Lorely Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

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Lorely Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

Unread postby marylander1970 » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:02 pm

This post is somewhat directed to EllenJay, because of the quality content they've posted on Maryland Ryes.

My father just gave me a bottle which had been left for him in 1991 by his aunt when she passed. She lived in Annapolis.

I did some searching around, but there is absolutely nothing on the internet about "LORELY" as a brand, except some mention of a woman who named her furniture line Lorely after "her father's favorite Maryland rye whiskey".

As far as value goes, I was only checking to see if the thing was worth $1000 dollars before I popped it open and ruined its worth. Having read the sticky posts above, I think I'll be drinking it on some nice occasion soon, unless someone wants to offer $1000.

Anyway, it was fun researching it. Here's what I found:

There's no date on the bottle which is a machine-made bottle with some seemingly random numbers molded in the bottom, and a little picture of an anchor molded in the center of the bottom (with what looks like a superimposed "H").

The only thing that dates it is the federal tax seal serial number 196585627. If anyone can use that number, cool, cause I couldn't find a good resource for using that to date things.

The other unhelpful detail was the fact that the maryland liquor tax sticker has Louis Goldstein's signature on it. Old Louis was maryland's comptroller from 1959 to 1998. Lots of help there. I guess we know it was bottled (or at least sold at retail) after 1959.

The fact that it was sold exclusively at Mills' in Annapolis makes me think it was probably bottled very near the end of the Wight distillery's existence. Or it's a private label that Mills had commissioned, and perhaps it's one of a dozen private labels, all containing the same stuff. But these are just my wild guesses.

Anyway, it's in pristine condition, with the spirit inside a beautiful dark amber color, very clear, no sediment, if that were a possibility.

I was just wondering if anyone knows about the LORELY brand.

I've seen other spellings, and it actually seems that the modern day spelling is Loreley, Maryland, an area in White Marsh, Maryland. There are a few roads called Loreley... Loreley Road, Loreley Beach Road, and a little road called Gin Mill Road nearby.

So another suspicion of mine is that this label was made to look "olde tyme". The "Sippin' whiskey" part sort of gives it away.

I looked up the Dougherty distillery, which had been around since the 1800's according to some newspaper article I found. I suspect it was purchased by what is now Barton Brands. But again, all this was quick and dirty internet research. I haven't visited Philly's courthouse, I haven't started an index card file (one for each resource like we learned in elementary school), and I haven't even picked up the phone to see if there's some old timer still working at Mills Liquor Mart.

Anyone have anything to add of interest? Anyone interested in the subject?

Label says:
LORELY
RARE 15 YEAR OLD
SIPPIN' WHISKEY
SPECIALLY SELECTED
MARYLAND
STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY
FROM
OUR FINEST AGED STOCK
DISTILLED BY
FRANK L. WIGHT DISTILLING CO.
LORELY, MD.
SOLE DISTRIBUTOR
MILLS LIQUOR MART
87 MAIN ST., ANNAPOLIS, MD

Back Label Says:
LORELY
RARE OLD MARYLAND
STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY
Distilled In The Old Traditional
Manner With Maryland's Finest
Limestone Water, Which Has Made
This Whiskey World Famous.
BOTTLED BY
J. A. DOUGHERTY'S SONS, INC., DISTILLERS
PHILA, PA
MARYLAND
STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY
86 PROOF
15 YEARS OLD
DISTILLED IN MARYLAND


The bottle has been wrapped in newspaper and a plastic grocery bag in the back of my dad's garage for 17 years, but I really don't know how long it was in my great aunt's liquor cabinet before that.

I can post pics if anyone's interested.
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Unread postby bourbonv » Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:33 pm

I would like to see some photographs.

It looks to me as if you have a good bottle of Maryland rye bottled about 40 years ago. Not worth a whole lot on ebay, but I am sure it will make some occasion priceless when you open the seal and share it with some good friends and family.
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Unread postby mozilla » Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:08 pm

Close ups of the labels would be very nice.

