Widow Jane The Vaults 14 Year Old Bourbon Review (2022)

By Randall H. Borkus

Rating: A

Fall 2022 Widow Jane Distillery launched the fourth installment in their aged whiskey series, “The Vaults,” this time (officially stated as) aged 14 years from a blend of bourbons ranging from 14 years up to 19 years old, selected and set aside in Widow Jane’s Red Hook, Brooklyn rickhouse by their former Master Distiller Lisa Wicker. Each expression of The Vaults has explored a unique finishing wood from various regions and untypically long periods air seasoning of the barrel staves.  In this instance, The Vaults 2022 is finished in Missouri Ozark oak casks that were air-seasoned for three years. The tight-grained Missouri oak is said to bring hints of vanilla, smoke and spice according to Widow Jane Distillery reports.  As with all Widow Jane whiskeys, The Vaults 2022 is non-chill filtered, and proofed with limestone mineral water from the Rosendale Mines of New York, (aka The Widow Jane Mine).

This bourbon is bottled at 99 proofT, and there are only 2,000 cases or 12,000 bottles of The Vaults 2022 release.  My bottle is Batch 6, Bottle #457, Release 2022.

The Bourbon
This bourbon whiskey has a dark-reddish amber appearance in my Glencairn glass and coats it nicely leaving traces of syrupy tears dancing before my eyes.  The nose extends hints of bold toasted vanilla, burnt sugary fruits, a hint of Citrus limon oil and minerals.  The front-palate opens with a spicy dryness leading to sweet vanilla powdered oven baked cherries, roasted nuts and dry burnt oak mist.  The mid-palate continues dry and spicy bursting with mineral infused overcooked sweet fruits and over ripe Bananas.  The finish was warm and inviting with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar, wood spices folding into a dry oak buttery sweetness.  Once my glass has sat empty for a few minutes, the afterglow aromas in my glass are pronounced with Missouri oak holding remnants of sweet bold oak wrapped in cherry candy spiciness.

I thoroughly enjoyed this bourbon whiskey.  It is rich and full bodied with loads of flavors and mature oak.   It sits well on its own neat, yet with a few drops of water the flavor continues to burst with cherry cough drops and it holds up very well with a My Father The Judge Grand Robusto cigar.

The Price
The suggested retail is priced at $249.00 and I see it in Chicago for as much as $269 per 750ml bottle.

* Editor’s Note: This is not to be confused with the 2019 installment with the same age statement.