Found North Batch 001

The parts that make up this spirit are an exceptional collection. It begins with a 16-year rye matured in Hungarian oak, followed by a 17-year rye matured in former Speyside scotch barrels, and finally a 20-year corn spirit that matured in refill casks for 13 years before being moved to level-2-char virgin oak for 7 years. These three were then combined and bottled at 57.1% with a grain mix of 66% rye, 30% corn, and 4% malted barley. Let's discover how it turned out. The aroma presents a blend of blood orange flavored buttercream icing with underlying notes of tropical fruits and sweetened fennel seeds, then toasted pumpernickel bagel, followed by lemon zest, ruby red grapefruit, and sautéed apples, shifting to a subtle minerality, black pepper, and pine needle-strewn forest floors, accompanied by a strong alcohol heat. The palate has a medium body starting with smooth and sweet tropical fruits, quickly moving to a noticeable sour and bitter spice, which then subsides into butterscotch pudding, blood orange soda, and wintergreen, followed by fresh pumpernickel bread, then lemon zest, ruby red grapefruit, and sour apple candy, transitioning to a faint minerality, black pepper, and pine needle-covered forest floors with a substantial alcohol burn. The finish is medium in length, featuring charred pine cones, grilled pineapple, sour apple, crystallized ginger, spearmint, and butterscotch pudding. In summary, this is a delightful spirit with very well-matured components that introduce intriguing tastes of smooth sweetness, tropical fruits, tart citrus, and earthy rye, but the equilibrium is slightly unbalanced with an elevated bitter spice and the citrus leaning more towards tartness than I would prefer. At $125, I would prefer to purchase another Alberta Cask Strength Rye for $80. However, I generally have a lower threshold for bitter and sour notes than most, and I can easily imagine this becoming a favorite for someone with a higher tolerance for those flavors than myself.

The aroma is citrus, sugar-crusted pound cake, and something subtly herbal. The palate features grapefruit sprinkled with sugar, alongside the light herbal note. The finish has a touch of grapefruit bitterness, but it's not unpleasant for me as a grapefruit enthusiast. It's an enjoyable drink, and I'm thankful for the chance to try it.