Found North’s latest cask strength release leans creamy, toasted, and surprisingly refined while pushing further away from traditional Canadian whisky expectations.
Stats
- Age: 16-22 year
- Proof: 128.2 (64.1% ABV)
- Mashbill: 86% Corn│ 13% Rye │ 1% Malted Barley
- Key Components:
- 2009 corn double oaked in ISC Cooper’s Reserve (24 month air seasoned New American Oak, heavy toast, Char #2) aged in lower warehouse
- 2003 corn in Kelvin Heavy Toast, Char #3, New Wood
- 2004 rye in Chevalier Heavy Toast, Char # 3, New Wood
- Full Components: 16 yr corn, 20 yr corn, 22 yr corn, 20 yr rye, 22 yr rye
- Origin: Canada
- Finish: Double oaked components using ISC heavy toast barrels
- Release: Limited release (2026), cask strength
- MSRP: $149.99 (Found North)
Tasting Notes
- Nose: After some time in the glass, Batch 012 opens considerably, revealing rich English toffee, toasted marshmallow, caramelized sugars, and chalky fruit reminiscent of Smarties candy. Deep tannins and subtle barrel funk provide structure underneath, yet despite the proof, there is remarkably little ethanol heat.
- Palate: The palate delivers dense layers of crème brûlée, caramelized marshmallow, brown sugar, and creamy vanilla wrapped in a robust, mouth-coating texture. While heavily oaked in profile, the tannins remain brighter and more refined than many comparable American whiskeys, allowing the whisky to feel both powerful and polished.
- Finish: Peppery rye spice builds steadily into the finish, carrying notes of marshmallow cream, vanilla custard, and toasted sugar long after the sip ends. Batch 012 crescendos through the back half of the palate and maintains that intensity impressively well without becoming overly drying or bitter.
Found North continues to carve out a lane that feels increasingly disconnected from conventional perceptions of Canadian whisky. Batch 012 is another example of that philosophy in action: an 11-component blend built around heavily toasted new oak finishing, older corn and rye stocks, and a profile that somehow manages to feel both robust and remarkably approachable at the same time.
At its core, Batch 012 revolves around a 2009 corn component reracked into heavily toasted ISC Cooper’s Reserve new oak, alongside older corn and rye components aged in additional toasted cooperage. The result is a whisky that feels surprisingly adjacent to well-aged American whiskey and older American Light Whiskey at times, yet softer, creamier, and more refined in execution.
What stands out most is not simply the age statement or finishing approach, but the way the whisky builds. Batch 011 felt more evenly distributed from beginning to end, while Batch 012 gradually intensifies through the midpalate before cresting into a long, spice-driven finish that never quite loses its creamy center.
Presentation
Batch 012 arrives in Found North’s now familiar imposing bottle design complete with silver wax and extensive blend transparency. The presentation strikes an ideal balance between premium simplicity and functionality, avoiding the increasingly common trap of over-designed labels competing for attention.
One of the most compelling details remains the terrain-style altitude mapping integrated throughout the bottle design. At first glance it appears abstract, but much like Found North’s blending philosophy itself, the design is rooted in purpose and structure rather than decoration alone.
The minimalist aesthetic ultimately works because it reflects confidence in what matters most: the whisky inside the bottle.
Distinctiveness
Found North continues to distinguish itself in the well-aged Canadian whisky category through a combination of elite blending and highly intentional finishing. There is almost never a moment with these releases where the thought is simply, “this is Canadian whisky.” Instead, they continue to create profiles that borrow inspiration from American whiskey traditions while still maintaining their own identity.
Batch 012 may be one of the clearest examples yet. The whisky’s creamy toasted-marshmallow profile feels genuinely unique, especially paired against its powerful spice structure and dense mouthfeel. The closest comparison that comes to mind is the unusual marshmallow note sometimes found in well-aged American Light Whiskey or NoCo’s Quad Aged Bourbon, though Batch 012 ultimately feels more polished and approachable than either comparison suggests.
Perhaps most impressively, this release does not simply feel like “another Found North batch.” It meaningfully differentiates itself from Batch 011 and prior releases while still remaining unmistakably part of the Found North house style.
“A profile that somehow manages to feel both robust and remarkably approachable at the same time.”
Transparency
Found North continues to set one of the highest standards in the industry when it comes to transparency. Batch 012 openly details component ages, finishing approaches, proof, grain percentages, and even the final mashbill composition of the blend.
