Jack Coleman, co-founder of Rosedale Distilling Company, addressed the Greenville Rotary Club this week, unveiling the details behind the forthcoming grand opening of Mississippi Delta’s first legal whiskey distillery in Rosedale. Coleman’s speech emphasized the company’s commitment to honoring local history, generating economic growth, and revitalizing the community through the renovation of historic properties and the revival of legendary local whiskey traditions.
Delta Heritage and Economic Revitalization
Coleman described Rosedale Distilling as a “positive future for the Delta,” blending historic preservation with forward-looking industry. The distillery is nearing completion at its 130,000-square-foot facility in Rosedale, formerly the AMPCO steel kitchen cabinet factory, which had sat unused for 25 years. Coleman announced that all primary equipment has arrived, with bottling and grain silos set for installation in the coming weeks. “We carved this out of the warehouse,” Coleman said. “It’s about a 5,000 square foot room in a building that hadn’t been used for 25 years. We’re bringing it back to a new economic life. We’re gonna do a lot of fun things.”
The $23 million investment is expected to create over 60 new jobs and support the transformation of other historic buildings in downtown Rosedale, including tasting rooms, event spaces, and cultural attractions. Coleman said, “We wanted to create opportunity for our citizens in the Delta and make Rosedale a premier region for the distilling industry.”
Tasting Rooms and Local Lore
Coleman shared plans for four themed tasting rooms: the River Club, the Crossroads Blues Club, the Explorers Club, and the Perry Martin Club, each celebrating aspects of Rosedale’s musical, river, and whiskey heritage. The River Club will occupy the former corn dealership across from the courthouse, originally built as Charles Scott’s law office in 1900. “Our main tasting room will have a full commercial kitchen, bar, restaurant, music. We hope to see many of you there in a couple of months,” Coleman said. The Crossroads Blues Club will honor Robert Johnson’s ties to Rosedale, while the Explorers Club will highlight the region’s importance in early European exploration.
Perry Martin Whiskey Tradition
Coleman offered a vivid account of Perry Martin, the legendary Delta bootlegger, whose whiskey was shipped to Chicago for Al Capone’s syndicate and prized in speakeasies across the nation. “He bought all his copper and hardware for his stills from my grandfather and uncle’s business. I used to wait on Perry Martin in his later years,” Coleman recalled. Rosedale Distilling will revive the original Perry Martin recipe and launch a lineup including bourbon, rye, weeded bourbon, vodka, gin, and rum—some inspired by colorful local stories and musical connections.
Looking Forward: Opening Soon
Anticipation is high for Rosedale Distilling’s grand opening, planned for later this fall. Coleman told the Rotary, “We have worked very hard on our labels and our thought process…We want to celebrate the Delta, not just Rosedale. It’s all the Delta and Mississippi, but we particularly love the Delta and hope to see you guys.”
The distillery’s launch is expected to bring visitors, jobs, and renewed civic pride to Rosedale and the wider Delta region. “We want to present a positive future for the Delta, where we can reuse things. The Delta is not going to be the way it was. It’s going to have a new future, but we can make it a good one,” Coleman said.
This report was compiled with the assistance of Perplexity AI.
