HER WHISKEY REVIEWS

A proprietary pedigreed-grain Bourbon available nationwide

What You Need to Know

Widow Jane Distillery and an undisclosed Kentucky distillery / Widow Jane:

• Type: A blend of straight Bourbons (this means it is made from straight Bourbons distilled in different states, in this case Kentucky and New York)
• Mashbill: undisclosed, but previously released small batches were 80% corn/10% rye/10% malted barley
• Proof / ABV: 45.5% ABV / 91 Proof
• Age Statement / Range: NAS
• MSRP: $50
• Availability: Limited, national
• Kosher Certification: Orthodox Union Kosher Pareve

Review Summary – Our Take, Straight Up

The mouthfeel really carries the flavors across the palate nicely. There’s a lot of complexity that you typically won’t get from a standard corn varietal!

Tasting Notes

Aroma: 9/10

Buttery, rich caramel, leather, stewed cherries

Flavor: 9/10

Cacao nibs, stewed cherries, clove, honey

Texture: 8/10

Velvety!

Finish: 9/10

Warm medium finish with notes of honey and leather and a smoky surprise ending

Unique or True to Style?

This is true to Widow Jane’s style in that they do a lot of experimentation. That said, they’ve hit the nail on the head with this Baby Jane corn varietal. It makes excellent Bourbon!

Behind the Bottle

• The team at Widow Jane Distillery in Brooklyn, New York set out to create a varietal of corn they could call their own. After crossing Wapsie Valley yellow and Bloody Butcher red heirloom corns they shucked the resulting cobs and picked out the kernels with the desired traits. The next year’s crop was named Baby Jane Corn, which the distillery trademarked.

Best For / Skip If

• Best For: anyone who loves whiskeys from pedigreed or heirloom grain varietals
• Skip If: you don’t like trying new things

Our Recommendations

• Suggested glassware: Glencairn
• Atmosphere : watching the corn grow
• Suggested for cocktails or as neat sipper: I always prefer neat, but it would be great in a cocktail that features figs, lemon juice, or Amari – anything to balance the sweetness from the corn
• Suggested food pairings: cheese, obviously
• Gifting suggestions: would totally give this as a gift
• Would I pour it for my peer: absolutely!
• Would I pour this for my bestie: I have!

The Last Sip

91

I can’t wait to see what this Bourbon looks like with a little more age on it. I imagine this proprietary corn varietal maturing into beautiful stone fruits stewed with baking spices while remaining soft around the edges.

FAQ Box

• Is Widow Jane Baby Jane worth the price? Absolutely. It’s a $50 bottle with nationwide availability made from a proprietary, nonstandard corn varietal. They could have charged much more.
• Is Baby Jane Corn Proprietary? Yes, in name only. Anyone can cross Wapsie Valley and Bloody Butcher corn to create something similar, but only Widow Jane can call it Baby Jane.