Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008. There was a popular Pop Hit some years ago by the Boy/Girl Groups Steps called 5,6,7,8, which immediately came to mind when I first saw Foursquare 2008.

Quite why is a bit questionable, as although they have released a Foursquare 2005,2006,2007 and 2008 one of those was the “Black” (or should that be Golden) sheep of the family.

The true lineage of these particular Foursquare ex-Bourbon barrel expressions is in fact 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008. You see Foursquare 2006 was not part of the Exceptional Cask Series. It was the first collaboration bottling with Velier. I’ve reviewed all the rums mentioned in this little piece. Links should appear at the bottom of this review to some of them. I don’t want to go over the top with links in this review.

Anyway this particular release is the thirteenth Exceptional Cask Release since the original 1998 was released, way back when. The series has only been revived over the past 4 or so years. As mentioned this Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008 is the latest in Foursquare’s ex-Bourbon barrel Cask Strength aged rum releases.

If memory serves me correctly the rums in this series have varied between 11 and 12 years old have always been bottled around the 60% ABV mark or thereabouts. It is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rum which has been blended and aged for the full 12 years of maturation in Barbados. Tropically Aged Rum.

I do have a snippet of further information on the barrels used in the ageing process they are 1st, 2nd and 3rd fill ex-Bourbon barrels. With this rum Foursquare also advise that there in no added colour, sugar, additives and its non chill filtered.

Although Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008 has not yet been released in the UK there have already been a few reviews published from our friends on the other side of the pond. Quite a few Youtube videos but another blogger Ivar de Laat over at Rum Revelations has done a side by side review of the 2007 and the 2008.

Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008 is available for pre-order at The Whisky Exchange and Zeewijck in the Netherlands. Presentation wise it comes in the usual stubby ECS bottle with the bulbous short neck. The bottles now all have a synthetic cork enclosure and a Foursquare “medal” on the neck. Since last years bottlings Foursquare have dropped the “Rum Distillery” from the title. You may notice I haven’t dropped it – maybe a touch of OCD (something I rarely show any signs of) there to keep things consistent.

So I think we’ve covered everything – I’m sure at this stage no one needs an introduction to Foursquare or Richard Seale? If you do please check some of my other reviews. The earlier ones may be best.

Before I move on to reviewing this I won’t be doing an extensive comparison between the 2004,2005, 2007 and 2008. I have a few reasons for this but perhaps the most obvious one is that I don’t have open bottles of all four or samples of all four available. I also don’t use the 0-100 or 50-100 so I cannot score one bottling a point or two higher or lower than another. So far all the rums in this series have been award 5 stars, which means they are as good as rum gets – for me anyway. Hopefully this one won’t let the series down.

In the glass we have a copper coloured spirit a classic dark/golden brown with a red/orange hue around the edges.

Nosing Foursquare Rum Distilllery 2008 is a familiar experience. I wouldn’t like to think how many glasses of Foursquare rum I have nosed over the past 7 or so years. Or indeed how much time I have spent enjoying the nose of their various rums.

The nose is vibrant – with lots of oak spice, bourbon-esque notes and lashings of vanilla, coconut and ginger. It has a slightly menthol like quality on the nose, especially when it has just been freshly poured. It’s a touch medicinal but this does fade with time in the glass.

The nose is really well defined and the higher alcohol content of this rum really helps with the nose. It is rich and fruity with lots of coconut, apple, raisin and a touch of pineapple. The spicier notes remind me of young(ish) Bourbon. This might be the 1st fill barrels working their magic. There is a nice zesty lime and some lemon icing notes as well which add further complexity to this rum.

It’s a nose which you will spend a lot of time with.

Sipping Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008 is an equally pleasant experience. The mouthfeel is a little oilier, with more body than I recall from the previous releases – in particular the 2004, 2005 which I think were a toucher drier overall in profile.

The initial entry coats the palate with a wonderful array of spices and a fair amount of barrel influence. It has a reasonable level of char but its not overly oaked or too woody.  Further sips reveal some quite heavy notes – similar to Plenipotenzario (that is up for review soon don’t worry) which add to the richness of this rum. It’s big and full bodied and bursting with flavour.

The mid palate develops into notes of red wine, cherries and some juicy raisins. There is a light vanilla and some toasted marshmallows overseeing the move from initial sip to mid palate. It is both sweet and savoury with notes of tobacco, leather and touch of cocoa.

In terms of finish it is long and very satisfying. Lots of warming oak spice and some tobacco and leather notes. This is perhaps the driest part of the profile. It fades out beautifully leaving behind notes of coconut, vanilla and some dried fruits.

Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008 delivers everything it promises on the nose and then some more. Without samples to hand I wouldn’t like to rank and rate the series. This is no disappointment. It might even be the best example of this “expression” we have had so far.

Another instant classic from Foursquare.