Review #162 - Found North Batch 006-S Second Summit
Based out of Massachusetts, Found North is a relatively new bottler specializing in well-aged Canadian whiskies. Batch 006 was a 17 year old blend of Canadian whiskies with a mashbill of 87% corn, 12% rye, and 1% malted barley; for this Second Summit batch, they reserved 500 liters of the aged spirit for an additional 8 months of maturation, pushing it over the 18 year age mark in the end. That finishing was done in an ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry butt, which could add some fruity flavors from the sweet, syrupy dessert wine.
While the age statement of 18 years is taken from the youngest whisky in the batch, there is actually whisky as old as 26 years in this blend. Before the PX finish, this spent time aging in new Hungarian oak, new American oak, and ex-bourbon barrels.
Found North Batch 006-S Second Summit
USA/Canada - Blend
Current Locally Available Price: USD 160 (2023)
Age Statement: 18 Years
Strength: 64.9% ABV
Cask Makeup: Hungarian oak, American oak, ex-bourbon barrels, PX sherry cask finish
Details: Batch 006-S, 642 bottles; not chill filtered; mashbill of 87% corn, 12% rye, and 1% malted barley
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 1 month; bottle at 90% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Almost exotic at the start with orange and red fruit, along with a hint of sulfury sherry influence, but soon, the deep, dark, rich flavors open up. Brown sugar and dark roast coffee, tons of fermented tobacco leaves, strong sweet oak, and maple syrup; worn leather arrives later, and there's some dusty furniture oak. Subtle to start, but ends up very rich.
Palate: Wow. A thick, syrupy mouthfeel, with the perfect mix of sweet and bitter flavors. Tons of tobacco smoke and sweet, old oak; delicate orange rind, or orange oil; caramel, brown sugar, and molasses; spices of anise and nutmeg, and a hint of pepper. The oak becomes perfumed with time, and then vanilla and dark chocolate arrive.
Finish: Syrupy sweetness like maple syrup and dark chocolate-covered acai berries, along with plenty of dry oak and barrel char. There's a mild wood smoke still lingering, but also the smoke of cigars and bitter tobacco leaves. Soft tannins and leather add more dry tones, and we found a bit of savory grain on the back end in one tasting; soft notes of hay and vanilla linger in the aftertaste.
Final Note: Outstanding. This is one of the most richly flavored, mature, stunning whiskies we've ever tasted; the arrival on the palate is especially fantastic, and despite the monstrous 129.8 proof, the heat isn't overpowering at all. Loads of old oak and tobacco notes, and the sweetness layered in reminds us of a variety of desserts. Can't recommend this one enough - this is an amazing whisky.
Our Average Rating: 9.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.82