The only meaningful omission remains the exact sourcing locations of the whisky stocks themselves. Even so, the sheer amount of production detail provided far exceeds industry norms and reinforces the sense that Found North genuinely wants consumers to understand how these whiskies are constructed.
Value
At $149.99 for a minimum 16-year-old cask strength whisky, Batch 012 already enters the conversation competitively on paper. Once the quality of the underlying stocks and the sophistication of the blending become apparent, the value proposition becomes even stronger.
What Found North consistently proves is that the value is not merely in sourcing older whisky, but in how those components are assembled into something cohesive and distinctive. Batch 012 feels carefully engineered rather than opportunistically blended, and honestly borders on feeling underpriced relative to the experience it delivers.
Buy if:
- You enjoy well-aged American whiskey but want something softer and more refined.
- You appreciate heavily toasted profiles featuring marshmallow, crème brûlée, and caramelized sugars.
- Mouthfeel and texture are important parts of the experience for you.
- You want a cask strength whisky that delivers intensity without overwhelming ethanol heat.
- You’ve enjoyed previous Found North releases but want something meaningfully different from Batch 011.
Skip if:
- You strongly prefer darker, oak-dominant bourbon profiles over brighter toasted sweetness.
- You dislike pronounced rye spice on the finish.
- You expect traditional Canadian whisky softness without substantial tannin or structure.
- You are looking primarily for fruit-forward sweetness rather than creamy toasted confectionery notes.
Verdict
Found North Batch 012 may not initially present itself as the loudest or most immediately explosive release in the lineup, but patience rewards the experience considerably. With air, the whisky opens into one of the more distinctive modern Found North batches to date — a deeply textured, marshmallow-forward pour balancing toasted sweetness, layered spice, and refined maturity.
More importantly, Batch 012 continues to reinforce why Found North remains one of the most compelling independent whisky companies operating right now. They are not merely bottling old Canadian whisky; they are actively redefining what the category can taste like.
For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:
- Nose: 6.25 / 7
- Palate: 6.6 / 7
- Finish: 6.5 / 7
- Presentation: 6.5 / 7
- Distinctiveness: 6.5 / 7
- Transparency: 6.5 / 7
- Value: 6.39 / 7
Bourbon Bishop Rating: 6.46 / 7 – Holy Heaven
Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn.
| Score | Descriptor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Hell No | Drain pour. Seriously undrinkable. |
| 1.1–2 | Purgatory | Bad, but could be worse. Only in extreme cases. |
| 2.1–3 | Only Earthly | Just okay. Best used as a mixer. |
| 3.1–4 | Bliss | Passable to Good sipper. Works well in cocktails. |
| 4.1–5 | Angelic | Good to great. Often high value for the price. |
| 5.1–6 | Divine | Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style. |
| 6.1–7 | Holy Heaven | Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn. |
Disclosure: This bottle was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.
About Found North
Founded by brothers Nick and Zach Taylor, Found North has quickly become one of the most respected names in modern Canadian whisky despite being only a few years removed from its inaugural release. Rather than distilling their own spirit, Found North sources exceptionally mature Canadian whisky stocks and focuses intensely on secondary maturation, blending, and cask selection to create whiskies that feel distinct not only from traditional Canadian whisky, but often from anything else currently on the market. Every release is bottled at cask strength, non-chill filtered, and without additives or coloring.
What has separated Found North from many independent bottlers is the level of intentionality behind the blending itself. Their releases frequently combine multiple aged corn and rye components alongside carefully selected finishing casks ranging from toasted new oak to Cognac, PX Sherry, Madeira, Sauternes, Armagnac, and Hungarian oak. This work is driven not only by the founding vision of the Taylor brothers, but also by Sammy Karaki, Head Blender and Director of Innovation, whose role has been central in refining blend architecture and pushing the creative boundaries of the program. Despite the experimental nature of many releases, the whiskies rarely come across as gimmicky or over-finished. Instead, Found North has developed a reputation for creating highly textured, layered whiskies that balance maturity, sweetness, spice, and mouthfeel in ways that consistently challenge expectations surrounding Canadian whisky.
That approach has earned Found North an increasingly passionate following, with many releases selling out immediately through lottery allocations and multiple batches earning major awards including Double Gold honors at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Alongside the Taylor brothers, Sammy Karaki, and Chris Riesbeck — whose work spans ambassador, education, and community engagement — the brand’s public-facing presence has been shaped by a deep emphasis on transparency and education. The company’s success ultimately feels rooted not just in exceptional whisky, but in a genuine enthusiasm for pushing the category forward while remaining unusually open about how these whiskies are built.
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