Four Foursquare plus three


July 11, 2021

Caution

A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace!

		Four Foursquare + three
		I like to taste rums from various sources better as there's more fun to be found in such sessions, but after all we could also do some 'single distillery' sessions from time to time. For example, we've now got wee bags of indie Foursquare coming our way, so time to try to unload the stash… (which we'll never manage to do anyway).

Foursquare 10 yo 2010/2021 (52.8%, Liquid Treasures, Barbados, Rum Session 9, Sauternes finish, 293 bottles)

I suppose this is a single blend Foursquare but not sure (batch + continuous). Colour: brownish amber. Nose: I don't know if that's the Sauternes but this one seems to be rather richer and fatter, and more jammy than others. It seems that the 'moderately heavy' style of FS does let the sweet wine sing pretty loud, in this case rather with mirabelle jam and quinces. Raisin rolls too. What's funnier yet is that the combination could let you believe this is cane juice-led agricole from Martinique. But then again, I'm no expert, I'm easily misled. With water: more agricoleness, with some café latte too. But really, you would have said Martinique and would have replied 'spot on'. Mouth (neat): indeed, the combo seems to have worked very well, except that what was possibly newish French oak seems to have made this pretty spicy and bitter. A little varnishy too. Let's see what water does to it… With water: no, cancel that, water makes it much more playful, sweeter, a tad thinner too (column). Jelly baby vodka, orange liqueur… Finish: medium, with more tea again, possibly from the Sauternes wood. Comments: a funny one that keeps changing. But does good rum need wine? To be discussed…
SGP:641 - 85 points.

Foursquare 13 yo 2007/2021 (59.8%, Kintra Spirits & The Rum Mercenary, Sample X, Barbados, refill bourbon, 290 bottles)

Foursquare 13 yo 2007/2021 (59.8%, Kintra Spirits & The Rum Mercenary, Sample X, Barbados, refill bourbon, 290 bottles)
No wine was involved this time. Colour: full gold. Nose: typical ex-bourbon, fresher, fruitier, cleaner, more straightforward, closer to the raw materials, with some cane juice indeed, apricots, honey, and even notes of… Sauternes. I am not joking, there's no Sauternes and yet there is Sauternes. Funnily absurd. With water: perfect. Vanilla, mead, plums, cane juice, orange blossom water, cassata… All is just top notch here. Mouth (neat): really very good, sweet and yet firm, citrusy, with more honey too (heather), sorb liqueur, honeysuckle syrup… With water: there, excellent. Remains full bodied and on sugarcane, as if no column rum was blended in this time, which I doubt having said that. Finish: long, with notes of that lovely liqueur they have in Belgium, Mandarine Impériale (or Mandarine Napoléon). Some say that when the Red Devils lose, that's because they've had too much of that. Comments: super excellent all-natural Foursquare. Refill bourbon anytime over wine anytime!
SGP:641 - 88 points.

Foursquare 2007/2021 (61.6%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, Edition No.1, 328 bottles)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: rather very hot but it seems that the style is similar to that of the previous 2007. So on vanilla, soft dried fruits, raisins, plum jam… With water: we almost recreated the 'Sample X', which is good news indeed. Honey, orange blossom water, earl grey, mead, raisins… Some awesome grassy notes in the background, rather around eucalyptus. A wee metallic touch as well, which always works in my book. Oh and hay, farmyard… Mouth (neat): too rounded and sweet, too easy, too dangerous. Quick… With water: there, we tamed it. It's a tad more 'columny' than the Sample X this time, so a wee notch thinner perhaps, but as usual we're splitting hairs. Very good. Finish: same. Mandarins and liqueurs once again. Comments: another excellent and rather easy one. Wondering if they're importing molasses from various states or if all comes from one same source abroad. Would that change the favour profiles?
SGP:641 - 87 points.

Foursquare 2005/2021 (59.1%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, ex-bourbon, Edition No.2, cask #111, 272 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: a rather cakier style, perhaps a tad fatter, with more orange liqueur. With water: earth, liquorice, a little humus… This was a great cask. Mouth (neat): good! Lovely oranges with a mentholy touch plus a little cinnamon liqueur. With water: yes, excellent, tight and rich, oilier than most other Foursquares that I could try. Finish: long, superbly jammy. Marmalade and drops of mint liqueur. Less mandarins, having said that, rather oranges. Comments: superb cask! There's a purity to this one, and yet a fatness that are just perfect. Well selected, Polish friends!
SGP:651 - 90 points.

Good news, Wealth Solutions have just bottled many Foursquares, so we might be able to go on for a while (if we survive the high voltages)… So after Editions #1 and 2 comes…

Foursquare 1998/2021 (59.9%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, ex-bourbon, Edition No.3, cask #12, 244 bottles)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: this one seems to be softer, but then again, at this strength, we shan't nose it deeply. Some fudge, apparently, roasted peanuts, praline and nougat… We'll see… With water: some gentle meaty tones, roast chicken (KFC - apologies), otherwise sweet herbal liqueurs, a wee rooty side… Mouth (neat): rather Cuban-style, it seems. A higher proportion of column rum? With water: super good lighter style, without much body but within this very style, it's probably on the podium. Caramelised popcorn in your glass. Finish: medium, rather light, sweet. I'm reminded of elderberry liqueur. Comments: light rum at its best. Even die-hard malt aficionados would enjoy this, though.
SGP:640 - 86 points.

Foursquare 2009/2021 (64%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, ex-bourbon, Edition No.4, cask #10, 267 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: 64% vol. It's not that it's immensely aggressive, it's just that not many aromas do come through. Some sweetness… With water: I would say it needs a lot of water, time and oxygen to become more complex, but that does happen eventually. Slow motion rum. Earth, hay, orange syrup, a little Nutella… Mouth (neat): very sweet, very strong. With water: sweet, herbal, gaining complexity, towards citrus, liqueurs, marmalade, jams, genepy, aniseed… It never stops improving, this is almost a saga by Scorcese. Give it time (and good water)! Finish: medium, with even more aniseed. Comments: it seems that this is a blend of column and pot. Not that easy to control but it's excellent once you've found the right proportions – and the timing.
SGP: 651 - 87 points.

Foursquare 2008/2021 (60.3%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, ex-bourbon, Edition No.5, cask #6, 235 bottles)

Foursquare 2008/2021 (60.3%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, ex-bourbon, Edition No.5, cask #6, 235 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: some action here, this is completely different, sour, acetic, with some cheese, porridge, sour wines, something clearly bacterial… No muck or dunder though, this is more akin to rotting strawberries. Not obligatorily bad news, mind you, let's see… With water: even more of all that. Fondue with mushrooms, weissbeer, a drop of miso... Mouth (neat): so clearly different! Pure pot still Foursquare, perhaps? It is much greasier, phenolic, salty, fermentary, and indeed on Swiss cheese. I'm thinking appenzeller, or perhaps gorgonzola. With water: seems to find the road, with more sultanas, Muscovado sugar, molasses, milk chocolate, maple syrup… Finish: rather long, this time with some coffee liqueur and drops of crazier white rum. Comments: was it the spirit? Was it the cask? What's sure is that this is different and, in my book, excellent. We want more.
SGP:572 - 89 points.

Good, we've got quite a few more but I believe this is the right time to put an end to this.

Check the index of all rum we've tasted so far