This was a very unique tour experience. And in a good way! I have been on a bunch of bourbon tours at distilleries. This was by far one of the most memorable. From getting to taste the mash, to the whiskey, right off the steel, and then the thumb right out of the barrel to try and barrel proof. It was an amazing tour. Our guide was very engaging and had lots of great stories. I would highly recommend this to her if you're in the Lexington area read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

James E. Pepper was the last tour on our Bourbon Trail adventure. Our guide Taylor was knowledgeable and personable. We appreciated that they were studying in a field that applied to whiskey production and thus were able to explain concepts and methods in a scientific way that might not come up on your typical distillery tour. The tour included some pleasantries that we did not encounter on other tours such as the bourbon ball and opportunity to taste white dog off the still. Other treats included tasting the mash, thieving straight from a barrel on the column still floor, sampling the different bourbons and overall touring of the historic building. The complimentary glasses were appreciated and the "original old fashioned" from the bar afterwards was a great way to wrap up the tour. Whether your first, last or only stop for a distillery tour, I would recommend this one for an all inclusive experience. Our guide absolutely earned our gratuity with the passion and knowledge they displayed. Do recommend! read more

Everyone's taste buds are different, but we found the bourbon and rye to be not particularly appealing. We did purchase a nicely scented candle. read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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I love that they are a dog friendly distillery! Dogs are allowed in their front indoor tasting area and the outside area. Everyone who worked there was so friendly and so sweet to our pups. They gave our dogs a shot glass full of treats which I thought was adorable. Their bourbons are smooth and have that perfect honey/caramel taste. They also do pre-prohibition styled old fashioned cocktails and mine was phenomenal. read more

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One of the original Kentucky distilleries that was closed, destroyed by fire, rebuilt, and reopened in 2017 by investors who had rebuilt the complex the distillery is located in. The tour is very informative and felt like a crazy soap opera with how the distillery started and closed and rebuilt, etc. After the history lesson, we toured the premises which included a tasting of the fermenting mash. That was a first for me and a unique addition to the tour. We also tried a couple of their bourbon products. It's an informative and interesting tour - highly recommend a visit if you are touring the Bourbon Trail. read more

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This was a nice tour and focused a lot on the history of the distillery and the area. The best part was tasting the bourbon! A great addition to the craft tour. There's also a few good food options in the area :) read more

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Good tour with some really cool history! Our tour guide, Will, did a great job and made the tour really enjoyable. We loved that the tastings were set up throughout the tour. We had a couple old fashions after the tour which were delicious. Worth checking out next time you're in Lexington! read more

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We've been on several distillery tours, and while I wouldn't call us experts, this one easily stood out as the best. From the start, our tour guide shared a ton of fascinating history about James E. Pepper, setting the stage for the experience. What really made it special, though, was how immersive it was--we weren't just looking from a distance, we actually got to walk through and experience every part of the distillery. Highlights included: * Standing in the fermentation room, where we could see vats in different stages--some just filled with mash and others three days into the process. We even got to taste mash that was two days in (with one more day to go). * Going down to see the still in action, producing both low and high wine. Watching that process happen live was incredible, and we even got to sample the high wine. * Ending in the tasting room, where we tried two additional whiskeys that capped off the experience perfectly. Because it's a craft distillery, the whole tour felt personal and authentic--like we were being welcomed behind the scenes rather than just shown around. Overall, this was such a memorable experience. If you want a distillery tour that blends history, hands-on learning, and of course great whiskey, this is absolutely the one to Great History lesson read more

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My friend and I stopped in here for a tour when I was in town visiting and had such a great time! The guides were both knowledgeable and super entertaining which made the tour even more enjoyable. We got to try so many things and really learned a lot! read more

Very nice tour! The guide was informative! We had a good time and got to keep our shot glass at the end. Got to taste mash this was new for us. Done several tours and this was the first time we had the mash. read more

