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Found North Batch 012 Cask Strength Whisky Review

Can a Canadian whisky deliver big bourbon-like oak without over-extraction? Found North Batch 012 answers with a 22-year, cask-strength stunner.

OVERALL RATING

9
$149.99
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Found North is an independent, Massachusetts-based whisky company founded by brothers Nick and Zach Taylor. The company specializes in sourcing, blending, and finishing aged, cask-strength whiskies. Although a smaller independent bottler they have grown in popularity among enthusiasts. Their releases are often exclusive to online lottery garnering thousands of applicants.

This release is no exception to their high aged whisky releases. From marketing material, “AT the center of Batch 012 is a 2009 corn component we reracked into ISC Cooper’s Reserve – 24-month air-seasoned new American Oak, Heavy Toast, Char #2-and moved into lower warehouse conditions for 11 months.” The process involved taking Canadian distillate aged for many years in refill oak before being introduced to custom new wood barrels as the last stage of maturation — an uncommon approach that gives us the benefits of age without over-extraction.

There are three components to this release to ‘set’ the profile.
1. 2009 Corn in ISC Cooper’s Reserve.
2. 2003 Corn in Kelvin Heavy Toast, Char #1 New Wood
3. 2004 Rye in Chevalier Heavy Toast, Char #3 New Wood.

Vital Stats:
86% Corn
13% Rye
1% Barley

Make-Up
22 Year Corn
20 Year Corn
16 Year Corn
22 Year Rye
20 Year Rye

The bottle contains the following note: Different proof points revela different nuances. Manager’s Proof is our preferred strength for a given whiskey. to reach manager’s proof for batch 012, add .15ML of water to a 50ML pour. always let the liquid rest in your glass for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
Appearance:
A delightful clear copper color with clingy legs. Tasted neat in a Glencairn (after letting rest the requested 30 minutes).
Nose:
We start with a subtle alcohol nose but underneath is vanilla bean ice cream. There is a nice warm nuttiness like Praline and pecans. I also find a warmth of wood sugars peaking through the sweetness. Revisiting the nose we find a well combined dark earth with sweeter vanillas and sugars. Together you can’t breathe too deeply without the alcohol overwhelming your nose, but allowing the smells to drift into your sinus allows for a deep appreciation of the woody sweetness.
Palate:
Drying mouthfeel with instant cigar wrapper, wood, and white pepper. There is a mild tonicity and a subtle dark roast coffee. Successive sips reveal a just decedent chew of thick bands of sugary molasses, leather, and rye spice. I find the softest hints of cherry and a sugar cookie. Every now and again the proof is unmistakably present but it does not distract from the delightful flavors.

This taste just keeps evolving across the palate. Each sip I think I’ve nailed down the flavors only for them to evolve again. From sweet sugars, almost fresh baked cookies to dark earth tones of wood and smoke. A delicate dance of well matured flavors.
Finish:
Long finish that feels appropriately weighted behind this bold whisky. A nice dark roast coffee sits on the tongue with oak. A momentary spike in alcohol gives you the warming hug of a fine whisky you expect with something proofed over 60%. In the end it sits with warming woods, tobacco, and clove.
Comments:
Wow! This is my first experience with Found North and I hope it isn’t my last. This bottle is quite nice and with component pieces as old as these, I’d expect nothing less.

Generally speaking you must join the mailing list of Found North to learn about their new releases. Most of the time their releases sell out through the aforementioned lottery. If you are interested I would encourage you to visit their site.

To me, this is a whiskey you put out on the shelf and wait for someone to notice. The bottle is subtle and aside from the wax top, doesn’t really look too different. However, to a keen observer, someone who knows what they’re looking at, this bottle is a marquee. If you happen to get one, if you happen to have a friend who recognizes it, I’d share a heavy dram with them. This is not for all palates, and I don’t think it’s designed to be. It is for those who want to sit with a dram, who want to chat well into the evening, and sit with their whisky.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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