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    James E Pepper Distillery

    4.6 (87 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    James E Pepper Distillery Distilleries Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - James E Pepper Distillery

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    Sidewalk constructed of bricks from original distillery smokestack
    Stephanie R.

    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.

    Still and tank
    Mary H.

    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 :)

    Ross T.

    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!

    Ruth M.

    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

    Lori R.

    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.

    Byron R.

    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.

    Spencer K.

    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!

    Queen of the Turf
    Kecia M.

    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.

    Bar
    Ian M.

    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!!

    Bethany C.

    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!

    Decanter Bourbon Neat (0.75oz)
    Miranda L.

    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!

    Tasting room
    Charlie H.

    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.

    James Pepper barrels
    Dawn G.

    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.

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    Ask the Community - James E Pepper Distillery

    Review Highlights - James E Pepper Distillery

    She's clearly enthusiastic about the distillery and bourbon, and engaging when discussing the history and facts.

    Mentioned in 25 reviews

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    On Tap Tours - Tour of Log Still Distillery

    On Tap Tours

    3.0(4 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    On Tap Tours made our bourbon tour far more stressful than it should've been. Communication fell…read moreapart after my initial payment -- I spent over a week trying to get basic updates with no response. It wasn't until I escalated repeatedly that someone finally got back to me, promising to "make it right" and offer a discount for the disorganization. That never truly materialized. Our drivers showed up late, weren't informed of the itinerary until the night before, and we were charged for 15 guests even though only 13 attended (offered a partial refund for the missing 2). Two vans arrived when one would have been enough -- a clear sign of poor planning. Our Buffalo Trace tour wasn't at the time requested, and our group got split, likely due to late booking. If you're just looking for a ride between distilleries, this company might do the job. But if you want a stress-free, well-organized experience with honest follow-through -- look elsewhere.

    My friends and I did the Brewery tour for a birthday celebration, we had so much fun!!…read more Our tour started at West Sixth around noon. The tour included 3 beers and a walk through of the brewery. Our tour guide was so much fun and even had cupcakes for our friends birthday! After West Sixth we got on the party bus. Bill, the party bus driver, was waiting for us. He was so friendly and immediately told us about the coolers and passed us the aux cord. Bill drove us to the distillery district where we went on tours at Wise Bird and Ethereal. We spent around 2 hours in this area which was nice because we had the option to get food. From Ethereal we went to Rock House Brewery, then to Mirror Twin! At each brewery we got a tour and small explanation on how they made their beer. We also got plenty of samples at each brewery. Mirror Twin was our final destination. We arrived just in time for the UK game! Part of our tour included a small seating area for our friends to watch the UK game! Everybody at Lex on Tab was so friendly and accommodating- I would recommend this tour to everybody!

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    On Tap Tours - Every small detail matters to us, and we feel confident it will matter to you as well

    Every small detail matters to us, and we feel confident it will matter to you as well

    On Tap Tours - We offer custom tours!

    We offer custom tours!

    On Tap Tours - You should not have to work to plan your great day whether it is a day spent with friends and family, a social event, or corporate outing.

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    You should not have to work to plan your great day whether it is a day spent with friends and family, a social event, or corporate outing.

    Derby City Brew Tours

    Derby City Brew Tours

    5.0(22 reviews)
    68.6 miFourth Street, Downtown

    It just hit me that I never wrote a review of Derby City Brew Bus. I went on the tour in February,…read moreand I still think about it. Keith and his tours are five stars, all the way around. I first got a little taste of DCBB as part of a Yelp event last year, and when I saw that DCBB was doing a special Super Brunch tour just for Valentine's Day, I jumped on and brought my boyfriend, his sister and her boyfriend along for the ride. This special V-Day tour started at Over the 9, where we enjoyed a brunch that paired dishes by Over the 9 and Louisville's always awesome Chef Maria Bell with brews from Falls City Beer, which is made in the same facility as Over the 9. These small bites brunch courses were so fun, and I think we all fell in love with Chef Bell a little more through this event. She explained every dish, and you could tell that she was so excited to be there. And I'm a fan of beer for breakfast -- I know ... surprise, surprise. But it all worked well, as we enjoyed several Falls City creations. After brunch, we walked over to Falls City production facility to learn a bit more about how the beer is made, from the head brewer himself. This DCBB tour in particular included a change of plans. One of the stops -- I can't even remember where it was -- had to be canceled, but Keith rolled with it. And we stopped at Muth's Candy Store instead. Samples of their signature treats, including modjeskas, were waiting for all of us. This was such a fun addition on this V-Day tour, and the shop's owners chatted with the group about Muth's long history. And then we ended at Apocalypse Brew Works. The snow really started coming down when we were here, but Apocalypse was warm and the beer was flowing. If it's the end of the world -- or the middle of a snowstorm -- I'm happy to escape to Apocalypse. Everyone on the tour got another beer tasting and tour, with special welcome and walk-through by the owner. Keith is such an enthusiastic host, and I think that rubs off on the brewery and business owners because they were excited to welcome us into their businesses. Keith shuttled us around in his van and gave us pretzel necklaces and bottles of water to tide us over between stops. He also peppered the trip with historical tidbits about the places we were driving by. You can tell that he has pride for what he does and this city. If you want to learn about several breweries at once, I definitely recommend that you dip your toe into the local brew scene by way of DCBB. It will make for a one-of-a-kind day!

    Had such an amazing tour. The all inclusive brew tour was the way to go for sure. Keith was…read moreprofessional but so much fun. Every stop on the tour was perfect for our group. Being able to try the different beers, while having great conversations with total strangers, made for a fun night!! I'm going to book a private tour for friends. I definitely have to do this again, SOON!!

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    Derby City Brew Tours
    Derby City Brew Tours
    Derby City Brew Tours

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    James E Pepper Distillery - distilleries - Updated May 2026

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