Venture to the cobblestone streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn, and you just might discover some of the oldest whiskey on the East Coast, thanks to the release of Widow Jane‘s Black Opal bourbon.
Deemed “a study of the art of patience,” the latest limited release from the Brooklyn distillery (which falls under the Heaven Hill whiskey umbrella) blends rare bourbons aged for a minimum of 20 years. Widow Jane’s century-old rickhouse, a red-brick staple along the Red Hook waterfront, served as a testing ground for more than 100 individual barrels to sketch out what would become Black Opal.
The end result? A whiskey deemed fit for an even more exclusive finish, one that used prized, exceedingly rare Mizunara casks from Japan. Mizunara wood imparts bold, distinct character, and when used in barrels, becomes covetable: As Widow Jane notes, Mizunara casks can fetch up to $6,000 on the open market. For a distillery that recently used its own proprietary heirloom corn in a summer Baby Jane release, it’s yet another impressive launch on a limited, jealousy-inducing scale.
Widow Jane Head Distiller Sienna Jeremov said the new liquid presented its own set of challenges, but Mizunara finishing gave it further layers of complexity. “The 20-year-old whiskey found in this project is like a hefty tome of an epic tale: At first it is daunting in its immensity but the rich characters and surprising unseen twists pull you in,” she said. “I chose one thread I found alluring and followed it to a whiskey that toys with bourbon’s sweetness, baking spice, and stone fruit.”
Limestone water from Rosendale Mines in upstate New York (always a fitting locale for a fall getaway) furthers the distinct character of this whiskey. As Widow Jane says of this 49.5 percent ABV whiskey and its process, “this mineral-rich, yet sweet water delivers a full, round, lavish mouthfeel and long finish, fitting for a bourbon 20 years in the making.”
With notes of walnut and brown butter, plus ginger snap on the finish and pleasing caramelized notes, Black Opal should prove a rich whiskey that pushes the limits in terms of aging and finishing. Accordingly, only 5,000 bottles are available in select markets, each enclosed in a truly rugged black steel box that calls to mind Widow Jane’s Red Hook roots.
A limited-edition fine art print showcasing Widow Jane arrives with each box, housing a “subtle and elegant” bottle that the distillery says is “crafted to be cherished.” The luxe-yet-rugged packaging should ensure an imbibing experience destined to be remembered — if you can get your hands on a rare bottle of Black Opal, that is.
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Author: Beau Hayhoe