Went for a tasting (as a non-drinker) with my husband. I've been to many and enjoy the process, history, and experience at each distillery. The host was super friendly and sweet and a fellow staff member offered additional knowledge and insight to the distillery owner and property. It was very appealing on the inside, the store, and the outside was very nice. You can even go to see the long horns in the pasture. Great experience! read more

This old Distillery has a lot of history. It's very close to downtown. It's a whole complex of restaurants and another distillery as well. We did not do the tour, just walked in the gift shop which is small but nice. Husband tried the Bottled in Bond "flight" and I believe it was $12. For two very tiny pours. One bourbon and one rye. They were both very good though. Which would make the $20 tour here worthwhile since it comes with tastings and a glass. Husband liked the bourbon enough to buy a bottle. read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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When in Kentucky, you gotta try bourbon, amirite? So I signed up for the James E. Pepper Distillery tour on a Friday. The tour was $21.20 as of April 2025 and lasted about an hour. I thought it was very worth it! Our guide Mimi was fantastic and knowledgeable. She told us about the history of the distillery, gave us a mini museum tour, and showed us around their surprisingly small factory. Unfortunately, because the weather was terrible, Mimi didn't walk us around the outdoor parts of the distillerywe We got to try several things, starting with high wine, which burned like hell but was oddly delicious. Then we sampled three or so bourbons, all of which were honestly really good. One even paired perfectly with a piece of chocolate. Plus, we got to keep souvenir shot glasses! Parking was super easy since they have a giant parking lot. Bonus points for the free postcards at the end--I grabbed a few to send to friends. One even had the OG Old Fashioned recipe, which James E. Pepper helped popularize. You bet I enjoyed one after the tour! read more

Pepper Distillery in Lexington is an interesting spot for newbie bourbonites. Tour of old working distillery was cool to see and informative and our guide was delightful. Quality of Bourbon is subpar for my tastes. Much better whisky out at other distilleries. Overall, OK if you're looking for an activity in town. Just know it's not the best whisky. read more

Had a great tour with our tour garden, Kaitlin. We came during the Labor Day weekend and our tour was informative and very enjoyable. Would definitely recommend! read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Wow, what a great tasting, Taylor our hostess/ bar tender was outstanding and walked us through the tasting. This is by far one of the most underrated bourbons tastings and bottles of our bourbon tour in Kentucky! The price point on this product is absolutely incredible. read more

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Pepper has a long history behind it and it is a great journey I would recommend everyone take. The people are really cool and fun that work here. The juice is good and the location is in the best place to hangout and have fun in Lexington. Stop reading this review - go there and enjoy! Grab a single barrel picked by the distiller - you won't regret it!! read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Bar - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Just outside the James E Pepper Distillery is their patio bar, Ella's. What a great hidden gem! The small patio stays relatively quiet and secluded, and the drinks are fantastic! All James E Pepper bourbons and whiskeys of course! They do also have a selection of wines and other drinks. read more

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Located in the distillery district which is awesome. Conveniently located between great eateries. Lively outdoor seating by a creek. Some indoor seating, though not many tables. Tastings and tours offered. Usual bottled in bond, rye, single barrel. But the star of the show is the decanter series. Highly recommend! read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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James E Pepper is in the Old Distillery District of Lexington. They offer tours & tastings, bottles for purchase, cocktails or neat glasses. The staff was nice but short in conversations. When asking for suggestions, they ultimately said it was personal choice with not much else. Our group decided on the bottled-in-bond tasting, single barrel bourbon tasting, and decanter bourbon neat. We all shared and our favorite by far was the Decanter Bourbon! There was minimal seating inside but a lot of patio seating outside. Overall, a good smaller distillery pick in a great part of Lexington! read more