I agree with Mike....share it with your family or friends. It will become even more valuable to you.
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Lorely Rye Tasty Stuff

Unread postby Stoopsie » Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:17 pm

A couple of years ago My wife, Sandy, and a couple of friends Kathy and Chris, and I attended a rye tasting put on by the Johns Hopkins Historical Society. They had a few ryes and few bourbons. One of the highlights was the 15yo Lorely Rye. I attached a close up of the labels of the bottle we sampled. It was very tasty stuff. If you haven't opened it, don't waste another minute and crack that seal. But, be prepared to bask in the Blue-Purple flower majesty that was indicative of these Maryland Ryes. This one was very flowery in the nose, spicy on the tongue with a finish that just kept lingering on and on and on that seemed to refresh the Blue-Purple flower finish after each swallow. I savored that small taste so that it lasted throughout the entire lecture until Sandy said "You want a nipple for that glass? You are really nursing it!" Then we went for dinner at a great place in Little Italy that Cathy and Chris picked out.
Attachments
Lorely Front of Bottle.JPG
Lorely Front of Bottle.JPG (29.85 KiB) Viewed 16920 times
Lorely back of bottle.JPG
Lorely back of bottle.JPG (33.06 KiB) Viewed 16921 times
Howie

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Unread postby marylander1970 » Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:16 pm

Yep, That's what I have here. I was interested to know, if it's a contract brand, if anyone knows what other brands might be identical?

My bottle also has the slightest little tear in the back label right where yours is.

I'm trying to add pictures...
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Unread postby marylander1970 » Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:27 pm

I can't get the thing to accept my 115K .jpg file.

Oh well. it doesn't matter. My bottle's identical to yours.

Thanks!

John
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Unread postby marylander1970 » Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:39 pm

Let's try again. I'm stubborn when it comes to computers.
Attachments
taxseals.JPG
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LorelyRye.jpg
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Unread postby mozilla » Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:42 pm

That bottle is sooooo sweet!

Can't wait to hear the taste report.
Last edited by mozilla on Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Unread postby cowdery » Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:08 pm

It's also a sad reminder of what has been lost.
- Chuck Cowdery

Author of Bourbon, Straight
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Re: Lorely Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

Unread postby jameshast » Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:10 am

Since the back label on your Lorely Rye mentions Dougherty distillery, I thought I would mention a bottle of Dougherty's Private Stock Pure Rye Whiskey. The stamp says it was made in 1916 and bottled in 1930. The box says it was bottled in bond under U.S. Supervision for Medicinal use only. The bottle is unopened and is of the "flask" type. Is this of interest to anyone?
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Re: Lorely Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

Unread postby brunswick » Thu Jun 26, 2014 6:29 am

Hello, 1st time here.
My father, Melvin H. Brundick, was an accountant for Cockeysville Distilling Company, Cockeysville, Maryland on Old York Road.
I was 10 when he passed in 1952. Had just made Treasurer.
I use to hear about "the Old Man", Frank Wight.
Always thought spelled: White.
Mr. Wight lived to 1958, if recall reading.
The end of a dynasty of Rye Makers, the Maryland Rye way.
Recall when little being at dad's work.
The vats and a catwalk. Was I on it?
For some months have been researching all about this.
(am in the Baltimore Antique Bottle Club)
It seems like an ancestor around 1850 started all of this.
Then successive generations carried it on.
I found this site by accident. Am glad I did.
Frank L. Wight was all over the place making Rye Whiskey.
So far I have found and collected a 1/5 size bottle, a slab sided one, 2 shot glasses, a miniature bottle,
a stock certificate, missed out in auction on a fishing lure spoon ad.
Lorely Md from what I found was around White Marsh area.
This is like a puzzle.
He also made it in Peoria, Illinois!
I live in Carroll County, Maryland, at top of Maryland State. They also made it in the town of Westminster. Have seen labels for sale.
Live close to that town, think a large smokestack near Main St has Sherbrook on it.
Names also used Sherbrook and Sherwood. And Cockeysville Distilling Co.
At present read a man, a possible descendant is making Maryland style Rye in Maine.
The Sun Paper via the Net has articles on the Cockeysville Distillery being torn down due to 2 very bad Storms.
The red brick building was like a landmark on Old York Road. I had wondered what happened to it.
Anyway am still researching this, was in Computer Field 36 yrs.
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Re: Lorely Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

Unread postby Satty Beach » Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:42 am

That's a fasinating report brunswick thank's for sharing. I looked up that town and there is a limestone mine, so the water is probably kaput. Right next door is a Home Depot and wallyworld fww. Now, I wonder what the difference was between Pa rye and Md rye? They wouldn't call it different unless it was different.
Taken the cure.
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Re: Lorely Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

Unread postby WhiskeyCollector » Mon Jan 26, 2015 11:44 am

I'm a collector and will pay top dollar for old Maryland Rye whiskey bottles, full or empty. Labels too. Please contact me.
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