Jeptha Creed Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Review

 

Brands that have any longevity have reputations. Some are valid, others aren’t. I recommend making your assessment based on experience rather than simply relying on what someone says.

 

I bet you’re scratching your head right now and thinking, Whoa – aren’t you a whiskey reviewer who tells us what we should or should not drink based on your opinion? Of course I am! And, as I’ve said for many years, once you find a reviewer whose palate closely follows your own, that is the reviewer whose opinion you can trust.

 

I’ve not had the opportunity to try anything from Jeptha Creed before. As I’m typing this, I’ve not even cracked open the bottle of the Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon that is the subject of today’s review. I’ll get to that shortly.

 

Transparency is paramount. As such, I mean no disrespect to Jeptha Creed when I say this: its whiskey reputation is lacking amongst the people I interact with. I take those opinions with a barrel of salt because, over the years, I’ve learned that people have various reasons for putting down a whiskey that they’ve only heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who…

 

Who, or what, is Jeptha Creed?

 

“’Ne Oublie’ is a Scottish Gaelic saying meaning ‘Never Forget,’ a phrase that’s been passed down through the Nethery family for generations. Jeptha Creed was founded on the motto ‘Don’t Forget Where You Came From,’ and we hold true to that to this day. With their incredibly well-rounded backgrounds, creativity, unparalleled work ethic and love for the rich heritage of Kentucky and Scotland, Joyce and Autumn Nethery decided to continue the ‘Ne Oublie’ legacy while adding their own bit of Jeptha Creed flare.” – Jeptha Creed

 

Founded by Joyce and Bruce Nethery in 2013, Jeptha Creed was meant to be handed down to their children, Autumn and Hunter. Joyce serves as the Master Distiller; Autumn is the Marketing Manager. Bruce grows grains, and Hunter is the beekeeper who provides honey for the various spirits produced. The distillery was built on the family cornfield in Shelbyville County, Kentucky.

 

In 2016, the distillery barrelled its first Bourbon, the county's first legal barrel since Prohibition. It released that Bourbon in 2019.

 

Its Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon is distilled from a mash of 75% Bloody Butcher corn, 20% malted rye, and 5% malted barley. While it carries no age statement, due to the requirements of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, we know it must be at least four years. For the same reason, it is packaged at 50% ABV (100°). A 750ml of Jeptha Creed Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon has a suggested retail price of $49.99.

 

The question becomes, is the reputation that Jeptha Creed has with the people I know deserved? To answer that, we’ll #DrinkCurious. But first, I must thank Jeptha Creed for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.  

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid inside has a dark, orange-amber color. A thin, jagged rim formed, shedding tightly spaced, slow, thick tears.

 

Nose: Jeptha Creed Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon was fragrant, with berries, leather, caramel, charred oak, and gray sculpting clay. Inhaling that vapor through my lips produced sweet corn.

 

Palate: A creamy, silky texture greeted my tongue. I tasted roasted almonds, leather, and cola on the front. My mid-palate discovered nutmeg, cinnamon powder, and caramel. Flavors of clove, black pepper, and cocoa hit the back.

 

Finish: Clove, black pepper, ancient leather, barrel char, cocoa, and nutmeg provided a long, spicy finish. I timed the duration at 4:16, which I would describe as almost eternal.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Malted rye is undoubtedly different and takes some acclimation. I am fascinated by malted rye – it adds so much character to what you’d typically expect from that grain; it impacts everything from the mouthfeel to the flavor. It produces an unusual whiskey; perhaps that’s what my fellow whiskey enthusiasts find off-putting?

 

The more I sipped on this Bourbon, the more it grew on me; that’s something you’ll want to keep in the back of your head. Jeptha Creed Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon isn’t another me-too whiskey. Joyce and Autumn have piqued my curiosity – I’m interested in what else they have. In the meantime, this is a solid pour worth buying a Bottle of. Cheers!

 

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.