This year’s expression was aged a minimum of 15 years before being finished in casks are made from oak harvested from the ancient forests surrounding Amfilochia, a city on the coast of Greece. The wood used in the finishing barrel assembly is air-seasoned for 1-2 years and imparts notes of wild honey, mountain sage, and dried fig.

“Each edition of The Vaults is a thrilling experience for me,” said Widow Jane Head Distiller Sienna Jevremov. “It affords me the opportunity to explore the enigmatic flavors of our older whiskey stocks and to craft a composition woven together into something entirely new. For 2025, I chose Greek oak as the finishing wood having been inspired by my many journeys to the region. Walking among its landscapes, the aromas have lingered with me ever since—haunting me in the most delightful way.”

Added Widow Jane Vice President Michele Clark, “This year, we turned to mythological oak, a gift from one of the world’s most fertile and storied landscapes. Nurtured by the Mediterranean sun and sea, these ancient oaks embody the essence of their terroir. In choosing them, we sought not only to honor tradition but to forge new ground—creating a spirit of uncommon depth, layered with rare complexity, and worthy of its timeless origins.”

The Vaults is the Widow Jane’s annual limited release of the old and rare bourbon from the distillery’s reserves that has been finished in casks made from unique and elevated woods.

Widow Jane The Vaults 2025 (99 proof) is available for $249.99.

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“Decadence was crafted for the season when crisp air and longer nights invite us to slow down and enjoy life’s richer moments. Its velvety, indulgent flavor profile is a natural fit for this time of year, when gatherings grow cozier and we treat ourselves to something special. Decadence is meant to be savored in those moments of celebration,” says Susan Wahl, Vice President of American Whiskey for Heaven Hill Brands.

Widow Jane Decadence Bourbon is available for $99.99.

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A limited release on strict allocation, it is a blend of rare bourbons, each aged for a minimum of 20 years. Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov tasted through more than 100 individual barrels, a multi-week process that yielded an initial sketch of what would become Black Opal. The barrels selected were blended and then the whiskey went through an extended finish in Mizunara oak. Like all Widow Jane whiskeys, Black Opal is proofed with limestone water from New York’s legendary Rosendale Mines resulting in a 99 proof spirit. This mineral-rich, yet sweet water delivers a full, round, lavish mouthfeel and long finish.

“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,” said Widow Jane Distillery Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov. “I chose one thread I found alluring and followed it to a whiskey that toys with bourbon’s sweetness, baking spice, and stone fruit. It has complex flavors of burnt sugar, smokey incense, herbal teas, and salted fruit. The Mizunara finish was a clear choice to achieve another layer that beautifully binds it all together. I advise you to take your time with each drop.”

Inspired by Widow Jane’s roots in Brooklyn’s industrial Red Hook, Black Opal is encased in a black steel box that features metal stamped branding and rivets that recall the neighborhood’s shipping and warehouse history. The bottle includes details like an internal jeweled texture that is revealed as the whiskey is consumed. Every bottle also comes with a limited edition, numbered fine art print featuring one of seven ‘insider’ views of Widow Jane Distillery.

A limited allocation of 5,000 bottles of Widow Jane Black Opal are available for $500.

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Wicker brings more than 20 years of distilling and winemaking experience to largest all-new independent distillery in Kentucky. In her new role as Master Distiller, she will manage all aspects of whiskey production, including grain selection, fermentation, distillation, blending, and aging for the company’s owned whiskey brands, including All Nations, as well as contract-distilled whiskey.

Prior to joining Garrard County, Wicker was the President and Master Distiller of Widow Jane Distillery in Brooklyn, NY, where she worked for nearly six years. There, her highly regarded whiskeys earned such accolades as Whisky Magazine’s Best Small Batch Bourbon 2022, Best in Class at the 2019 Whiskies of the World Awards, and a Double Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. She was also nominated for the Icons of Whiskey Master Distiller/Blender of the Year. Under Wicker, Widow Jane was the largest heirloom corn crop whiskey in the U.S. for several years.

Wicker’s other experience in the spirits industry includes lead distilling roles at Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company, Samson & Surrey, Limestone Branch, and Starlight Distillery. For years, she served as a consulting distiller at George Washington’s Distillery, the revival of our first president’s historic distillery at Mount Vernon, Virginia.

“I am so grateful to the team at Staghorn for this amazing opportunity to lead the whiskey making team at this beautiful new facility,” said Garrard County Distilling Co. Master Distiller Wicker. “Though this is one of the largest distilleries in Kentucky, my focus will remain on creating whiskeys using the hands-on, traditional craft disciplines I have honed over the past several decades.”

“When we were looking for a head distiller at Garrard County Distilling Co., we wanted someone with deep experience in time-honored distilling methods but also someone with an eye for what’s next. This made Lisa our obvious first choice,” said Ray Franklin, Founder of Staghorn.

Until the whiskey currently in production matures, Wicker will focus her attention on Staghorn’s All Nations brand, selecting and blending whiskey from the company’s more than 17,000 sourced-barrel inventory. Garrard County Distilling Co. plans to announce several new brands in 2024.

“High-rye and wheated bourbons are going to be the calling card for Garrard County Distilling Co., but I am also excited to explore rye whiskey, American single malt and some other emerging categories,” said Wicker. “Key for me will be to have a premium whiskey for everyone, so expect a broad portfolio across multiple price points, from your daily sipper to the bottle you pull out for special occasions.”

Located 30 minutes south of Lexington, the 210-acre Garrard County Distilling Co. site includes the 50,000+ sq ft distillery, as well as two 20,000 sq ft rickhouses, with plans for a total of 24 aging warehouses by 2030, each holding nearly 25,000 barrels. A visitor center with tasting room and restaurant is scheduled to open by the end of this year. This is the first commercial distillery in the formerly dry county since the 1800s.

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