Description

Jeptha Creed Bottled in Bond Bourbon

The Distillery

Jeptha Creed is a working farm and distillery owned by the Nethery family, located in Shelbyville, Kentucky, between Lexington and Louisville. Guided by the Scottish Gaelic motto “Ne Oublie” (Never Forget), the distillery was founded on the principle of “Don’t Forget Where You Came From,” a phrase passed down through the Nethery family for generations.

In August of 2016, Jeptha Creed distilled and barreled the first legal barrel of bourbon in Shelby County since before Prohibition. They now barrel nine barrels of bourbon each day, still a small operation by Kentucky standards, and have expanded from their first straight bourbon release in 2019 to a lineup of three core expressions plus limited editions.

The Grain: Bloody Butcher Corn

What sets Jeptha Creed apart begins in the field. All of their red Bloody Butcher corn is estate-grown on their own farmland within 10 miles of the distillery. Bloody Butcher is a heirloom variety that yields less per acre than standard yellow dent corn, making it considerably more expensive to grow, but it imparts a distinctly nutty, earthy character that sets this bourbon apart from nearly everything else on Kentucky shelves. That commitment to growing their own grain is no small undertaking, and it defines everything that follows.

The heirloom corn makes its presence known throughout the entire drinking experience. A thread of earthiness, never overwhelming but always present, runs from nose to finish, a direct expression of the Bloody Butcher variety’s nutty, grounded character. This bourbon rewards those patient enough to let it open up in the glass, where dried fruit, baking spice, and deeper oak notes emerge. It tastes like where it came from, which, given the Nethery family motto, seems exactly like the point.

The Specs

As a Bottled in Bond expression, this bourbon meets the exacting requirements of the Bottled-in-Bond Act: distilled in a single season within a single year, aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof. No blending across seasons, no shortcuts.

Mashbill: 75% Red Bloody Butcher Corn, 20% Malted Rye, 5% Malted Barley Age: Minimum 4 years (Bottled in Bond) Proof: 100 Proof / 50% ABV Origin: Shelbyville, Shelby County, Kentucky

Jeptha Creed Bottled in Bond Bourbon Notes to Your Senses:

• APPEARANCE: Translucent brown citrine, moderate amber richness, decent viscosity
• NOSE: Sweet orange creme brulee, bold baking spices, dried cranberries, vanilla, black pepper, oak, maple, caramel, leather
• TASTE: Light caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, lemongrass, sweet oak, rich earthy caramel, nutmeg
• FINISH: Long, smooth, buttery, whispers of ginger and cinnamon
• ABV: 50%