Age, blend components, and cask type:
5 components blended and re-racked into a heavily toasted French oak cask:
– 16yr corn in New American Oak, ISC 24-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char #2.
– 20yr corn in Used American Oak.
– 20yr corn in New American Oak, ISC 24-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char #2.
– 22yr corn in New American Oak, Kelvin Heavy Toast, Char #1.
– 20yr rye in Used American Oak.
The other 6 single-components are:
– 16yr corn in New American Oak, ISC 24-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char #2.
– 20yr corn in New American Oak, ISC 18-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char #2.
– 22yr corn in New American Oak, Medium Toast, Char #2.
– 22yr corn in New American Oak, Kelvin Heavy Toast, Char #1.
– 20yr rye in New American Oak, Chevalier Heavy Toast, Char #3.
– 22yr rye in Used American Oak.
Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 25 minutes, at both the original proof and the suggested Manager’s Proof, with 0.15ml (3 drops) of water added to a 50ml (1.7 oz.) pour.
Distilled In Canada: Blended at cask strength and bottled by Found North Whisky. No additives, non-chill filtered.
Proof: 128.2.
Grain Ratio: 86% Corn/13% Rye/1% Malted Barley.
Price: $149.99.
Appearance: Light copper.
Nose
Gobs of rich crème brulée with toffee, toasted oak, cacao, molasses, vanilla beans, with underlying cherries, ripe apricots, orange citrus, lavender, subtle herbal tea, and cinnamon spice. The rich, toasted barrel character flavors are the star of this profile, with my favorite mix of underlying notes. As sips are taken, the profile sweetens, with butterscotch, root beer, and milk chocolate, while the fruity notes become more pronounced. This nose is delicious and decadent.
Palate
With a very viscous mouthfeel, the nose leads with crème brulée, toffee, toasted oak, vanilla beans, with underlying cherry, apricot, orange, and floral. White pepper spice lights up the palate without overwhelming the sip with a nice Canadian hug. The palate delivers the same excellent barrel character as the nose, with the fruit notes being slightly more subtle. I love the overall balance and profile, but it’s a pour that’s more enjoyable after you’ve let it rest and had a warm-up sip.
Finish
White pepper spice lingers like you should start charging it rent, with rolling notes of brown sugar, caramel, root beer, toasted oak, cacao, vanilla, and floral, with hints of cherry. This very long finish finally closes out with cola, dark tobacco, and soft spice.
Manager’s Proof
I created a 1.7ml bottle of Batch 012 at Manager’s Proof, which only required a few drops of water this time. At Manger’s Proof, Batch 012 is still similar to the original proof but with a softer overall intensity. There’s still a lot of delicious oak upfront, but the profile is softer and slightly sweeter, with more butterscotch, toasted oak, and fruit, while the vanilla is more noticeable and the spice less intense. I liked it, but I preferred Batch 012 at its original proof.
Conclusion
A new Found North Batch release is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get. Well, sort of, but over the years, Found North has used a variety of components with different age ranges, grain ratios, and finishes, all of which have made their Batch releases unique in their own way. In my review for Batch 011, I said that its barrel character resembled an American whiskey profile more than previous Found North releases. Batch 012 moves that needle even further by being the first time they’ve built a Batch entirely around a new wood component. I’m not saying that Batch 012 is like a bourbon, but it may confuse you in a double-blind.
In a semi-blind flight, I compared Batch 012 to 006, and 007 then 009 and 011 on different days. Batch 009 and 011 are not like-for-like comparisons due to their finished components, but curiosity got the better of me. I know, it’s a tough job, but someone had to do it! Even though 006 and 007 have older age statements, I wouldn’t have guessed it. In comparison, 012 was a standout in every way, showing more depth and maturity. Compared to Batch 011, Batch 012 has a creamier mouthfeel, a stronger finish, and a more decadent profile. That said, you can’t go wrong with either Batch on any given night. Batch 009 gave 012 a run for its money. It’s been a minute since I’ve had a pour of Batch 009, but I scored it a 9.3 and had to see how 012 stacked up. You know, for science. To sum it up, Batch 009 is still fantastic, and I enjoyed them both equally for different reasons. In the end, I called it a draw. My only nitpicky wish for Batch 012 is a bit more of the cherry and stone-fruit notes from the nose to carry through to the palate and finish.
Batch 012 has become one of my favorite Found North Batch releases to date, and that’s saying a lot. This profile is right up my alley with a toasty, decadent, crème brûlée oak-forward profile, an undercurrent of cherry, stone fruit, orange peel, and floral notes, and a generous amount of well-balanced spice. Not to mention the fantastic mouthfeel and the strong finish. After a few days, this whisky opened up beautifully, revealing more complexity and underlying flavors. If Found North Batch 012 speaks to you, I hope you can snag one or find yourself a pour.
Rating: 9.3/10.
The notes for this review are from a bottle that Found North provided me at no cost and with no stipulations. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
