JW Kelly & Co Melrose Rye Review & Tasting Notes

The first distillery in Chatanooga opened in 1866 and was called Deep Springs Distillery. James Watt Kelly founded it. He was born in Ireland and emigrated to the United States at a young age. Before Deep Springs Distillery, he owned a storefront and was a rectifier, selling his own brands of whiskey and wine. He was looking to move to New York when he stopped in Chatanooga to collect on a debt. He didn’t make it back to New York.

 

“J.W. Kelly & Co. consisted of two important partnerships in the beginning. The first one began in 1866 when Kelly partnered with an Alabama grocer named J.G. Webb. Kelly & Webb were importers and wholesalers of foreign fruits, French confectionary, nuts, spices, jellies, and imported Cuban, German, and domestic cigars. Their partnership dissolved in 1876.

 

The second partnership was with George W. Davenport; which began near the end of 1876 and expanded beyond groceries, whiskey, and tobacco. They bought and sold real estate; which included buying several bars and saloons and reselling the leases to others to run them for the company. They were prominent landlords for stores and private homes, as well as meeting spaces. G.W. Davenport retired from the firm in July 1890.” – Keeper’s Quest Brands

 

Deep Springs Distillery ran a decade beyond Kelly’s death when Prohibition reared its ugly head, and eight years later, the distillery was demolished.

 

Then, in 2016, Keeper’s Quest Brands, led by CEO Ed Kohl, revived the JW Kelly & Co. brand. Keeper’s Quest is also the owner of Smokehead, Macleod’s, Beinn Dubh, and Riachi, amongst others. In 2017, JW Kelly & Co. launched Old Milford Bourbon, its first entry into the market, followed by Old Milford Single Barrel Select, Melrose Rye, Golden Age Straight Rye, and most recently, The Read House, a Bourbon released to commemorate the 150^th year of the brand.

 

Today I’m exploring Melrose. This “double-barreled” Rye was sourced from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery and aged for two years in air-dried white oak that was lightly toasted and then charred. That matured whiskey was then transferred for a few weeks to casks that previously held Amarone Italian red wine for 15 years. Packaged at 46% ABV (92°), a 750ml bottle has a suggested price of $59.99.

 

So, what’s all that mean? Let’s #DrinkCurious and find out. But, before we do, I must thank Keeper’s Quest for providing me with a sample in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: Served neat in my Glencairn glass, Melrose presented as a rich, coppery color and left a medium-thin rim to the wall. It didn’t take long for thicker legs to drop back into the pool.

 

Nose: As I allowed this whiskey to rest, the smell of clove and ginger kept teasing me. It was still there when I was ready to explore what was inside my glass, joined by red wine, vanilla, orange peel, and cinnamon. The orange peel became almost meaty as I drew the vapor into my mouth.

 

Palate: A silky, weighty texture opened the door to plum, cherry, and honey on the front. Midway through, I tasted brown sugar, dense rye bread, and chocolate. The back featured clove, ginger, oak, and cinnamon spice.

 

Finish: The journey's end began softly with spiced plums and dark chocolate, then crescendoed with ginger, clove, and oak over a medium-long duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: JW Kelly & Co.’s Melrose Rye is a nice change from the “me too” American Ryes on the market. There was nothing to complain about. If you like flavorful Ryes, Melrose does that. If you want a luxurious mouthfeel, Melrose has it. If you desire a slow-sipping whiskey, Melrose knocks that out of the ballpark. All of this for $60.00? Are you kidding me? Melrose is what Bottle ratings are all about. 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 do so responsibly.