Bringing prohibition and originality back to Bourbon.
One of the first distilleries and producers of Whiskey in the United States dating back to, unsurprisingly, 1776 and grew into one of the most popular drinks in the 19th century and stayed as such until it fell from grace in the mid 20th century. But that has all changed, in the last few years the brand has seen a revival and is back in the spotlight again for all the right reasons.
To create this renaissance of sorts, the new owners, Georgetown Trading Co. have spent ages going through the archives to recreate the pre, mid and post prohibition recipes that made the 1776 so iconic. This release is straight Bourbon made with 90% rye and bottled at proof strength of 50%.
What does James E. Pepper 1776 100 Proof Rye Whiskey taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in James E. Pepper 1776 100 Proof Rye Whiskey and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Excellent rye whiskey and very reasonably priced. I will definitely buy more of this. Great straight up or on the rocks.
Joe,
Spicy meatball. Best on ice. Lingering.
Michael,
I'm adding a star and re-reviewing this Rye. At first it was too spicy but now that I've had a chance to seat and try it a few different ways, straight, on the rocks, with Coke and diluting with just a bit of water I am very happy I purchased it and will be sure to keep a bottle on hand.
Ken,
One of my absolute favorite 100 proof rye whiskeys for the money. Staple in my bar.
Daniel,
Straight it was a bit on the hot side. All I got was the spicyness with hot back finish.
On ice the hot is gone. I get a velvety smoothness with hints of sweetness followed by warming spice.
Overall great rye. Would preferred on ice or would work great in a mix.
Richard,
Just outstanding nose with a long finish. If they made this as an air freshener I’d welcome that sweet smell all over my house.
Aaron,
This is fantastic stuff for the price! If you like your typical sweet, herbal rye, good to sip neat, good in an old fashioned or sour, this is it. The only thing better *in this price range* is their barrel proof rye, that is fantastic-er!
Ashley,
Husband loves it.
Doug,
Slight Carmel but smooth. I'm still learning but I did like the slow, taste process.
John,
The smoothness for a high proof whiskey is really surprising. Then the multiple after taste is the second surprise. Great whiskey and dangerous.
Jason,
Giving this a legit 8 because it’s literally a 100 proof Rye that is very smooth and mild. That’s impressive, in my opinion to execute. Herbal, tea, rye and spice on the nose and mouth. Really enjoy this because it’s different and actually tastes good! Opens up a bit with a whiskey cube!
John,
Very smooth and enjoyable, my favorite rye to date
Rachael,
Very smooth for a Rye. Easy to drink neat.
Michael,
Definitely peppery. If that’s what you’re looking for then you’ll like this. I’ve been on a kick of rye’s lately and wasn’t a big fan of this. Makes for a good old fashioned though.
Earl,
I found this rye to be a bit brittle when tasting it neat, however it provided plenty of character when building a Manhattan using my DIY Orange Ginger bitters and my own brandied cherries. It is also very well priced. It holds a place in my home bar.
Jim,
This is an old standby. Need to keep it around, much better than dickell, and has a great flavor. spicey and other outstanding notes. you should keep this around if you like rye.
Kenneth,
Easy drinking go-to Rye. It has a lot of good spice but was still smooth.
Matthew,
Really enjoy the flavor. Drink it neat or on the rocks.
Paul,
Excellent choice. Spicy and clean, bonded so go ahead and mix it with confidence
Michael,
Excellent value. A very full-bodied and complex flavor at a very reasonable price point.
Brett,
Excellent balance. Sweet and spice on the first sip, warm and biting at the finish.
Stephen,
Excellent taste at a great price!
Shawn,
Aggressively flavorful. Long lasting flavor at the back of the throat. Definitely a slap in the face for someone new to ryes, however, not in a bad way. Not sure yet whether I like it or love it.
Nirav,
It was okay, there is a good amount of rye in there for rye lovers and the whiskey itself is very smooth. That being said, I couldnt get any other flavors beyond that.
Steve,
This was OK. I'm a huge fan of Pepper's bourbon, so I'd thought I'd give this a try, and it had plenty of rye kick, but by the end of the bottle, I was done with it. To me, Sazerac was better, and cheaper to boot.
Elvis,
Smoky. It pairs really well with a cigar.
Brendan,
Mixes well in cocktails, but the citrus notes are too overpowering for me when I sip it neat. I pick up a lemon-like pine-sol that’s a little off-putting.
Thomas,
Not a huge fan of rye to begin with but was disappointed in this one.
Michael,
A good straight rye. My expectations were set a bit high for this re-emerging distillery. I prefer other straight rye whiskeys but this one, with its edgy spice flavors makes and excellent Old Fashioned. Cheers!
James,
Smooth spicy rye with a distinct and delicate aftertaste. One of my favorites.
Michael,
A good straight rye that is smooth and good flavor.
Spencer,
This is really excellent. Now my go-to “affordable” rye. Great blend of spice and sweet. Definitely rye, but doesn’t feel like an assault of spice. The nose is, to me, not super interesting but it drinks great.
Joshua,
this is a tough one for me b/c i don't get much on the nose that i recognize. Taste is pretty good but I don't enjoy the smell of this one.
guest,
Pretty good rye. Runs a tad hot. Brief butterscotch on the tongue. Still prefer George Dickel over this but it’s a respectable sipping rye. Would buy it again.
Shaun,
Spicy
Greg,
A mighty fine rye whiskey from the home of bourbon that drinks smooth and especially enjoys a splash of water. Reasonably priced. One of my go to whiskeys for an evening repose with a good book.
Craig,
Picked this bottle up on a business trip, I love Rye and though I knew nothing of the brand, had never even seen it before the price made trying it a no-brainer. Wow was I pleasantly surprised. I really liked it at first sip but a few days later, after the bottle had been opened and it breathed a little it was truly incredible. I kept sipping and saying to myself there’s no way it can be this good! Best $30 bottle I’ve bought in a very long time.
Nicholas,
1776 Rye cannot be beaten at its price point. Hell, a lot of much more expensive ryes can't compare. The company has been in the game for a while and it shows. 1776 is rich, spicy, but not too sweet. It's great straight, on the rocks, or as the base for a beautiful old fashioned.