Review #637 - Found North Peregrine First Flight

Written By Me, My Wife & Whisky

The first release from Found North that carried an age statement of 20 years or more: this was Peregrine First Flight, also the first release in the brand's High Altitude series. This cask strength whisky, made of spirit sourced from Canada, carries a strength of 63.1% ABV (126.2 proof); it was bottled in 2023, though the bulk of the distribution happened at the beginning of 2024.

Found North gives us a handy breakdown of the components used in this blend:

  • 20 year old rye aged in ex-Speyside scotch casks

  • 22 year old corn in new American oak

  • 23 year old corn in refill oak

  • 24 year old corn in ex-bourbon

  • 27 year old corn in Hungarian oak

The High Altitude series revolves around the process of blending the whisky components, aging them further in finishing casks, and then re-blending them. After the initial blend of those components above, 3 finishing casks were used for this first Peregrine release: new American oak, American oak ex-Cognac casks, and French Limousin oak. This finishing period was an additional 4 months, after which the final blending process took place.

Taking all of those components into account, we get an overall mashbill of 76% corn, 23% rye, and 1% malted barley; this was quite a small release, with just over 1,600 bottles being sold.

Found North Peregrine First Flight

USA/Canada - Blend

MSRP: USD 200 (2024)

Available Price: USD 550 (2025, based on recent auction results)

Age Statement: 20 Years

Strength: 63.1% ABV

Cask Makeup: Finished in new American oak, American oak ex-Cognac, and French Limousin casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled 2023; 1,602 bottles

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Strong sweet butterscotch and caramel up front - rich, buttery, and then some oak builds, bringing leather and soft tobacco notes. Hints of wood smoke and polished wood are accents; behind that, we get soft fruits of white grape and fizzy peach. Cinnamon, refined sugar, and cream soda are nuances - nice layers here.

Palate: The mouthfeel is thick - there's great viscosity and very rich flavor. A blast of grape, spicy oak, lots of butterscotch and caramel. Leathery notes and wood smoke start subtle but grow in intensity; there's a peppery side with tobacco as well, but strong buttery notes become prominent. Nicely rounded, and we get a hint of lemon candies in the background.

Finish: Creme brulee, sweet cream, lots of caramel - quite sweet and creamy. That's balanced by strong oak again - this does show its age. Leather, black pepper spice, drying tannins, and there's a savory side to the oak; tart green grapes linger in the aftertaste, and it's a long finish.

Final Note: It almost goes without saying at this point - this release from Found North is excellent. Many layers of flavor, great intensity and viscosity with the strength, and a good balance overall between sweetness and drying oak notes. We found the palate to be very buttery with tons of butterscotch and caramel - the fruits were more subtle in the palate, but stronger in the nose. A great whisky that warrants time and patience, as it will continue to evolve in the glass and reveal more complexities.

Value is okay at MSRP - this is expensive, but also fantastic. Secondary prices for this original Peregrine release are still hovering above $500, though, and we don't think it's quite worth that; at secondary pricing, value is well below average, though the same could be said of almost any desirable/limited whisky.

Our Average Rating: 9.0 / 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 (MSRP): 6.16

Value Rating (Available Price): 4.39

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.

Me, My Wife & Whisky
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Review #636 - New Riff High Note First Decade Bourbon