Review #589 - Found North Hell Diver 2025 Release

Found North's latest blend marks the return of their Hell Diver release, one of three parts of their High Altitude series. The first edition of Hell Diver, bottled in 2024, used a combination of new American oak, Pedro Ximenez sherry, and ex-Cognac casks for finishing; that's the case with the 2025 release as well, and Found North uses their usual process of blending, finishing, and then re-blending.

These Found North blends are made up of several Canadian whisky components, typically between 3 and 7 unique pieces; for the Hell Diver 2025 Release, they used 4 elements:

24 Year Corn whisky
20 Year Corn whisky
17 Year Corn whisky
22 Year Rye whisky

The brand states that the 20 year old corn component was key to this release, as it added a richness to the palate and provided a canvas for the Pedro Ximenez sherry to interact with, in order to add those fruity and earthy flavors the casks are known for. The finishing period before the second blending process lasted an additional 7 months on top of the previous age of the components; overall, we see a 2 year bump in age statement compared to the First Flight release from 2024.

After all of the components are combined, the resulting mashbill is 86% corn, 13% rye, and 1% malted barley; in comparison to the previous release, that's a 1% bump in corn and a 1% drop in rye. The bottling strength also drops a little bit: 56.2% ABV this time, or 112.4 proof.

Disclaimer: This sample was provided by Found North for review at no cost. All opinions expressed in this review are our own.

Found North Hell Diver 2025 Release

USA/Canada - Blend

Price: USD 170 (2025)

Age Statement: 17 Years

Strength: 56.2% ABV

Cask Makeup: Finished in ex-Cognac, new American oak, and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added, bottled 2025; 6,628 bottles

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 1 month from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 30+ minutes

Nose: Lots of fruit to start: orange, glazed strawberries, tart plum, and blackberry. Strong butterscotch adds more sweetness, and it transitions to cream soda and a bit of chocolate and fudge. Oak is subtle at first but grows, adding leather and cardamom; time brings accent notes of orange liqueur, maple syrup, floral perfume, and toasted bread.

Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel; rich, spicy oaky with some leather and tannins up front. Juicy dark fruit flows in after that: candied strawberry, raspberry candies, even cherry and sugar-covered blackberry; with time, cherry cola and cranberry sauce come, too. Cinnamon, chocolate, and graham crackers add baking notes, and the oak takes on a slightly bitter side at the end.

Finish: Red fruits still dominate - cherry and raspberry, accented by tangy nectarine. There's a backbone of sweet caramel and a grainy bite, too, as well as spices of cinnamon, chili powder, and tannic oak. Demerara sugar and orange linger in the aftertaste; it's a long finish.

Final Note: Another great entry from Found North - we love their blends that emphasize a red fruit element from sherry or a similar cask type. There are so many berries and other sweet elements that that are nicely balanced by the oak; that wood element does start off as a bit more reserved in the nose, but it quickly builds in strength through the tasting experience. Lots of complexity, lots of layers of flavor - this is a fun whisky to dig into.

In terms of value, it's about average here; this has excellent flavor, but also a relatively high price tag at $165 to $170. We do think it's worth it, and if you didn't get a bottle in Found North's lottery drawing, we think it's a good bottle to splurge on (if you can find it for a fair price at a brick-and-mortar retailer).

Our Average Rating: 8.8 / 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: 6.40

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.