The bourbon house
Old Milford Bourbon
A historic J.W. Kelly name carried forward through bourbon with structure, warmth, and a long Chattanooga memory.
Explore bourbonChattanooga, Tennessee · Est. 1866
World-ClassSpirit.ChattanoogaSoul.
Reviving one of Chattanooga’s great whiskey houses, founded by Irish immigrant and entrepreneur J.W. Kelly in 1866.
1866 Founded in Chattanooga2017 The name returns
A Chattanooga whiskey story, reawakened
A real American whiskey house with a story worth carrying forward.
J.W. Kelly built his name on ambition, enterprise, and a belief in good whiskey. More than a century later, that Chattanooga spirit lives again through distinctive American bourbon and rye made for today’s drinker.
The history is not decoration. It is the foundation: an Irish immigrant, a post-Civil War city, Deep Springs Distillery, the Read House, Prohibition, rediscovery, and revival.
Read the complete story
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The house of whiskey
Bourbon, rye, and limited releases with distinct points of view.
The portfolio moves from historic house names to singular barrel releases, united by balance, character, and a connection to Chattanooga.
Three expressions of rye
Golden Age, Melrose & Silver Springs
Rye whiskey can be spicy, rounded, vivid, or contemplative. These house expressions explore that range rather than forcing one house style.
Explore rye whiskey
For those who follow the details
Single Barrels & Limited Releases
Small-run releases preserve the individual character of a barrel, proof, finish, or moment that deserves to stand on its own.
Explore limited releases02
From Waterford to Chattanooga
Three moments define the journey.
One immigrant’s commercial education became a Chattanooga whiskey enterprise, then returned after nearly a century of interruption.
Waterford, Ireland
James Watt Kelly is born and later receives a business education grounded in the wholesale wine trade.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Kelly establishes his company, founds Deep Springs Distillery, and begins building a broad whiskey and tobacco enterprise.
The legacy returns
Keeper’s Quest revives J.W. Kelly & Co. and begins a new chapter for the historic Chattanooga name.
A historic name. A distinctive rye.
Sweet mash opens another side of rye.
The Silver Springs name reaches back to J.W. Kelly & Co.’s pre-Prohibition record. Its modern expression is a Sweet Mash Rye that balances rounded richness with rye-driven spice and a clean finish.
It is not nostalgia in a bottle. It is a historic house name given a clear purpose for the present.
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Born of Chattanooga
A river city of rail, commerce, industry, and reinvention.
Chattanooga was more than the company’s address. It was the environment that shaped J.W. Kelly’s ambition. His office stood across from the Read House, where his interests included the bar, billiards room, cigar shop, and a restaurant.
That same spirit of enterprise gives the modern brand its point of view: rooted in place, open to discovery, and unwilling to separate whiskey from the people and stories around it.
See Chattanooga through the J.W. Kelly archive
Keeping the story alive
History needs stewards, not just admirers.
The present-day team’s work spans whiskey production, brand building, consumer education, operations, design, and archival research. Their responsibility is twofold: preserve what makes the old story meaningful and decide what deserves to carry the J.W. Kelly name next.
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Made for the bar
Let the whiskey remain the center of the glass.
Official recipes connect bourbon and rye with fresh citrus, maple, orchard fruit, spice, and the discipline of a well-made drink.
Old Milford · grapefruit · lime
Kelly’s Red Head
A bright bourbon serve with red grapefruit, lime, and agave.
Melrose Rye · apple · maple
Autumn Mist
A spirit-forward rye cocktail with apple brandy, cognac, maple, and orange bitters.
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From the J.W. Kelly Ledger
Whiskey stories deserve more than a product description.
Begin with the archive, follow the bottles, and take the story behind the bar.
Find J.W. Kelly
From Chattanooga to the next good pour.
Explore current distributor markets, ask about local availability, and join the J.W. Kelly Ledger below for releases, history, cocktails, and events.
For adults 21 and older. Please enjoy responsibly.
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