Widow Jane Distillery: Brooklyn Bourbon, Blending and Visitor Guide
Updated: Oct 27
Widow Jane is a Brooklyn whiskey producer whose identity combines local distillation, careful blending and mineral-rich proofing water from upstate New York. Its Red Hook premises also have a chocolate-making past, visible in the archive exterior photograph used here.
The essential distinction is between where whiskey is assembled and where it was distilled. Heaven Hill's own account identifies Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana origins for Widow Jane 10 Year, and Kentucky and New York distillate for Baby Jane.
Widow Jane Distillery at a glance
Key fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Location | 218 Conover Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn |
Parent group | Heaven Hill, following its 2022 Samson & Surrey acquisition |
Origins | Daniel Preston’s Cacao Prieto premises and a developing whiskey business |
Production activities | Local distilling, maturation, blending and bottling |
Proofing water | Rosendale limestone mines in New York State |
Flagship | Widow Jane 10 Year Bourbon |
Visits | Public and private tours advertised |
Official website | widowjane.com |
Research checked 26 October 2026. Visitor schedules, bottle editions and availability can change.
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Widow Jane Distillery: history and development
The parent company's July 2026 history traces the business to aerospace engineer Daniel Preston's Cacao Prieto chocolate factory on Conover Street. Interest in fermentation expanded into rum and then the selection of bourbon barrels.
That background helps explain why Widow Jane's story is as much about blending as about a still. Its New York identity does not depend on pretending that every mature barrel was distilled in Brooklyn.
Widow Jane became part of Heaven Hill through the Samson & Surrey acquisition in 2022. The later portfolio retains the Red Hook identity while adding releases with different ages, finishes and market allocations.
People, ownership and identity
Heaven Hill's 2026 account names Sienna Jevremov as head distiller and blender and describes a longstanding Brooklyn production team. Earlier accounts and older labels may show different personnel; the roles here are tied to the source date.
The company describes mashing, fermentation, distillation, warehousing, blending and bottling across its Red Hook operation. These activities can coexist with purchased mature stocks. Neither sourcing nor local distilling should be erased from the guide.
How the whiskey is made
The producer associates its finishing strength with limestone-rich water drawn from the Rosendale mines. This is proofing water, not evidence that all grain was grown nearby or that all whiskey matured in New York.
The flagship is assembled from selected straight bourbons. Baby Jane includes New York and Kentucky distillate, while other releases introduce special finishing casks. Each bottle therefore needs its own origin and release identity.
Tequila Ocho Cask Finish provides a clear example of secondary maturation: the 2026 announcement specifies ten-year bourbon finished for eight months in Ocho casks. That should not be confused with the earlier Tequila Ocho products finished in Widow Jane barrels, which are tequila rather than whiskey.
Whiskey range and bottle identities
The details below refer to the named expressions and checked sources, not a promise of current retailer stock. Producer descriptions are separate from personal Whisky Clan reviews.
Expression | Documented specification |
|---|---|
Widow Jane 10 Year Bourbon | The flagship ten-year expression blends bourbon from Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana according to Heaven Hill. |
Widow Jane Baby Jane Bourbon | A distinct blend containing Kentucky and New York distillate; do not merge with the 10 Year. |
Widow Jane Borough Blend 2026 | The 2026 New York release: 91 US proof, equivalent to 45.5% ABV, and 750 ml. |
Widow Jane Tequila Ocho Cask Finish Bourbon, 2026 | 45.5% ABV. Ten-year bourbon followed by eight months in Tequila Ocho casks. |
Release milestones and recognition
The 2026 Borough Blend continues the New York-specific release concept with selections associated with bartenders from the five boroughs. Its release year belongs in the bottle identity; the earlier 2025 version is not automatically the same entry.
The Tequila Ocho collaboration also changed direction in 2026, introducing bourbon finished in used tequila wood. Neither that collaboration nor parent-company tasting prose is presented here as an independent Whisky Clan review.
Visiting and current practical information
Widow Jane's official visitor page advertises public tours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus private arrangements. It describes a small-group route through whiskey production and warehousing, followed by a tasting.
Book through the producer's current reservation system and confirm prices and access requirements. The business's general contact hours, bar schedule and guided tours are different things. Use the Conover Street address for the distillery rather than the Rosendale mine location.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Widow Jane owned by Heaven Hill?
Heaven Hill acquired the Samson & Surrey portfolio, including Widow Jane, in 2022.
Is its 10 Year bourbon all distilled in Brooklyn?
No. The parent company identifies Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana bourbon in that expression.
What does Rosendale contribute?
The producer sources mineral-rich limestone water there for proofing its whiskey. It is not the distillery’s visitor address.
Can I tour the Red Hook distillery?
Public and private tours are advertised on the official visitor page. Check current reservations and access details.
Sources and photograph credits
Official producer pages and other identified sources were checked on 26 October 2026. External links and image credits are kept here rather than interrupting the guide.
Widow Jane, official Conover Street exterior photograph.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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