2020 Widow Jane The Vaults 15 Year Old Batch 2 Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

2020 Widow Jane 15 Year Old "The Vaults" Batch 2 Limited Edition Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml is an elite, ultra-premium masterpiece of blending and wood science from the acclaimed Widow Jane Distillery in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Released in December 2020 under strict seasonal allocation, this magnificent 99-proof (49.5% ABV) expression showcases the absolute pinnacle of artisanal curation. As the highly anticipated second annual installment of the prestigious Vaults Collection, this release breaks traditional boundaries of maturity. Rather than relying on standard commercial lots, Widow Jane’s master distiller, Lisa Wicker, meticulously hand-selected an elite lot of historic barrels from the deepest recesses of their Brooklyn rickhouses, marrying exceptional straight bourbons from Tennessee and Indiana stocks matured for 15 to 17 years into a small-batch blend of unparalleled richness.

The core philosophy of this coveted 2020 edition relies entirely on a pioneering secondary maturation program utilizing rare, highly specialized finishing barrels. Once the historic, hyper-aged liquids were skillfully married in hyper-small batches, the bourbon was transferred into dedicated finishing casks raised exclusively from rare Appalachian oak staves. These unique staves were subjected to a monumental five full years of open-air atmospheric seasoning before the barrels were raised and charred—a process far exceeding the standard one to two years. This extended, meticulous air-seasoning allows the wood pores to natively eliminate harsh green wood compounds and bitter tannins. The specialized timber completely alters the spirit's interaction over its final weeks, letting the liquid yield deep dark sugar complexities and refined structural properties that standard commercial oak vessels simply cannot replicate.

Following its deliberate finishing track inside the premium Appalachian oak casks, the small-batch liquid underwent the distillery's definitive, signature finishing touch. The fully matured bourbon was non-chill filtered and proofed down with pure, iron-free, calcium-dense limestone mineral water drawn directly from the historic Rosendale Mines of Upstate New York, located 100 miles north of the waterfront. This unique mineral water profile integrates flawlessly with the spirit, tempering the 99-proof heat while unlocking a trademark rounded mouthfeel and a velvety weight. Presented as an intensely restricted national release of just over 5,000 total bottles, this non-chill filtered masterpiece captures a flawless harmony between multi-state distilling excellence, New York geological history, and ultra-rare finishing wood chemistry.

In the glass, the 2020 The Vaults release commands attention with a beautiful, deep dark gold to coppery mahogany hue and thick, slow-dropping oil tears tracing the sides. The bouquet is extraordinarily intense, layered, and complex, opening with an upfront harmony of nutmeg, egg custard, and buttered popcorn, cut beautifully by bright orange citrus, rich hazelnut, warm caramel, and a touch of sweet pipe tobacco. On the palate, a thick, viscous, and well-balanced mouthfeel blankets the tongue with decadent layers of dry cherry, toasted walnuts, sweet vanilla, and cinnamon bark, before seamlessly yielding to caramelized barley malt, sassafras, and earl grey tea. The finish is remarkably sustained, long, and pleasant, rolling off with lingering trails of bitter dark chocolate, fresh espresso bean, oranges, dark molasses, and a comforting touch of mint oil.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: 99 (49.5% ABV)
• Age: 15 Years Old (A meticulous blend of historic straight bourbons aged between 15 and 17 years)
• Origin: Brooklyn, New York, United States (Sourced from Indiana and Tennessee)
• Distillery: Widow Jane Distillery (Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY)
• Style/Class: Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
• Composition: Traditional High-Corn Mash Bill (Corn, Rye, and Malted Barley)
• Cask/Aging: Aged initially for a minimum of 15 years in new charred American white oak; finished in custom casks raised from 5-year air-seasoned Appalachian oak
• Series/Edition: The Vaults Collection — 2020 Release (Batch 2 / Limited Run of Just Over 5,000 Bottles)
• Tasting Notes: Nutmeg, egg custard, orange citrus, sweet pipe tobacco, dry cherry, walnuts, sassafras, bitter dark chocolate, molasses, mint oil