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Great experience for a small distillery. Loved the history behind the distillery. Tour guide did an excellent job. Would highly recommend this tour great food in the area. read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Tasting room - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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This is a must do if you're in Lexington. This historical site was revitalized and saved about 15 years ago and it's a really cool tour to do. They are a small distillery that produces 5 barrels a day, shares history, and offers old fashions. The tour was about an hour long. It is recommended to book in advance. We booked online the morning of. Veterans get 50% off tickets. Active military can tour for free. The tour includes a tasting. You also get to keep a souvenir shot glass given during the tour. They sell lots of fun things like coffee, bourbon chocolate, their spirits, flasks, glassware, candles and more. read more

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This is a cute and small distillery. During the tour we learned the history but also got to try 4 different liquors. The tour guide was funny and knowledgeable. We arrived a few minutes late but they were very nice about it and got us caught up. read more

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Really nice tour. The whole area has several restaurants and bars. Way more to do than just tour the place. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and personable. read more

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I curated a road trip on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for the fam. We started in Lexington and James E Pepper was our first stop on our multi-day, lets see as many distilleries as we could trip. This distillery is located in a very cute development. It looks like an old industrial complex that's been repurposed. There's plenty of other food, drink, and even dessert options here. We didnt have time for a tour so we opted for flights on the patio (you can get cocktails too). I chose the Bottled-in-bond flight. Living in Maryland I've grown to love rye, so I decided to get a flight with two. It included bottled-in-bond bourbon and rye, and single barrel rye. Our bartender described each selection in detail and highlighted their differences. Everything was delicious, but the bottled-in-bond rye took the cake! Smooth, rich, dynamic and different from the Maryland varieties I've tried. I can't remember the exact price, but I wasn't ready to commit to so much on my first day and first stop. After all was said and done, however, I definitely wish I had stopped back through for it, but that just means I have to get back! read more

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Said was a fabulous guide! Lots of fun and great information! The bourbons were very good! We loved the original Old Fashion...it was delicious and enjoyed hearing the history of it and the distillery! read more

There are so many places around this location including restaurants, a brewery and another Distillery. The tour walks through the history of the Distillery and the tour guide made it so interesting. We also tasted a sample straight from the barrell and had some additional in the tasting room at the end. There is also a bar in the lobby where you can stop for a tasting or an original old fashioned. read more

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Mimi our tour guide was awesome! The guide can really make or break the experience and she was great. Very knowledgeable but in a very accessible way. Bourbon was great and we walked away with a couple bottles. Can't wait to head back when the weather is nicer to hang out for longer and check out Ella's :) read more

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Excellent customer service. Great tour by Bill. Excellent historian. I believe that the distillery tour price is fair. It is small enough that you can hear the history and you can even ask questions. You end up with a shot glass and with 5 tastes of the liquor. This was super fun. read more

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My favorite thing about this Distillery is the location! This whole district of Lexington was such a vibe! There are multiple restaurants, breweries and distilleries all in this little walking area. Upon our visit to Kentucky, we had to taste the local flavors and this distillery was all we had time for. They have several curated flights to choose from so we chose two. The bartender was forthcoming with information which was great because I knew absolutely nothing about bourbon and rye whiskey. I quickly found out that brown liquor like this is just not my thing. Nothing against the distillery itself, just not my preferred beverage you know? If you like this sort of thing, you'll love James E Pepper. The girls are friendly in there and the space is nice. Maybe take a tour if you have time. read more

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This tour was very history rich! The guide was very knowledgeable and walked us through the whole history and process. We enjoyed the tour, and the tasting very much, as well as the bar tenders lively personalities. They were great at recommending local buisnesses for us to visit for lunch. read more

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James E. Pepper Distillery is a fun distillery with a rich history. We did a tour as a group while in town and really enjoyed it. The Distillery District where this is located is really cool with other local businesses to explore. In addition to the distillery there is a pizza shop (with plenty of outdoor seating), a cider business, a brewery, an ice cream shop, a tavern, a restaurant, and a live music venue. There is a large parking lot in the middle. We found parking easily for a 10:30am weekday tour, but when I returned from picking up my daughter at noon it was almost full. Tours can be booked online to reserve a space. The distillery does get really busy so it's probably best to do this. Adult tours are $20 a person, but they offer a few discounts. For example, veterans are only $10 each. Small children are not allowed so use this as a chance to leave them back with a sitter. The structure that houses the distillery was built of charming historical red brick. You could feel the history when you walk in. The tasting room was large and clean with plenty of seating. In the tasting room they offer whiskey flights, pours, and their twist on old fashioned. They make their old fashioned with lemon. The tour was one of the most thorough and interesting alcohol related tours I've done. The history of this distillery dates back to the 1700's so there was a lot to cover. The guide did a good job of giving us the history in an interesting way. After we covered the history we moved to the back where the liquor is made to cover the production process. To wrap up we were given a few tastes as well as a piece of chocolate. After the tour you can hang out in the tasting room and purchase tastes or bottles of what they offer. I'm so glad that my brother suggested this tour because it was a highlight of our week in Lexington. I'd definitely return on my next trip and definitely leave time to explore the rest of The Distillery District. read more

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The tour was different than most. The host was knowledgeable. The tour seemed kind of rushed but interesting. The nice gentleman working was kind to answer my questions. read more

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I'm currently on assignment in Lexington for a few months and trying to make the most of it. One of the journeys I intend to undertake is the Bourbon Trail. A co-worker of mine who is big into bourbon highly recommended the tour at James E. Pepper Distillery. The tour takes about an hour and comes with tastings of 3 different bourbons. Our tour guide was great (I think Kayla?). She's clearly enthusiastic about the distillery and bourbon, and engaging when discussing the history and facts. I was surprised at how close up you get within the distillery (you can literally peer over the fermenting grains) and thought it was interesting that they let you try the high wine. Overall I think this was a great start to the Bourbon Trail and recommend this tour if you're in Lexington. read more

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This was the only distillery place we had time to go to when in Lexington, and we were happy that we went. The person helping us out, Mimi, was very knowledgeable about the products and helped us pick our tasting flight. She also gave us some good recommendations on where else to explore in the city. read more

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We attended the distillery historical tour and had a blast. For the tasting and the time you spend, the price is incredibly low. If you are visiting Lexington for a short trip, I recommend trying this out when you need something to do. Our tour guide was fun and knowledgeable about everything relating to the distillery and it's process. Parking lot gets crazy with all the businesses in the area but it's well worth parking on the far side and walking over. read more

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Fantastic tour by Bettina. What stands part is the history of the company. Fair prices, quality product and quality excellent service and experience read more

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This distillery is located in a refurbished district which houses several other businesses. This is basically a tasting facility only. I sampled a flight of their flagship bourbons and found them to be good with a few of them having a ending spicy bite to them. They sell typical whiskey drinks and I opted in having an "Old Fashion". Overall a good stop while visiting the refurbished business district. read more

James E Pepper Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Loved my visit to James E Pepper Distillery! Great location in the District. Store front was great. All staff was very helpful and friendly. The tour was awesome! The tour guide, Kaitlin, was very engaging, energetic, and entertaining. Her knowledge about this small craft distillery, as well as the bourbon industry in general, was impressive. Really liked hearing the history before getting to see the actual distilling process up close and personal! The tastings included in the tour were wonderful. Prices were extremely reasonable. The bar offered flights and their signature Old Fashioned. They opened a patio bar called Ella's that I can't wait to back and visit. Definitely recommend visiting this special piece of Lexington History!!! read more

Awesome craft distillery, the tour was great, Kaitlin was knowledgeable of the process and I really enjoyed her story telling of the history of the distillery, I left there feeling like I knew James and his wife Ella. The bourbon is excellent, my favorite is the decanter bottle. Great location with several shops and restaurants within walking distance, Kaitlin made it feel more like a community than a bunch of stores grouped together. Don't miss this gem if you're in the area . read more