Faint cinnamon stick | Toasted oak | Vanilla | Light spiced apples | Touch of caramel

Light rye spice | Cinnamon powder | Oak | Gentle peppercorn spice | Light vanilla

Quick burst of rye spice | Cinnamon stick | Leather | Dry oak | Green peppercorn | Lingering spice

The Old Pepper Distillery is rich with history. Assigned DSP-KY-5, its roots date back to 1780, when the distillery was first established. James E. Pepper was a third-generation distiller and operated the distillery until 1906, when he passed away. In 1958, the distillery fell on hard times and shut down. In 2008, Amir Peay of Georgetown Trading Co. acquired rights to the brand and began efforts to bring it back to life. Up until recently, their whiskeys have been sourced from MGP in Indiana,  but the company has recently started to transition to its own distillate.

Old Pepper Bourbon Bottled in Bond is a balanced yet gentle bourbon. Starting with traditional scents that are on the light side, the nose adds in a vein of lightly spiced apples to provide intrigue. The midpoint brings about more spice-heavy notes in the form of rye spice, peppercorn spice, and cinnamon, however, they’re more subdued as opposed to bold. The overall composition is on the thin side, making you wish that the whiskey would bring a little more viscosity to help add weight to the sip. Up until the finish, the whiskey plays a more traditional role that errs on the light side, however, that all changes the minute the finish starts. A surprising amount of depth and flavor in the form of rye spice and cinnamon, along with dry oak and leather notes, set the stage for an incredibly long, spicy finish. I wish the nose and palate displayed as much vigor as the finish did, as this bourbon as a whole would have been elevated to another level. As is, Old Pepper Bourbon Bottled in Bond is an enjoyable sipper that will please traditionalists who like a touch of spice in their life.

The bottle in review comes from batch S2019.