J.W. Kelly Old Milford Straight Bourbon

J.W. Kelly Old Milford Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a Tennessee bourbon born of Chattanooga's distilling heritage. Each bottle is a careful marriage of five, six, and eight-year-old bourbon, handcrafted in 3,000-gallon pot stills before being bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV). The mash bill of 75% corn, 20% malted rye, and 5% barley gives this expression a corn-forward sweetness underpinned by a distinctive baking-spice note from the unusually high malted-rye content — most bourbon mash bills use raw rye and standard barley malt, but Kelly's choice of malted rye for the secondary grain produces softer texture and a sweeter, more orchard-fruit-driven nose. The J.W. Kelly brand was reborn in 2016 as a tribute to the original Deep Spring Distillery, which J.W. Kelly founded in Chattanooga in 1866 with the goal of making the finest whiskey in the city. The modern incarnation preserves the small-batch, hands-on character of the original — every release is a marriage of specific aged barrels rather than a blended house style, so each bottling carries the particular fingerprint of its component casks. Chicago whiskey drinkers looking for a session-strength bourbon with genuine craft pedigree will find Old Milford rewarding both neat and in classic cocktails. On the palate, expect brown sugar, baking spice, and a soft orchard-fruit sweetness up front, with cinnamon, vanilla, and a faint toasted-grain note building through the mid-palate. The 94 proof keeps everything approachable without sacrificing depth — water optional. This is a bourbon built for a rocks glass, an Old Fashioned, or a Manhattan variation that wants brown-sugar character rather than oak heat. Pair with grilled pork, smoked sausage, or a slice of pecan pie. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.