The Widow Jane whiskey is produced in Kentucky and is sent to New York for bottling. The company also offers various spirits along with Widow Jane. One thing I liked about the Widow Jane bourbon is its single barrel bourbon. Each barrel has a distinct flavor.
The bottle looks impressive, enticing me to try the Widow Jane bourbon. Here is my thorough review on this bourbon after trying it.
Presentation and Impressions
The Whiskey
The Widow Jane is a 10-year old whiskey with a blend of straight bourbons from distilleries in Kentucky and Indiana. It comes in five-barrel batches. One of the great features about Widow Jane is the waterproofing that they use. They use the limestone mineral water from New York. The whiskey opens up with aeration.
Uniqueness
The bourbon is produced in Kentucky and sent to New York for bottling and proofing with limestone water. It has an interesting story and has become one of the most liked whiskeys available.
Packaging
The Widow Jane bourbon bottle looks neat and very appealing if you look at it. The oval-shaped bottle is rounded from the top as well as the bottom part. The overall body of the bourbon bottle is round and has straight sides. It has a short straight neck. The bottle cap is topped with wood and a cork stopper.
The label is very simple and plain. The name of the bottle is written along with some details about the spirit. There are some additional details also written about the specific batch and bottle.
Color
It has a deep copper-colored complexion and gives the most pleasing look. There is something very impressive about the deep, dark, and vibrant color bourbon, blended with different hues and shades. I loved the look of the bottle too.
Nose
This classic bourbon opens with aromas of caramel, dried cherries, vanilla, corn, roasted nuts, and oak. It also has a slight hint of apple and raisins. This whiskey does give off the scent of ethanol at all. As it goes down your nose, the dark stone fruit smells become more pronounced. You may notice cacao powder notes as well. Overall the nose has everything you would want to have in a bourbon flavor whiskey.
Smell
The great thing about the Widow Jane whiskey is that it smells like an Armagnac or sherry finished but is not, which confused me to a large extent.
The nose becomes better after swirling. My nose had a smell of dense caramel and nutty prunes, berries, cherries, and grapes as if it was a sherry finished, freshly peeled ginger, vanilla, orange, dark chocolate, oak, Nutella, and tobacco. The nose varies between bright, dark, fruity, and herbal notes.
Palate
The palate opens with a corn and vanilla blend, which is sweet. It progresses to a light orange and cherry flavor. The heat is composed of a peppery rye spice, which gets nicely blended with the flavors that follow it. It then fades up to the notes of nuts and dark chocolate charred oak.
Taste
The taste is as great as the smell of the whiskey. There are many fruity flavors mixed with the bourbon flavor whiskey, which gives a great taste. When you taste it at first, it provides a taste of orange peel, maple, and almond. Then in the next layer, it gives the taste of grape, cheese, licorice, pepper, and dark chocolate.
Overall the flavors are a mix of caramel, dried berries, dates, toasted oak, tobacco, cinnamon, clove, and chocolate. It tastes like an Armagnac finished bourbon, even though it is not. The Widow Jane Bourbon is a mix of many flavors and is well-balanced.
Finish
You can feel the heat at the start of the finish note, but it quickly fades as well. What remains at the end is a mix of flavors. I could feel the pinch of pepper present with the fruity taste of whiskey at the back of my throat. It also has a soapy-oak flavor. The flavor of bourbon ends with a sour note.
Enjoying Widow Jane Bourbon
Neat
This whiskey looks visually appealing and has a dark color with a syrupy texture. It smells like a classic bourbon, along with the notes of caramel and vanilla.
When you take the first sip, you will notice the burning of alcohol from start to finish. The toffee and caramel flavors are pretty strong, along with the taste of vanilla.
On Ice
When you have it with an ice cube, the toffee flavor will be the most prominent and give a sweet taste. When you put ice, you will notice that the burning sensation you got from having it neat will be gone. With ice, you will have a smooth drink with some sweetness.
Cocktail
If you add some orange bitters to the drink, it gives a great balance to your drink. The sweetness of the alcohol and citrus flavor from the orange makes this drink more delicious and balanced.
Who would like the Widow Jane Bourbon taste?
All those who love the taste of rich, dark, and velvety flavors that captivates the nostrils would love the taste of this whiskey. If you can spend on this high-range whiskey, you will not be disappointed with this. Widow Jane is a great high-end whiskey with an incredible smell and taste.
But if you are looking for an affordable option, this whiskey is not for you. It is priced in the luxury space and its quality matches.
Parting Words
Overall, I am pretty impressed with the Widow Jane bourbon; it is one of the best whiskeys I have ever had. It is a bit sweeter than most but has a great blend of notes.
If you like the taste of classic bourbon drinks, this is a good option for you to have a look at and try. The Widow Jane is an excellent choice of whiskey with a good blend and taste.
