J.W. Kelly Silver Springs 8 Year Rye Review: Worth $40?

J.W. Kelly Silver Springs 8 Year Rye earns a double black on our scale from both of us. At roughly $40 to $50 for this 8-year, 128-proof single barrel, we’re getting outstanding flavor and the kind of value that makes a bottle worth seeking out.

At a glance

• Age: 8 years
• Proof: 128
• Barrel: Single barrel, cask 7740
• Dates: Distilled in 2017; bottled in 2026
• Price: Estimated MSRP around $40; we paid between $40 and $50
• Tom’s rating: Double black on our scale
• Steve’s rating: Double black on our scale

Nose: toasted marshmallow, vanilla custard, and clove

We liked this immediately on the nose. Toasted marshmallow leads into a candied sweetness, with maybe a little citrus. There’s sweet vanilla custard, too.

Charred oak gives those sweeter notes some balance. We also picked up clove and brown sugar. Nothing about the nose put us off; it made us want that first sip.

Palate: caramel, cinnamon, and spearmint

The first sip hits with nougat, hot cinnamon, and plenty of caramel. It’s sweet up front, then moves into baking spice. There’s no mistaking the rye character, with a little minty spearmint coming through.

We also get vanilla spice as it settles down. For us, the appeal is how many different rye flavors show up together. The sweetness, spice, and mint all have room without losing that barrel-proof punch.

The texture deserves attention, too. This is a thick pour with plenty of viscosity. Tom wondered whether more age could improve it, but also whether that might cost it some flavor and texture. We wouldn’t assume older would automatically make this barrel better.

Finish: lingering cinnamon and barrel char

Cinnamon sticks around, followed by a clear hit of barrel char. That char becomes especially noticeable on the back end.

The finish hangs on while the whiskey mellows nicely. We were still tasting it well after the sip, which is exactly what we wanted from this high-proof rye.

Bottle details: the slimmer bottle and older label

This is J.W. Kelly out of Chattanooga. We bought our bottle at DMV Spirits in DC and hadn’t seen it elsewhere in Maryland.

Our bottle has an “8” near the top of the label and a slimmer shape. The older version comes in a shorter, wider bottle without that “8.” Myron from Bourbon Drop showed us the older bottle, and our understanding is that it contains the same whiskey with a similar flavor profile.

We think the proof varies by barrel, though we haven’t seen many examples. Our bottle’s side sticker lists the cask number, distillation year, bottling year, and proof.

The mash bill we read was 75% rye, 15% corn, and 20% malted barley, figures that add up to 110%.

The label also lists Keepers Quest Incorporated as the bottler alongside the J.W. Kelly name. We weren’t sure whether that meant bottling happened elsewhere or simply reflected a legal distinction.

Value: a rye we’d put against Jack Daniel’s single barrel

At this price, we’d like to put it against one of our favorites, Jack Daniel’s single barrel rye. We haven’t done that comparison, but this bottle makes us want to.

For roughly $40 to $50, we’re getting the sweet opening, spearmint, barrel char, and staying power we enjoy in a high-proof rye. That combination made the price feel especially strong to us.

This barrel is worth a backup

We’d happily chase a backup of this one. It’s the kind of bottle we have a hard time leaving alone once it’s open.

We’d love to see more single barrels from J.W. Kelly, too. The next barrel could be a different experience, so our enthusiasm is for this particular bottle.