Found North Batch 006 17yr Canadian Whisky
As a lover of their Batch 002 and 004 releases, I was super pumped to see that this release builds on those two to continue to highlight the awesome profile that Canadian corn whisky can bring to the table. It is comprised of 5 different whiskies from 17-26 years old, with the majority of the blend comprised of the same base whisky that Batch 002 was built around with a further 20 months of age on it. The grain bill of Batch 006 is
87% corn, 12% rye, and 1% barley, bottled at 128.2 proof.
The breakdown of the whiskies in the batch is:
17 Year Corn whisky aged in ex-bourbon barrels
18 Year Rye whisky aged in Hungarian oak
19 Year Rye whisky aged in re-char American oak
21 Year Corn whisky aged in an unknown cask
26 Year Corn whisky aged in Hungarian oak
The color on this one is fantastic and I’m really pumped to see how the main corn component developed with a little more age on it. Let’s dive in!
Proof: 128.2
Age: 17 years (Blend of 17 and 21 year old whiskies)
Nose: Maple syrup, charred oak, and rich caramel, as well as heavy leather, apple pie, and berry reduction sauce. A baking spice wave of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves flows in the background, adding a nice spice backdrop without stealing the spotlight. You can smell the age on this, and it’s delicious.
Taste: Fresh maple syrup, molasses, and butterscotch to start, followed by waves of leather, berry reduction sauce, and Luxardo cherry syrup. Midway through the sip the baking spice kicks in, with nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and some clove coming through like they’re covered in a layer of caramel sauce. A creamy vanilla note and charred oak linger in the background as well, adding additional layers to an already packed pour. This has a heavy, oily mouthfeel and a slight amount of proof heat.
Finish: The layers of sweet maple syrup, caramel, butterscotch, and fruit reductions continue to hold their grasp on the palate while the baking spices slightly gain in strength behind them. The charred oak and leather also grow stronger to add earthy balance to the sip. The waves of sweetness finally give way to a spicy crescendo of the finish, with the sip closing out with a combination of baking spices, leather, and peppermint. This has a long finish and no dryness.
Thoughts: This is fantastic. It ties in with the first release of Found North’s single barrel as my favorite whisky they have put out. There are so many amazing layers to the sweetness in here that you can dig into sip after sip and always find something new. The oak and leather are really strong without taking too much of the focus, providing a nice balance and scratching my barrel character itch. Finally, the menagerie of baking spices adds a nice brightness to the sip while the peppermint closes things out with a tingle that lasts long after I put down the glass. Bravo to the Found North crew for putting out yet another kick ass whisky!