James E. Pepper 1776 Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey

This is what it’s like to pour classic American Whiskey right out of the barrel.

We imagine our Whiskey-makers to have names like "Angus McSolid" and look like "The Most Interesting Man in the World" from the Dos Equis commercials. The founder of Georgetown Trading Co. — Amir Peay — looks like he’d make a great Bond character from the Sean Connery era. But as long as he produced great Whiskey, a distiller could look like a Smurf and we’d still call him "sir."

And that’s what we have here… a solid little craft-distilling company making a range of full-flavored spirits. Their range of quality brands includes John H. Sullivan Irish Whiskeys, the historic James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbons and Ryes, Pow Wow Botanical Rye, and 1776 Napa Valley Wines.

James E. Pepper 1776 Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey is a real stand-out in their product line. It’s a double-gold medal winning, straight Rye Whiskey with enough flavor to knock your boots off. All that flavor comes from its high-rye mash bill — a full 90% rye grain — and the fact that it is bottled at 57.3% ABV without chill filtration. If you’re keeping score, that means it’s a cask strength bottle of liquid manliness. Taken neat, the rye spice comes at you in blast with just a touch of char. With a splash of water, the sweetness reveals itself. In a classic Whiskey cocktail, it shines like a star.

Smartass corner:
There are TONS of great stories about the original James E. Pepper who owned the brand and distillery in the 1800s. Our favorite is that he is credited with introducing the Old Fashioned cocktail at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York while on a promotional trip there for his Whiskeys.