FOURSQUARE PORT CASK FINISH
STYLE: RUM
ABV: 40%
DISTILLER: FOURSQUARE DISTILLERY, BARBADOS
AGE: 9 Year (3 years ex-bourbon barrels, 6 years ex-port butts). Bottled June 2014.
BLEND: No. 162
Foursquare’s Port Cask Finish is the second entry in the Exceptional Cask Selection series from the Barbados based distillery. It is a blend of both modified twin-column Coffey and pot still rums made from molasses native to Barbados and sourced from Guyana’s Demerara River Valley. From there it spends the first three years aging in ex-bourbon barrels before it is transferred to Ruby Port casks for it’s remaining six years of tropical aging in an open wall warehouse. The United States market saw 15,000 bottles upon it’s initial release and since the re-writing of this post; all available stocks from Altamar Brands and it’s distributors have since dried up. So if you are lucky enough to find a bottle in the wild, snatch it up.
Color: Burnt Sienna core with copper highlights.
Nose: The first whiff brings memories of unsweetened grape Kool-Aide rushing back. From there it is a comforting richness reminiscent of winter desserts: English toffee, hazelnuts, coffee and dark chocolate.
Palate: Not as full as the nose, but wonderful flavors of brown sugar, milk chocolate and caramelized citrus.
Mouthfeel: The weakest point of the rum is that it feels a bit watery. In no way off putting; you just expect something a bit more full-bodied given the Port influence.
Finish: White pepper, grape, banana, grassy sugarcane and salivating wine acidity.
Overall: Probably one of the more exciting and complete rums for under $50 and makes for an excellent year-round everyday rum. I would love to see this rum at a higher proof in the future. Maybe that’s the bourbon guy in me, but I feel like this would be on a totally different level if it was bottled at 46% ABV. Really allow those fat and chewy port notes showcase themselves without dominating the actual rum flavors.
*Since my initial posting of this review; I have been able to try Foursquare’s Zinfandel Cask, 2004 Vintage, Criterion, Premise, 2005 Vintage, Dominus and their now coveted 2006. For the money, to this day, this remains my absolute favorite rum and I hope Mr. Seale resurrects this blend in someway. Which I am sure he will…in due course.
