Widow Jane Distillery has released the second edition of Black Opal Bourbon, a blend of bourbons aged for at least 20 years and finished for 13 months in old-growth Mizunara oak casks.
The 2026 release combines bourbon distilled in Tennessee and Kentucky. The selected barrels spent their aging period at Widow Jane’s rickhouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov evaluated more than 50 individual barrels before selecting the whiskey used for the blend. The selected bourbons were then married before undergoing the Mizunara oak finish.
The 13-month finish is longer than the finish used for the first Black Opal release in 2024. Widow Jane said the Mizunara casks were made from old-growth Quercus crispula oak harvested in Japan. The wood was air-seasoned for 12 months before being made into casks that received a medium toast and light char.
Mizunara oak is porous and contains relatively low levels of tannins, characteristics that can affect the flavor and aroma of whiskey during maturation.
“For the 2026 Black Opal, I was excited to explore how much more the Mizunara could bring to these 20-year-old whiskies with additional time in the cask,” said Jevremov. “Compared with the last release, this is a longer finish, and you can really see that in the way the Mizunara has settled into the whiskey bringing more sandalwood, incense, and a soft, savory spice without losing those beautiful fruit notes. There’s still that deep, mature character you want from a whiskey of this age, but it feels bright and alive, with the Mizunara giving it another layer to unfold.”
Widow Jane lists tasting notes for the bourbon that include vanilla beans, orange-butter crepes, espresso, sea salt and lily on the nose. The palate includes canelé, rock sugar candy, Manuka honey, white miso, azuki bean paste, frankincense, chocolate and orange. Finish notes include sugar-roasted root vegetables, cinnamon gelato, cocoa powder, coffee bean, blackstrap molasses and chocolate mint.
As with other Widow Jane whiskeys, the bourbon is proofed with limestone water from the Rosendale Mines in upstate New York.
Black Opal 2026 comes bottled at 49.5% ABV, or 99 proof. The release is aged for 20 years and finished for 13 months in old-growth Mizunara oak.
The suggested retail price is $500 for a 750-ml bottle. Widow Jane plans to release 3,300 bottles in select markets beginning in October.
