1776 was a pretty, erm, eventful year in the history of the United States. This was of course the year that America declared its independence from the British Empire. Yet more important than that, it was also the year that this whiskey brand was founded!

The distillery was founded in Culpepper, Virginia, before moving to Kentucky, where a distillery was built on Glen’s Creek – which now forms the heart of the Woodford Reserve distillery. The distillery was allowed to produce during Prohibition for “medicinal” reasons. Unfortunately, the distillery closed in 1958, a casualty of the whiskey downturn. The brand was revived in 2008, but is no longer produced in the same distillery – though a new distillery is on the way.

A robust rye whiskey, this uses a mashbill containing over 90% rye, and is about 2 years old.

The dram serves up powerful notes of rye spice, with flavours of black pepper, spearmint and cinnamon. Some tropical fruit flavours and grassy grain follow, alongside a little oak and dried citrus.

Bottled at a hefty 57.3% ABV, this is a warming, spicy whiskey with a classic rye profile.

Delicious stuff, beautifully presented in a revolution-themed bottled!

• Product type
  Rye
• Distillery / brand
  James E. Pepper
• Country
  USA
• Cask type
  New Oak
• Non-chillfiltered
  Yes
• Natural colour
  Yes
• SKU
  031987