Labrot & Graham Distillery
Woodford County, Woodford County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
Labrot & Graham Distillery. One of Kentucky's oldest working distilleries was built on Grassy Springs Branch of Glenn's Creek by Elijah Pepper about 1812. His son, Oscar Pepper, later hired Dr. James Crow as master distiller. Crow perfected the art of bourbon making by introducing scientific methods. The Labrot & Graham Distillery succeeded Old Pepper's in 1878. Presented by Brown-Forman Corp.
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
One of Kentucky's oldest working distilleries traces its roots to about 1812, when Elijah Pepper established himself on a branch of Glenn's Creek in Woodford County. His son Oscar hired Dr. James Crow, whose scientific approach to fermentation and quality control refined the art of bourbon-making. The Labrot & Graham Distillery took over the Pepper operation in 1878.
Why it matters
The methods perfected here shaped Kentucky bourbon into a defining American craft and export, rooted in the limestone-rich country of Woodford County.
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Related people
- · Elijah Pepper
- · Oscar Pepper
- · James Crow
Themes & tags
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Labrot & Graham Distillery
Woodford County, KY
One of Kentucky's oldest working distilleries began about 1812 when Elijah Pepper set up along Glenn's Creek in Woodford County. His son Oscar later hired Dr. James Crow as master distiller, and Crow brought scientific rigor—careful measurement and controlled fermentation—to the craft of making bourbon. The Labrot & Graham firm succeeded the old Pepper operation in 1878.
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