Widow Jane Black Opal 20 Year Bourbon

Widow Jane Black Opal 20 Year Bourbon is a 750ml, 49.5% ABV (99 proof) blend of 20-year-old straight bourbons finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks. Scoring 96 points from Tastings.com, this limited release stands among the most distinguished aged American whiskeys available today, with its Mizunara finishing adding layers of complexity rarely encountered in bourbon.

Quick Facts: ABV: 49.5% (99 Proof)  |  Origin: Kentucky & Tennessee, USA  |  20 Year Age Statement  |  Brand: Widow Jane (Heaven Hill)

Production & Heritage

Widow Jane operates out of Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, and has built a reputation for sourcing, blending, and finishing exceptional aged whiskeys. Black Opal 20 Year draws from a selection of straight bourbons distilled in Kentucky and Tennessee, each carrying a minimum 20-year age statement. The defining production step is an extended finishing period in Mizunara oak casks — a highly prized Japanese wood harvested from old-growth trees, air-seasoned, and crafted into barrels that receive a medium toast. Mizunara is notably porous and low in tannins, which allows it to impart intense aromatic character without overwhelming the base spirit. A single Mizunara cask can cost upwards of $6,000 on the open market, underscoring the investment behind each bottle of Black Opal.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with toasted pecan and roasted peanut skins before moving into freshly scraped vanilla bean and chestnut. Delicate floral notes of rosewater and lavender emerge alongside a whisper of cardamom — a hallmark of the Mizunara influence.

Taste: The palate enters with red plum and dried apple slices, layered over vanilla cream and pie crust richness. At mid-palate, both black and green tea notes surface, accompanied by a distinctive calcium-forward minerality that gives the bourbon an almost chalky depth. Wild berry tartness and toasted oak round out the peak, balancing sweetness against structure.

Finish: Medium in length, the finish leans fruity with a cooling wintergreen mintiness that builds gradually. A final wave of nut butter lingers, leaving a savory, satisfying close.

How to Drink Black Opal 20 Year

At 99 proof with 20 years of age and Mizunara complexity, this bourbon rewards neat sipping in a Glencairn or tulip glass; a few drops of water can help open up the floral and tea notes. While this whiskey is built for contemplation, it can anchor a few well-chosen cocktails.

• Old Fashioned: The toasted nut and vanilla depth provides a rich, layered foundation that needs only a sugar cube and a dash of Angostura bitters.
• Boulevardier: The plum and berry character stands up to sweet vermouth and Campari, adding uncommon complexity to a classic template.
• Mint Julep (premium riff): The natural wintergreen quality on the finish harmonizes beautifully with fresh mint, making this an indulgent upgrade.

Best For

• Gifting a serious bourbon collector who values rare cask finishes
• Anchoring a curated tasting flight of aged or Mizunara-finished whiskeys
• Marking a milestone celebration — anniversary, retirement, or career achievement
• Adding a trophy bottle to a home bar with genuine conversation value

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Black Opal 20 Year taste like? It delivers a layered profile of toasted pecan, red plum, vanilla cream, and black tea, with an unusual mineral depth from the Mizunara finish. The finish is medium-length with cooling wintergreen and nut butter.

How does Black Opal 20 Year compare to Widow Jane The Vaults 2024? Both expressions blend straight bourbons aged 15 to 20 years, but they diverge at the finishing stage: Black Opal uses Mizunara oak, yielding floral and tea-like complexity, while The Vaults 2024 is finished in Brazilian amburana wood, which tends toward spicier, more tropical notes. The 20-year minimum age statement on Black Opal also gives it a slight edge in maturity over The Vaults range.

Is Black Opal 20 Year good for sipping neat? Absolutely — the 49.5% ABV carries enough weight to deliver full flavor without excessive heat, and the Mizunara finishing adds aromatic layers best appreciated without dilution.

Where is Black Opal 20 Year made? The base bourbons are sourced from undisclosed distilleries in Kentucky and Tennessee, then blended and finished by Widow Jane, which operates out of Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, under the Heaven Hill portfolio.

What foods pair well with Black Opal 20 Year? Pecan pie complements the toasted nut notes directly. Dark chocolate truffles mirror the vanilla and mineral depth. Charcuterie with aged Gouda echoes the savory, nutty finish. Grilled stone fruit, such as peaches or plums, bridges the bourbon's red plum and dried apple character. Miso-glazed salmon works surprisingly well, playing off the Japanese oak's umami-adjacent qualities.

What sizes does Black Opal 20 Year come in? Black Opal 20 Year is available in the standard 750ml bottle.

Is Black Opal 20 Year worth the price? Black Opal positions firmly in the ultra-premium tier, justified by a 20-year age statement and finishing in Mizunara casks that individually cost thousands of dollars. Its 96-point score from Tastings.com and limited availability further support its standing at the top of Widow Jane's lineup.

Why Black Opal 20 Year?

The Mizunara finishing is the defining move here. While many distillers have experimented with secondary maturation, few commit to casks this rare and this expensive for an extended finish on already-old bourbon. The result is something genuinely uncommon in American whiskey: floral rosewater and cardamom aromatics threaded through a 20-year-old bourbon backbone of oak, vanilla, and dried fruit. At 96 points from Tastings.com and an A- from Drinkhacker, the critical response confirms that the ambition behind Black Opal translates into the glass. This is a bottle that earns its place through verifiable craft, not marketing narrative.