Spirits · Versailles, Kentucky
Woodford Reserve Distillery
Historic Kentucky bourbon distillery on Glenn's Creek, restored by Brown-Forman.
- Founded
- 1812
- Founded by
- Elijah Pepper
- Based in
- Versailles, Kentucky
Making it since
1812
Their story
Woodford Reserve's distillery sits along Glenn's Creek near Versailles, in Kentucky's horse country. Elijah Pepper started distilling on the site around 1812, and his son Oscar carried on the business.
In 1820 the Peppers brought in Dr. James Crow, a Scottish-born distiller who used careful, scientific methods to make better, more consistent whiskey, and he stayed about thirty years. In 1878 Leopold Labrot and James Graham bought the property, which became the Labrot and Graham Distillery.
The site later fell into disrepair. Brown-Forman bought and restored it in 1994, and Woodford Reserve bourbon went on sale when the distillery reopened in 1996. It is now a stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
How it's made
The distillery builds on the history of the site, where James Crow brought a scientific approach to making consistent, high-quality whiskey. Like all bourbon, Woodford Reserve is aged in new charred oak barrels, and the restored distillery is open for tours that walk visitors through the process.
Why we carry them
We like pouring a bourbon from a site with this much history. It is smooth enough for newcomers and still has plenty going on for longtime bourbon drinkers.
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