This year marks the 4th annual release of ‘The Vaults’ by Widow Jane Distillery in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The 2022 edition of The Vaults carries a 14-year age statement. But it is a blend of Widow Jane Distillery’s oldest and most-prized bourbons which range from 14 to 19 years old.
Having been fortunate enough to sample The Vaults over the past few years, this is a release I look forward to every year now. The catch, however, is that it’s both difficult to track down and expensive.
There are only 2,000 bottles available to the public and Widow Jane’s 2022 expression of The Vaults carries a hefty price tag of $250 (750ml bottle). But you get what you pay for, right? A release like this is the distillery masterfully blending *their favorite* and oldest expressions together. And when there’s a passion like that behind a release you know it is going to be special.
What’s in the bottle?
- Aged 14-19 years, finished in air-seasoned Missouri Ozark oak casks
- 49.9% ABV
- Non-chill filtered and proofed with mineral water from New York’s Rosendal Mines
- 750ml bottle with an estimated SRP of $250
- Only 2,000 cases are being released
Let’s talk about flavor
- First impression is a long-aged bourbon with a rich, dark color from the oak aging
- Notes of tobacco, leather, cocoa powder, and plenty of vanilla
- A smooth, long finish characteristic of older bourbons but with bountiful flavor on the way down
If you aren’t familiar with Widow Jane it’s time to introduce yourself. I previously ranked the Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen in the ‘Top 25 Things I Drank‘ last year.
Widow Jane’s Master Distiller Lisa Wicker had this to say about the 2022 edition of The Vaults:
“An act of congress in 1964 established bourbon as our only true ‘American Spirit’. Tennessee and Indiana bourbons, blended and finished in New York and re-barreled in wood sourced from the Missouri Ozarks – it truly is an American Spirit. The Vaults 2022 represents the craftsmanship of the distillers before me, the warehouse men and women, the farmers and the truck drivers and the Widow Jane team. I have the privilege of finishing and blending exquisite whiskey.”
This is a perfect bottle for anyone looking to branch out of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana bourbon.
To shop for the Widow Jane 2022 edition of The Vaults you can check ReserveBar at the ‘shop’ button below and/or visit the Widow Jane Distillery’s website for more information.