Home

Boring Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen Falls Short

 
Review by Mark Pringle |
Published on:

75 General Review of Widow Jane Lucky 13, Batch Batch 12, 2021, Bottle 128

Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen, 13 Year Bourbon, had been on my radar for a while; however, it had been a problematic find here in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Nevertheless, I stopped into one of my local package stores, as I do a couple of times a week, to see if anything new and different had arrived. Coincidentally, this store was not one that I frequent weekly. Anyway, I was surprised to see a Widow Jane Lucky 13 just sitting on the shelf and only slightly above retail price. So, I immediately picked it up since there was only one on the shelf and continued hunting.

Quick Review

I had heard good things about the previous batches of Widow Jane Lucky 13 and I really enjoyed Widow Jane 10 Year Old Bourbon, so I figured I would give this a shot. In short, this is one of the few bourbons where the nose, palate, and finish provide virtually the same experience. The theme of this bourbon batch is mild sweet oak. Overall, this Batch 12, 2021, bottle 128 is lacking in its tasting experience and disappointing because of its price.

It is my understanding that the previous batches were MGP juice and that Batch 12, 2021 is a blend of straight bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana. If the Tennessee whiskey is Dickel juice, this may factor into my review since I have an aversion to Dickel juice if the blending doesn't mask its taste.

Here are the specifics.

Rating: 75

Nose
75
Palate
78
Finish
75
Uniqueness
75
Value
70

Ratings breakdown based on a 100 point scale.

  • 90-100 Exceptional
  • 80-89 Very Good
  • 70-79 Average
  • 60-69 Below Average
  • 50-60 Drain Pour

Detailed Tasting Notes

Nose Review - Rating: 75

Very little on the nose other than a mild sweet caramel oak aroma. As I usually do, I let the bourbon sit in the glass after taking the first couple sips - to see if the nose would improve. However, with Widow Jane Lucky 13, the nose got weaker and weaker as it sat in the glass.

Palate Review - Rating: 78

As one would expect for a 93 proofed, it is an easy drinker, but this is not complex at all. The dominant palate is oak. At this price point of $90, I expected a little more complexity, but more importantly, a little more richness in the flavor. The palate is straightforward; sweet oak, with underlying traditional bourbon traits. However, those traits are well beneath the oak, which itself is not overpowering.

Finish Review - Rating: 75

The short finish has the same notes as the nose and the palate; a mild sweet oak.

Uniqueness Review - Rating: 75

Few distinguishing notes.

Value Review - Rating: 70

The price-point of Widow Jane Lucky 13 is a killer. If I had paid $40 for this instead of $99, that would be more in line with its tasting experience.

Author: Mark Pringle
Smell IS taste. I am just a guy who has been hit with the bourbon bug and who has come to the conclusion that life is too short to drink average tasting bourbons. Go Gators!
My External Website (External Website Opens in New Window)

Comments

Please Login to Comment
No comments have been posted. Be the first.

Card image cap
Provide Feedback

Would you mind giving us feedback? What do you like or dislike about the website? How can we make it better? What features would you like to see added?