Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen Single Barrel Straight Bourbon (2020 Release)

Really nice.

*Barrel #2078 Nose: lots of cherry at first. Delightful and rich. Just has those wonderful bourbon notes. Very much like Stagg jr. Palate: immediate oak but in a good way. Sweet and incredibly tame. 93 proof on this barrel but it’s so so smooth. Not really oily like some at this proof but there is a ton of flavor. I like it a lot, but not in love yet. Finish: short finish full of oak and vanilla. Overall: honestly I think the finish on this bourbon is what makes it go from incredible to just very solid. It’s perfect on the nose to me and almost as good on the palate but the finish is so short it’s almost shocking.

I'm not sure what the story on this is so if these are batches and not all the same, sorry. nose - MGP heaven! It's that rye forward bourbon with spices and sweetness turned up both to 11. It's so inviting, so rich, and it just billows out of the glass like few whiskies. It's awesome. Taste - This has it all. Mints, and tobacco, and apples, and pears, and just more fruits and vanilla and caramel and grain, and some ethanol touches. This is as complex as whisky gets. I know this is a shorter review and it's frankly because these earthy rye notes are harder for me to compare to. This is to me the best MGP product without finishing I've ever had. They have perfected the balance here. I bought 5, 3 were sadly for a friend. I should have bought more.

Past the oakiness of the barrel wood, the nose reveals notes of vanilla and butterscotch, as well as a slight fruitiness. Further oxygen brings notes of amaretto, almonds, and macaroons. On the palate reveals toffiness with some cotton candy toward the back. A little allspice as well as a hint of maraschino cherry. The finish has a slight toastiness with molasses and brown sugar. With a medium-bodied mouthfeel, the Lucky Thirteen reveals a lot after the neck pour. Not the most complex but certainly delivers enough to keep the pour interesting and satisfying.