In an industry drowning in noise, where every new craft distillery is overcompensating with a loud story about 'great-great-grandpappy’s secret recipe' and 'passion for the craft' (Yawn), we prefer a quiet flex. We're here to let the process, and ultimately the flavor, speak for itself. So when a distillery like Far North Spirits, 25 miles from the Canadian border in Minnesota, no less, claims to be different, you have to lean in. We're talking less 'magnificent beard and barn' and more 'genuinely interesting process' that shows up in the glass. Their product is designed for a single purpose: to taste great. Instead of endlessly waxing poetic about heritage, Far North is geeking out over equipment. We will now detail how they optimized the variables to achieve that.
Most distilleries choose a lane: the rich, oily, full-flavored spirit of a traditional pot still (less efficient, like cooking on a cast-iron skillet) or the lighter, cleaner, higher-proof output of a continuous column still (the industrial workhorse, or a very, very efficient drive-thru). Far North said, “Why not both?”
They went for a glorious copper beast: a 500-gallon hybrid pot still with an 8-plate column, custom-designed by the legendary Vendome Copper & Brass Works. It’s a statement, sure, but mostly it’s a tool for unparalleled control. This hybrid allows them to be precise, running it like a pot still for those heavy, soulful oils and esters, or engaging the column plates for a more refined, higher-proof product. This isn’t a rigid process; it’s an artistic choice made with surgical precision on every batch.
A fancy still is just a paperweight without the right method. Far North double distills their Bødalen Bourbon. The first ‘stripping run’ separates the alcohol from the grain mash. The second ‘spirit run’ is where the art happens, where the distiller makes the ‘cuts’, separating the heads (volatile, chemical-tasting compounds) and tails (oily, funky compounds) from the pure ‘heart’ of the run that will become bourbon.
Their hybrid still gives them a significant advantage. They pull off the spirit at 150 proof, high for a craft operation. This is The Honest Heat. It’s not ‘smooth’ because it’s not supposed to be, it’s meant to have a character that demands your attention. This higher proof and cleaner spirit is what goes into the barrel, ensuring the grain and wood character truly shine without anything muddying the glass.
Speaking of grain, this is where Far North separates itself from the pack. They don’t just buy their grain; they grow it. On a fourth-generation farm. Their Bødalen Bourbon uses a high-rye mashbill of non-GMO Heirloom Minnesota 13 Corn and AC Hazlet Winter Rye. Forget commodity grain from an anonymous silo. This is grain with a pedigree, grown for flavor, not just yield. They control the process from soil to spirit, a claim very few can make. The heirloom corn brings the unique sweetness; the specific rye varietal delivers that signature peppery spice.
The spirit is barreled at 118 proof in new charred oak. But this isn’t a sweltering Kentucky rickhouse. Aging happens in the dramatic, unforgiving climate of northern Minnesota. The extreme temperature swings, from brutal cold to hot summers, force a unique interaction with the Minnesota-made oak barrels. The wood expands in the heat, pulling the spirit in; it contracts as temperatures drop, pushing the whiskey back out. This constant cycling turbo-charges the complexity, resulting in a bourbon with layered notes of toffee, brown sugar, and a woodsy depth that tastes like it earned its stripes.
If you’ve ever had to Google what ‘petrichor’ means just to read a whiskey review, you know the problem. We’re not here to give you a vocabulary test. We’re here to give you a pour. You won’t find notes of ‘your high school crush’ or ‘a leather-bound regret’ here. Just corn, yeast, time, and wood. Let’s call it what it is. Because let’s be honest, flavor is subjective.
This is exactly where an app like OAKR becomes your best friend. Instead of relying on one person’s opinion (even a charmingly sarcastic one like mine), OAKR aggregates tasting data from dozens of blind-tasting panelists. It cuts through the marketing fluff and shows you what real people are tasting. It creates a comprehensive flavor profile for hundreds of spirits and thousands of data points, including those from Far North. You can see the prominence of vanilla, caramel, spice, and fruit before you ever spend a dime.
The app is your personalized pocket bourbon sommelier. You can discover in-depth flavor profiles and get personalized recommendations based on what you already love. Stop guessing in the liquor aisle and start buying with confidence. Go explore the OAKR app and see what the crowd has to say about Far North’s Bødalen Bourbon.
In a market saturated with sound-alikes, Far North Spirits is a welcome anomaly. They combine an obsessive, field-to-glass approach with seriously smart production choices. Their hybrid still isn’t a gimmick; it’s the tool for unparalleled control over their final product. Paired with estate-grown heritage grains and a unique cold-climate aging process, they are crafting a bourbon that is undeniably and authentically their own. It’s a testament to the idea that great whiskey can come from anywhere, as long as the people making it obsess over every single step of the process. Even if it is Minnesota.
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