J.W. Kelly Golden Age Straight Rye

J.W. Kelly Golden Age Straight Rye Whiskey is a Tennessee rye named for J.W. Kelly's original 1866 rye recipe. Bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV) from a mash bill of 65% rye, 20% malted barley, and 15% malted rye, this is one of the few American ryes built around a meaningfully high malted-grain percentage — 35% of the mash is malted, split between barley and rye — and that choice gives Golden Age a noticeably softer, creamier mouthfeel than most straight ryes on the market. The whiskey is matured a minimum of two years in superior oak before bottling. The J.W. Kelly brand traces back to 1866 in Chattanooga, when founder J.W. Kelly established Deep Spring Distillery with the goal of producing the finest whiskey in the city. The brand was reborn in 2016 as a tribute to that original lineage, with the Golden Age rye specifically designed to revive Kelly's first rye expression rather than chase the dry, spicy Pennsylvania-style profile that dominates the modern American rye category. The result is a rye that bridges the gap between bourbon-leaning Manhattan ryes and the bone-dry MGP standards. On the nose, sweet orchard fruits — apple and pear — sit alongside classic rye spice and a faint floral note from the malted rye. The palate opens lightly sweet before turning to crusty bread, then finishes with a touch of white pepper and dried herbs. The 94 proof carries everything cleanly. This is the thinking-person's Manhattan rye — soft enough to drink neat, structured enough to hold a 2:1 cocktail, and built for the drinker who finds most American ryes too sharp on the back end. Pair with smoked salmon, aged Gouda, or a pastrami sandwich. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.