Background: Nestled in the rolling hill of Kentucky horse farms in Woodford County is Labrot and Graham Distillery. The distillery is the only one that crafts its bourbon in three copper pot stills and ages it in unique 100 year old limestone warehouses. The distillery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Whiskey was first produced on this site in 1812. And it was here that some of America's earliest distilling pioneers perfected their craft. Built by Elijah Pepper in 1812, it was originally known as the Oscar Pepper Distillery when Dr. James Crow worked there in the 1820's and '30s. And it was during this time that the pharmacist from Scotland developed the methods that would later become the basis for the legal definition of straight bourbon whiskey. Later the plant became one of the group of Glenn's Creek distilleries operated by Colonel Edmund H. Taylor. Leopold Labrot and James Graham purchased it in 1878 and produced whiskey there (except during Prohibition) until 1941. Wartime restrictions pretty much did the distillery in, and the facilities were sold to Brown-Forman. They operated it until 1968 and then sold it in 1971. Brown Forman eventually repurchased it and refurbished it into a fully operation distillery.
Bourbon type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Bourbon sub-type: Premium Small Batch
Bottled and distilled by: Brown Forman Corporation (Louisville, KY), Labrot and Graham Distillery, Versailles, KY
Proof: 90.4 proof
Age: At least 4 years.
Tasting notes: Smooth and rich in rye. Easy on the palate.
Taster: wbj, 1/07/07