Lexington, Kentucky was established in 1782 and named for Lexington, Massachusetts. Distilling was probably happening there, just as it was in most Kentucky settlements of the time, but there are no known to me distillers of that time. Farmer distillers were all over Kentucky in the 18th and early 19th century, but their names are lost to time unless they have papers in an archive such as the Filson Historical Society or the Kentucky Historical Society.
Lexington has always played second fiddle to Louisville as far as distilling is concerned. Louisville was the center of transportation for the state as it was on the Ohio River at the Falls of the Ohio and people had to stop there when traveling with goods to New Orleans. This led to an active hub of business on Whiskey Row on Louisville’s waterfront. Lexington did not have this advantage. However there were several major distilleries found in the area of Lexington after the American Civil War.
By the 1880s there were several major distilleries with headquarters in Lexington. Curley Company with two distilleries in Camp Nelson, Kentucky –DSP 8 and DSP 15 had its offices in Lexington. Stoll, Vanetta & Co. had a distillery in Lexington but offices in Louisville. James E. Pepper & Co. had two distilleries – DSP5 in Lexington and DSP 46 in Yarnallton, Kentucky, but offices in Louisville. Old Tarr Distillery – DSP 1, was in Lexington. There was also the Edge Cliff Distillery that was owned and operated by Strauss, Pritz & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio two and a half miles north of Lexington. Then in 1920 Prohibition hit America and these distilleries all closed down. Only the James E. Pepper Distillery survived Prohibition and was purchased by Schenley Distilleries. The Pepper distillery again was closed down in the 1960s and sat silent for many years.
Lexington. Kentucky made a distilling comeback in the 21st century. James E. Pepper Distillery, Town Branch Distillery, Barrel House Distillery, and Fresh Distillery, an African-American owned distillery, all operate in Lexington, as well as several bottling companies who do not distill, but acquire barrels from other distilleries. Lexington has become a destination for those who love their Bourbon whiskey.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller