
April 24, 2016

Real malternatives from Barbados
(now we're talking)

If you want something said, it is sometimes best to say it yourself
(picture courtesy bajanrumshop.com)

Foursquare and their manager Richard Seale are known as the mavericks of the rum world, a bit like Bruichladdich used to be, under their former management (and they still are, a bit). They’re trying to protect the ‘natural’ rums, and are fighting the fact that just any junk bearing fake ages and ridden with unlikely additives is still sold as ‘rum’ today, while it’s spiced rum at best. Or say spirit drink. Or liqueur. How could we be against that just cause and turn a blind eye on all these swindles? Even if a large part of the industry, including retailers, keeps quiet, probably because ‘there’s some money to be made’, and also because ‘it’s always been like that’. Everyone likes a profitable status quo… Anyway, let’s have some Foursquare today…

Doorly's 3 yo 'White' (40%, OB, blend, Barbados, +/-2015)

It's always in the 'white' spirits that distillery character shows best, but on the other hand, you may consider that with aged spirits, distillery character includes a part of any time in oak. Or that, for example, Lagavulin's character shows better in some 10 yo aged in refill wood than in the new make. Are you following me? Colour: white. Nose: perhaps a tad rough, but it does show nice cane-y notes, as well as a grassiness that works well. Green apples, cider apples. Perhaps a little mercurochrome, or TCP, or tincture of iodine too? Mouth: very dry, rather pure, with this cane-y grassiness again, as well as hints of plantain bananas. A little wax as well, always good news. Finish: medium, with some grapefruits and a touch of candy sugar. But as is customary at Foursquare and affiliated brands, no sugar's been added after distillation. Comments: probably as good as white rum that's not hugely phenolic/congeneric can get. Great value. SGP:461 - 80 points.

Foursquare 9 yo 'Port Cask Finish' (40%, OB, Barbados, 2014)

A Port cask finish, the disease doesn't only strike Scotland. Yeah I know, exaggerating yet again. More so since it was matured for only 3 years in bourbon, then re-racked to Port for 6 additional years. So perhaps more a bourbon start than a Port finish. Colour: plain gold. No rose-y hues! Nose: oh lovely lovely. We're going towards agricole (yep it's molasses here), with a slightly earthy combination of tropical fruits and grassy, oily aromas. A little paraffin, grape pip oil, peach peel, and a fatness that screams port still. I believe this is actually a blend of column and pot still rums. Some floral notes as well. Dandelions? Mouth: really excellent, dry, starting all on sugarcane and praline, before more grassy and floral notes emerge once again. Chamomile, dried bananas, a touch of liquorice, a very wee drop of brine. Only the body's marginally thin, I guess a few more degrees would have added to the experience. Excellent nonetheless. Finish: a little short, perhaps, and that's the low strength. But otherwise real good and liquoricy. Comments: very, very, and I mean very excellent. I'd pay double for a CS version, I’m serious. SGP:562 - 87 points.

Speaking of cask strength...

Foursquare 2 yo 2013/2015 (64%, Habitation Velier, Barbados)

While the regular Foursquares are blends of pot still and column rums, so single blends if you like, this terrifying youngster is some pure pot still Foursquare. I have to say it feels bizarre to see a bottle of 2 yo, but 'they' may have their reasons, let's see... By the way, they used some ex-cognac casks, so it's obligatorily French oak (no other oak may be used for cognac, unless that’s only cognac-treated oak, but I highly doubt it). Colour: gold. Nose: let's be careful, it burns. I get natural vanilla and I get broken branches, as well as remote 'ideas' of Jamaican-ness. Which just cannot be bad news. Perhaps a little green coffee as well? Quick, water: high class fat and phenolic rum, with some engine oil, a touch of turpentine, heavy liquorice, and hints of warm brioche. A few fresh walnuts. Mouth (neat): it's very strong, but the spirit is wonderfully... Jamaican. I'm sorry if that offends the Barbadians, but in my words it's meant as a compliment. Right? But again, it burns... With water: grassy, briny, biting (even at 35% vol.), with even more engine oil and liquid liquorice. It's actually totally malternative. Finish: very long, on raw liquorice, lime, salt, and even more engine oil. I suppose. Comments: what a wonderful spirit. More proof that just like with whisky, the less efficient pot stills rule. I totally love this style. Old Ardbeg from the tropics? Oh and can we also have a white one, to totally get to the core of this distillate? SGP:463 - 89 points.

Check the index of all rums I've tasted so far

Real malternatives from Barbados (now we're talking)

Real malternatives from Barbados
(now we're talking)