James E. Pepper Distillery
4.7(295)google
4.6(88)yelp
CraftGuided TourHistory
Overview
The James E. Pepper Distillery is a meticulously resurrected historic landmark located in Lexington's vibrant Distillery District. Originally built in 1879, the site lay abandoned for decades before being masterfully restored to produce its legendary 'Old Pepper' bourbon and rye whiskey using historic recipes. Visitors can take immersive sensory tours through the active distilling floor, marvel at the gleaming copper stills, and enjoy curated tastings. The surrounding historic brick complex features fantastic local restaurants, craft breweries, and trendy outdoor seating by the water.
Practical Info
Mon10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tue10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wed10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Sun11:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeAn extraordinary year-round indoor and outdoor historical nightlife retreat. Visiting on a weekend evening between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM is highly recommended; this timing perfectly pairs an industrial heritage bourbon tasting tour inside the historic 1879 brick distillery building with the bustling energy of the surrounding historic Distillery District patio dining.
Getting ThereConveniently situated downtown inside the historic Distillery District at 1200 Manchester St. Drive west from the city core via Main Street, hook south onto Oliver Lewis Way, and follow Manchester Street straight for 1 mile. The repurposed industrial complex operates its own massive, complimentary paved self-parking lot mere footsteps from the tasting rooms.
Travel Tips
- Located in the busy Distillery District, weekend nights are congested; use the Manchester Street public garage and avoid parking in active commercial loading bays.
- The stillroom layout emits high heat and decibels; touching exposed metallic pipes is strictly banned, and families with children must bring noise-reduction muffs.
- Bourbon tasting requires physical proof of age 21+ via a valid passport or US driver's license; digital copies or paper photocopies are legally rejected on-site.
Reviews
Positive
- Located in Lexington's trendy Distillery District, the industrial adaptive reuse of this historic ruin into a chic bourbon distillery is visually spectacular.
- Their historic rye and bourbon spirits are elite, and the guided tour brings you right up to active, aromatic copper stills followed by a fantastic premium tasting.
- The exterior features cool stream paths and graffiti art, surrounded by microbreweries, artisan ice cream, and wood-fired pizza joints with amazing night vibes.
- The hospitality crew is energetic and welcoming, the facility is highly accessible near the city center, and directional signs are very clean.
Heads up
- The indoor production facility is relatively compact compared to rural mega-distilleries; their aging rickhouse displays feel a bit small.
- Being a red-hot dining and nightlife hub, parking lots in the district get heavily congested on weekend nights, forcing long loops to find a slot.
- Exclusive single-barrel bottles in the retail shop carry a steep premium markup, making the gift shop purchases feel quite expensive.
- The historic brick renovation means some subterranean tasting cellars lack digital multilingual tools, leaving non-English guests without full context.