I am finding it difficult to believe that Found North has already been producing Canadian Whiskies for five years. Granted…it’s been a hell of a five years.

It got me thinking, though. I’m quite picky about talking to and tasting NDPs. It’s less a judgment on their product and more a fatigue, parallel to a desire to explore more distilleries and their idiosyncrasies. Found North, though, is one of my most-awarded and highest-rated brands over the few years I’ve been in contact. It’s easy for me to say “well, they’re different because they’re using only Canadian whisky” or “they only do cask strength;” it’s harder to say why another brand shouldn’t get an equal chance at my time.

I do try to keep my reasons consistent. Frankly, it’s hard to justify taking Found North out of the rotation when they keep releasing bangers. It’s twice as hard when their skills keep expanding.

This release - Lustrum - celebrates the five years of whisky-making with a 15-whisky blend containing elements from some of their earliest and most celebrated blends.

From the brand: “Typically we are blending at intervals of 0.5%. In Lustrum we were fine-tuning this whisky at 0.1% intervals.”

The components are extensive:

8.40% | 22 YR corn aged in New American Oak for 9 years
5.90% | 24 YR corn in Used American Oak
5.40% | 22 and 26 YR corn in New American Oak and Hungarian Oak
4.40% | 22 YR corn in Used American Oak
2.50% | Peregrine First Flight Cognac Cask
0.50% | 21 YR rye aged in Port for 40 months
3.90% | 26 YR rye aged in Madeira for 27 months
24.10% | 23 YR corn aged in Kelvin, Heavy Toast, Char 3, at 125 Entry Proof, for 21 months
20.70% | 21 YR corn aged in ISC, 24-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char 1 for 9 months
11.30% | 21, 22 and 26 YR component Blend finished in Oloroso casks for 7 months
2.00% | 21, 22 and 26 YR component Blend finished in a Tokaji cask for 7 months
0.60% | 21, 22 and 26 YR component Blend finished in an Amontillado cask for 7 months
4.90% | 21 YR corn aged in ISC, 24-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char 1 for 4 months
4.90% | 22 YR corn aged in ISC, 24-month Air-Seasoned, Medium Toast, Char 3, New French Oak for 4 months
0.50% | 2005 and 2006 corn Component Blend

That’s a lot of components, and even at 0.1% at a time, the matrix must’ve been extensive. I’ve been seeing some incredibly complex blending recently, from Lost Lantern and Chip Tate, for example, and I’ve got to put this up there as well.

Found North Lustrum is clearly an older profile whisky, with oak and polish galore, though the oak never dominates or becomes woody. The varieties of oak are somehow clear, not so clear that I could positively call out every single part, but enough to know there are a bunch of flavors in the pot. Closer to a mole than a taste-it-now-make-it challenge, perhaps.

Lustrum is, also, powerful. That’s the first word in my summary. From nose to finish, this thing is jet-powered and keeps growing. The nose is so unusual that it caught me off guard. It’s a blend of black tea and wood shavings being warmed before catching fire. And, in the weirdest note I’ve given since “Van Gogh yellow,” I offer you “dry purple.” I have zero idea how else to describe it, and if you don’t have a touch of synesthesia, I do not know what else to say. Roast me for it, go ahead. But it’s tasty, and earns a score of 8.1 and thus a gold medal alongside.

Thank you to Found North for the opportunity to taste this product. All opinions are my own.

Found North Lustrum Canadian Whisky: Specs

Classification: Canadian Whisky

Producer: Found North Whisky

Grain Bill: 87% Corn, 13% Rye

Proof: 124.6º (62.3% ABV)

Age: 20-25 Years Old

Location: Canada

Found North Lustrum Canadian Whisky Price: $200

Official Website

Found North Lustrum Canadian Whisky: Tasting Notes

Eye: Black tea. Thin rims and legs, tiny droplets hang on.

Nose: Different - is that black tea or oolong? Spicy and dusty in the way that only 20+ year old whisky can be. Fresh wood shavings warmly toasting, gentle and varied oak influences. Dry purple, what a weird and indescribable note in my brain.

Palate: Plums and tons of white pepper up front, caught me off guard. Lemon and lemon verbena, that pepper heat sticking around longer than anticipated. Red spice drops and biting into a whole clove. Slightly numbing, dark fruit between a date and a fig. Toasted oak with some unusually strong spices. Mouthfeel is full and heavy, still numbing, coats to the mid-palate. Oak is prominent but not dominant.

Finish: Strong flavors continue to roll for quite a while, toasted oak vanillins and baking spices leading the charge. Coating, thick lacquer, black spice drops, gingerbread, and butterscotch.

Overall: Powerful, full blast whisky. The toasted oak flavors dominate without becoming woody, and the rye is surprisingly delicate amid the onslaught. The finish is arguably the highlight, where the gingerbread and butterscotch combine in a sweet-spicy duel. Many, myself included, will need to give this a bit of time to open or a drop or two of water.