Widow Jane 10 years

Victor Ramos

Country: USA

Producer: Widow Jane Distillery

Category: Blend of Straight Bourbons

Age: 10 years

Barrel Type: New american oak barrels

Alcohol Content: 45.5% (91 proof)

Size: 700ml

Level: Casual

Widow Jane Distillery was founded in 2012 by Daniel Preston and Vince Oleson in a repurposed area of Oleson’s chocolate factory in Brooklyn, New York. With his background as an aerospace engineer, Preston designed the distillery’s stills to create something truly unique.

The bourbon we tasted wasn’t distilled in Brooklyn; instead, it’s a blend of various bourbons sourced from different regions. The distillery describes this expression as an effort to revive “the lost art of marrying the finest whiskeys, Widow Jane 10 Year Old is our signature bourbon. Hand assembled in Brooklyn using the richest & rarest straight bourbons, only ever in 5 barrel batches, non-chill filtered & proofed with our own mineral water from the legendary Rosendale Mines of NY, we deliver a whiskey unique in its intensity & complexity.” The bottle we sampled is Batch 627, Bottle 333 from 2022, with bourbons sourced from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.

Tasting Notes

Nose: : Rich varnish, vanilla, cinnamon, herbal notes, and a generous helping of caramel.

Palate: Sweet maple with a round, pleasantly oily mouthfeel.

Aftertaste: Medium length, finishing with a wood note and a spicy kick that lingers.

I briefly considered mentioning the short finish since many of the flavors fade quickly, but the spice really sticks around. The varnish aroma reminds me of a well-preserved antique. When I added a few drops of water, the nose became more intriguing, but the balance of flavors fell apart. I found the sweetness turned sugary, while the alcohol left an unpleasant astringency. The body felt diminished. Personally, I prefer it neat or in a cocktail, where the sweet notes and woody aroma shine, so I wouldn’t recommend adding just a few drops of water. Either drink it straight or in a cocktail.

My Rating:

I clasify whisky into 4 categories: Introdutory, Casual, Intermediate and Complex. and from there I rate each one acording to their aroma, palate, complexity and palatability.

Level: Casual