Widow Jane’s Latest ‘The Vaults’ Whiskey is an Exploration of Aging Time and the ‘Unique Oak Choices On The Character of Bourbon’
Widow Jane’s The Vaults 2023 expression is now available. (Photo: Widow Jane)
On Monday, Brooklyn-based whiskey brand Widow Jane announced its annual launch of The Vaults. The 2023 release is what the brand describes as “a collection of the distillery’s oldest and rarest whiskeys.”
The Vaults 2023 contains a blend of Tennesee and Indiana whiskeys, aged for a minimum of 15 years. The whiskeys were blended in small batches and finished in Chinquapin Oak barrels.
The 99-proof expression was non-chill filtered and blended with limestone mineral water from the storied Rosendale Mines in New York, which is coincidentally where the Widow Jane brand gets its namesake.
“The Vaults allows us to explore the fascinating dimensions of both extended time resting and unique oak choices on the character of bourbon,” stated Widow Jane’s Head Distiller, Sienna Jevremov according to a news release from the New York brand.
This limited-release expression is the first whiskey from “The Vaults” series made under the stewardship of Sienna Jevremov, who was brought on as head distiller and blender at Widow Jane in October 2022 after the departure of the brand’s master distiller, Lisa Wicker.
Jevremov discussed the process that went into making the 2023 release of The Vaults in greater detail:
“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. Finally marrying them with distinct flavors of this slow-growing KY white oak species (Quercus muhlenbergii), the result of which is a spirit that whiskey collectors are sure to treasure.”
Chinquapin Oak, or what Jeremov refers to as “Quercus muhlenbergii,” is a species of white oak that thrives on limestone and hosts softer wood than its counterparts, according to Whiskey Magazine. The staves from this variety of oak tend to add a distinctive flavor profile to whiskey, and some distillers describe it as spicy or even sweet.
Some brands that have decided to work with this oak species include Michters and The GlenAllachie.
The 2023 release of The Vaults hosts a suggested retail price of $249. It is available for purchase in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Washington D.C.
The Vaults 2023 Tasting Notes, via Widow Jane
Aroma: Toasted marshmallow, pear turnover, honeydew, cinnamon.
Palate: Honeycomb, butterscotch, raisin, molasses, dried apricots, root beer.
Finish: Pralines and cream, roasted oolong, black walnut, licorice.
Follow The Daily Pour:
