For the last five years, Widow Jane has been releasing a limited-edition extra-aged whiskey, each finished in a distinctly different wood. 2023’s version of Widow Jane The Vaults finds a blend of bourbons up to 20 years old.
While Widow Jane calls Brooklyn home, the whiskies blended for The Vaults 2023 come from Tennessee and Indiana. Some people still believe that bourbon has to be from Kentucky (at least to be good), but plenty of bottles on the shelves prove that wrong… with this being one of them.
Blending these exceptional bourbons from our Tennessee and Indiana stocks was a meticulous process, finding gems in the bunch, then layering in flavor through matchmaking of 15-year-old with 20-year-old whiskey.
~ Sienna Jevremov, Head Distiller an Blender of Widow Jane
For those not well versed in the Latin names of trees, which I assume is most of us, the layman’s version is that blended whiskey spends its three additional months in barrels made of Chinquapin Oak harvested from trees in Northern Kentucky.
Marrying them with the distinct flavors of this slow-growing KY white oak species (Quercus muehlenbergii), the result of which is a spirit that whiskey collectors are sure to treasure.
~ Sienna Jevremov, Head Distiller an Blender of Widow Jane
Before getting coopered, the wood is air-seasoned for at least 4 years (as opposed to kiln-dried), allowing natural microbes to break down the wood, potentially removing tannins and unwanted flavors. And while that might lead to a collectible treasure, I prefer to open my bottles and drink them.
2023 Widown Jane The Vaules Tasting Notes
- Nose: Toasted marshmallow, pear turnover, honeydew, cinnamon
- Palate: Honeycomb, butterscotch, raisin, molasses, dried apricots, root beer
- Finish: Pralines and cream, roasted oolong, black walnut, licorice
Widow Jane The Vaults – $250
