A few weeks ago, I was wrapping up a 3-month backpacking trip throughout Europe. The last leg of the trip brought me to Germany. I was initially there to participate in a work exchange program and then would be traveling down to southern Germany to visit some of Erika’s family outside of Munich. Somewhere in between, we decided it would be a crime to not visit Berlin and rearranged travel plans to spend five days in Berlin. Best. Decision. Ever. Berlin one of the most amazing cities I have ever had the pleasure to visit. It is a surreal feeling to experience a place that you truly belong to. Thus far, the only city to meet this sensation for me has been New Orleans.
While we were there, I made it a priority to check out a bottle shop called The Rum Depot. Located in the Schöneberg neighborhood, Rum Depot is an independent retailer that as you may guess, specializes in rum of all kinds. The selection that they have for you to not only purchase, but also sample to make an educated purchasing decision was dizzying. I spent close to two hours gawking over the selections, debating what I wanted to bring back to the States with me. Thankfully, traveling by backpack made that choice easier on me and I selected what I am reviewing today. Tres Hombres: Barbados. A 12-year-old rum produced by Foursquare Rum Distillery and bottled by Fairtransport.
Fairtransport is a Dutch independent bottler located in Den Helder, Holland. And I am feeling everything that this company stands for. I will hopefully get an article on them done in the future. Fairtransport was started in 2007 by three friends with the goal of creating an “emissions free” shipping company.
The rum in question is a 12-year-old, seldom seen, pot still rum. The labeling states that the rum was a single barrel-aged by Foursquare, so I assume that the rum spent all 12 years aging in a tropical environment. The rum was then divided amongst five ex-Madeira and ex-port barrels and loaded onto the Tres Hombres; 32-meter Schooner where it would spend the next six months aging at sea as it traveled from Barbados to Holland. Once it reached its final destination, Fairtransport blended the barrels together before being bottled at 41% abv.
APPEARANCE
Short and squat, the 20cl bottle is adorned with a beautiful deep blue label with bone white and black lettering. It has a very tight cork and mock tax stamp holding in place. Held up to the light, the rum has a rich golden raisin color with matte straw highlights.
AROMA
Wine forward, the fortified wine casks bring a lot of acidity to the nose. Slightly bracing at first, the acidity makes its way out of the glass. From there, aromas of raw hazelnuts, butter pecan, and toasted marshmallow runs the show. While it is a nice rich and warm nose, those dessert aromas muddle and hide some softer notes of fresh banana and graham crackers.
PALATE
The palate is a bit muted. There are some upfront notes of dry cinnamon, whipped honey, and grape must. The flavors that are there are pronounced, but not complex and lacking a bit of depth. This could be the work of the lower abv, however. Bumped up to 47%-50%, this rum would probably shine.
BODY
I am going to put this in the medium-light category. There is not much in the way of mouthfeel, but it is not thin or watered down in any way. An easy sipper for a muggy summer nightcap, but it won’t hold up in the dead of winter and might get lost with rich desserts.
FINISH
The finish on this speaks softly with a big stick. There is a menthol character on the finish that is reminiscent of those Andes chocolate mints. The chocolate then turns to a creamy-sweet coffee note that tastes the same way that the Tabak coffee-infused cigars from Drew Estate smells.
OVERALL
Not a terribly interesting rum, but a fun rum. For €20,00 though, I feel that this is a bit overpriced, but one worth experiencing. The flavors are good, but not great. That said, I will always have a sentimental attachment to this rum. Just looking at the bottle invokes memories of one the happiest times of my life. Every time that I sip it, I am instantly taken back to Berlin. Navigating my way down Potsdamer Straße in the pelting rain, glasses fogged up, sipping on a Spanish latte, and then finding this most amazing rum shop.
Just another great Foursquare Rum experience.
