This month, we’re embarking on a high-end bourbon journey, reviewing 25 bourbons from award-winning distilleries across the United States. From December 1st to December 25th, we’ll explore everything from small batches to single barrels, all packed with flavor. Join us in toasting to another incredible year as we share some of our favorite bottles with you!

Our reviews are done using a Glencairn glass and neat, but remember, it’s your bourbon! Enjoy it however you like—over ice, with water, or in a cocktail. The key is to enjoy it your way and not let others influence your experience.

Enough of me rambling. Now, let’s dive into what brought us here!

Day 17 of DB’s Bourbon Trail 2024 Advent Calendar

JAMES E. PEPPER - BARREL PROOF

Proof:

107.8 Proof (53.9%)

Distillery:

James Pepper Distilling Co. (Lexington, KY)

Message on Bottle:

A DISTINCT BLEND OF UNIQUE BOURBON WHISKIES. IN HONOR OF THE DISTINGUISHED COLONEL JAMES E. PEPPER, FOREFATHER & INNOVATOR OF THE MODERN BOURBON INDUSTRY.

Price Point:

At DB’s Bourbon Trail, we use BoozApp (not sponsored) to ensure fair pricing on our bourbon purchases. Nothing is worse than overpaying due to supply and demand games.
- Average MSRP:
  - $64.99
- Fair Price:
  - $86.88
- Shelf Price:
  - $72.48
- DB’s Bourbon Trail Instant Buy Price:
  - <$65.99

Review:

Aesthetically speaking, the bottle really does it for me. I really liked it and it seemed vintage, so I wanted to check out their website to see if there was any significance to it. … and sure enough - there is!

Decanter Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The Story: Re-released in 2023, the Decanter bottle is a recreation of a historic bottle produced at our distillery in 1945. Its design highlights the rich color of the whiskies we produce due to our lower barrel entry proof and use of the finest cooperage.

Technical: Unique blends of our older stocks & distinct mash bills, consisting of Corn, Rye, Malted Barley & Malted Rye; Aged in new toasted & charred barrels made from Kentucky Oak, air seasoned a minimum of 18-24 months; Water source from the historic distillery well. Distilled & bottled at the historic James E. Pepper Distillery (DSP-KY-5) in Lexington, Kentucky. Average age of whiskies is over 5 years old; bottled straight from the barrel, uncut & unfiltered.

That’s pretty cool and I can confirm the design of the bottle really does compliment the color of the bourbon inside. What also caught my attention on the bottle is the message: “COLONEL JAMES E. PEPPER, FOREFATHER & INNOVATOR OF THE MODERN BOURBON INDUSTRY”. I must say, before this review, outside of the name - I truly didn’t know much about James E. Pepper and his influence on bourbon.

So, off to their website we go!

Master Distiller and Horseman of International Fame: Colonel James E. Pepper (1850-1906), was a larger-than-life bourbon industrialist and flamboyant promoter of his family brand. He was the third generation to produce 'Old Pepper' whiskey, “The Oldest and Best Brand of Whisky made in Kentucky,” founded during the American Revolution. Colonel Pepper proudly proclaimed his continued use of his grandfather’s original Revolutionary War-era recipes, nicknaming his whiskey 'Old 1776'. His namesake distillery in Lexington, Kentucky, built in 1880, was said to be the largest and most technologically advanced whiskey distillery in the United States at that time.

An innovative producer of high-grade whiskies, Colonel Pepper pushed boundaries to grow and strengthen the industry at a critical time. In 1890, he convinced the state of Kentucky to change its laws, allowing distilleries to bottle their own whiskey—a right previously held only by rectifiers. To assure consumers of his whiskey's integrity, he invented the now-ubiquitous “strip stamp seal.” By printing his signature on a strip label applied across the cork, he was able to prosecute counterfeit producers and “bottle re-fillers” under existing forgery laws. His advocacy was instrumental in the passage of the “Bottled in Bond Act of 1897”—the first consumer protection law, ensuring the purity and identity of the whiskey in the bottle.

Thank you for paving the way Mr. Pepper and Cheers - this one is to you!

Nose:

The aroma is a solid blend of french vanilla creamer, oak, citrus, and brown sugar. The French vanilla creamer adds a sweetness, while the oak provides a grounding, woody note initially. The depth of this nose is great as notes of citrus brings a refreshing vibe to the pour while a brown sugar sweetness rounds us out.

Palate:

On the palate, this bourbon delivers an incredible combination that is balanced with notes of cinnamon, citrus, caramel, and vanilla. The cinnamon provides a warm, spicy kick, complemented by a rich caramel sweetness. The vanilla offers a smooth, creamy mouthfeel that ties all the flavors together beautifully. In addition, weirdly enough, I picked up on notes of Root Beer throughout this pour - I may be crazy but I swear lol

Finish:

The finish is long and warming, with notes of rye spice, leather, and black cherry. These flavors are complemented by a lingering cinnamon warmth and a subtle caramel sweetness, creating a perfectly balanced pour that invites you back in for more!

Final Thoughts:

This bottle will not be around for long at this house - I can promise you that! I must say - this bottle was the surprise bottle for me of 2024. This bottle is 10/10 in my opinion and can’t wait to hear your thoughts about it!

Cheers y’all! 🥃

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