RumFest 2018: Four from Foursquare

Last year, I mentioned Richard Seale saying that ‘it’s time rum pushed ahead with similar cask practises as the whisky industry have been successfully deploying for years‘ [blog]. We should expect to see those practises demonstrated in this highly anticipated ‘sesh’.

 

Doorly’s 12yo [2018] Ob. Fine Old Barbados Rum 40% WF85 RR7.8[85] Ralfy90 tFRP

• N: There’s plenty of column still character that’s met by plenty of bourbon cask activity – pot still distillation & the Madeira casks rather quiet by comparison.
• T: Quite moorish.
• F: Not a great deal of depth to this straight ahead finisher, but everything checks out just fine.
• C: I may not sound all that enthused [reading these scant notes], but I’m happily scoring this three marks higher than two years ago [Blog].

Scores 83 points

 

Doorly’s 14yo [2018] Un-Ob. 48%

This so far un-released Madeira > bourbon -matured 14yo will sport Doorly’s iconic blue-throated macaw label when released.

• N: A higher abv and firmer pot still character [in contrast to the 12yo], brings more impact and a fruitier complexity.
• T: Fruity bitter drying woody cask action comes through in one hit,…
• F: ,…. with only reflections of the arrival thereafter.
• C: A not-too-in-your-face 48%-er that’s rather to my liking.

Scores 86 points

 

Foursquare Veritas [2018] Ob./Velier White blended rum 47% RR8.4/10[5] RD4.5/5

A Coffey & pot still blended white rum from Foursquare & Hampden distilleries. RD tells us ‘The first component is a 2 year Tropically aged Foursquare Pot still Rum (the Rum has colour for a reason). The second component is an unaged Coffey Column still Rum from Foursquare. The third component is an unaged Pot still Rum from Hampden Estate’.

• C: A sweet/vegetal number that speaks of essence of sugar cane, and a good open clean sighter.

Scores 81 points

 

Another un-released rum at time of writing, this is the general release version of the [500 circa] 70th anniversary bottling from 2017. [This was actually on the Velier stand, as was the Veritas].

Foursquare Destino 2003 14yo Ob./Velier [2610 bts] 61% WF89 RD5+/5 [tFRP] RR10/10[3]

Just like the anniversary bottling [so I’m told], it’s fully matured in the tropics for 12 years in ex-Madeira and 2 years in ex-bourbon.

• N: Joyous! Smell that column still, “and the retorts?”, asks the Foz. With a rich deep golden colour, this is grand ole’ vanilla & hessian-grain juice with very thick legs.
• T: Same again with a super-rich mouthfeel and vanilla chew. There’s lots of cask action [though it is a fine marriage], leading to firm references of grain whisky,
• F: Super essence of rum with supportive yet deeply integrated oak.
• C: Buy this for its old grain novelty/likeness alone. It reminded me of a richer 25yo HL Girvan [Blog] at the time.

Scores 88 points

 

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