S.B.S – The 1423 Single Barrel Selection Venezuela 2006

Bythefatrumpirate

S.B.S - The 1423 Single Barrel Selection Venezuela 2006 rum review by the fat rum pirate. Another bottling from our Danish Friends 1423. This time I’m trying some single cask rum from Venezuela. I don’t think I have covered much cask strength Venezuelan rum over the years. I’ve extensively covered the more commercial Diageo puts out such as Cacique and Pampero.

I have also, of course reviewed the various Diplomatico offerings and Santa Teresa. It’s been a bit of a mixed bag. I don’t mind some of the younger rums for mixing and the some of the aged rum Santa Teresa 1796 and Pampero Anniversario Reserva Exclusiva I thoroughly enjoyed – and still do.

It’s easy to dismiss Spanish style “ron” as being heavily dosed light rubbish. Quite a lot is but there is some good stuff. I think you also have to take into account when you are reviewing rum what the producer has set out to do. There’s no point in my mind complaining about a Venezuelan rum not being funky because that’s never the intention.

Anyway let’s get some facts together about this rum. It is produced as Corporation Alcoholes del Caraibe S.A. Rums from this distillery are often noted as being from C.A.C.D. by independent bottlers. There are quite a few different bottlings around at the moment. The distillery is based in San Felipe, Yaracuy state. Apparently, the first mixing of Angostura’s formula for bitters was mixed here. The distillery produces the Cacique brand, which is popular in Spain.

This is a single cask which yielded 304 bottles. It is a column distilled rum and has been bottled at 55% ABV and non-chill filtered. The hydrometer shows no sign of “dosage”. It is available via Amazon in the UK for £89.99. I am unsure how long this was aged in Venezuela before coming to Europe.

In the glass the rum is a dark brown, with a red tinge around the edges. It’s likely been coloured but at the same time its a 12-year-old rum, bottled sometime in 2018.

The initial nosing reveals a lot of leather and some spicy woody notes and quite a bit of smoke.

Further nosing reveals dark chocolate, mixed nuts and some hints of raisin.

It reminds me quite a lot of Flor de Cana rums. It doesn’t blow you away in terms of the nose but everything is nicely in order and it smells “old” or mature.

The extra ABV compared to the standard 40% I have been used to certainly gives the rum a bit more oomph. It’s quite “hot” and boozy which I don’t at all mind!

Sipped at full strength the rum is initially quite smoky with notes of shoe leather, tobacco and some chocolate raisins. It has a slightly perfumed element to it which leads into a very spicy mid palate of ginger and chilli. Notes of black pepper also come into the mix.

Finish wise it has a very long, very full finish. This is very much a “cigar” kind of rum. It’s certainly not as sweet as some of the Venezuelan brands. The extra ABV of this has certainly allowed for a longer and more complex finish. Spicy woody notes mingle with ginger and nutmeg. Tobacco and leather add a smoky note and the rum slowly fades out very nicely. You can really take your time in between sips with this one.

S.B.S - The 1423 Single Barrel Selection Venezuela 2006 rum review by the fat rum pirateAs this is bottled at Cask Strength it gives the distillate a bit more room for manoeuvre. If you want to dial it down a little – you an and unlike the standard 40% ABV variants you won’t end up with something too weak and insipid.

This shows that not all column distilled Spanish style “rons” have to be sub-standard or follow the more popular path.

An interesting bottle and proof of what the producers in these countries could be coming out with – if they were a bit more daring.

Kudos to 1423 for seeing the potential with this one.

 

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  • Diplomatico Planas

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Diplomatico Planas Ron Rum Review by the fat rum pirateDiplomatico Planas. This is a white rum from the famous Venezuelan rum brand Diplomatico. Most wll known, without doubt for their Reserva Exclusiva. In a slightly different rum world to the one we know today,seen as one of the world’s best. In some circles, it perhaps still is.

    For many rm enthusiasts though the Diplomatico name is synonymous with “added sugar”. The popularity of the Reserva Exclusiva was due too its smooth and sweet profile. Prior to any reliable testing being carried out, this was thought to be down to some exquisite blending techniques, that others simply could not replicate.

    In todays rums world it is more commonly known that it is due to the 40g/L of added sugar. Please note, at this stage I have never tested the rum myself. My bottle was long gone before I had even thought (or known) about Hydrometer tests.

    So along with Plantation, Diplomatico do get a bit of a bashing from time to time from more serious rum enthusiasts.

    Whilst I am seen as one of the “anti sugar” brigade, I like to try to keep an open mind as well. Though some might suggest I don’t. Many people who critique me on Social Media focus on the Hydrometer Tests, as if they are some kind of witch hunt. They are not. They are there for information. I’d like to think I have always been fair and honest when reviewing rum – additives or not.

    Anyway back to Diplomatico Planas, the rum up for review today. Diplomatico originally had Diplomatico Blanco, in a tall thin orange and see through bottle. You can still find the odd bottle lurking online. It was a filtered rum aged up to 6 years and bottled at 40% ABV.

    In 2017 Diplomatico replaced Blanco with Planas – they also replaced their Reserva with Mantuano, around the same time. Diplomatico Planas comes in a more familiar stubby bottle complete with the picture of Don Juancho, a 19th century traveller and rum lover. The presentation is sleek and modern. The  synthetic cork stopper is a nice touch for a Diplomatico Planas Ron Rum Review by the fat rum piratewhite rum.

    Diplomatico Planas will set you back around £30. One of the most noticeable differences, between Planas and Blanco is the ABV. We are now getting a 47% ABV rum.

    Planas is in with Mantuano and Reserva Exclusiva as part of Diplomatico’s “Tradition Range” on their website.

    Planas is a blend of Pot, Column and Batch Kettle distillates aged up to 6 years. So it does not appear much has changed from the old Blanco, apart from the name, bottle and ABV. Planas refers to the name of the Valley where Diplomatico’s distillery is housed.

    It also should be noted that Diplomatico provide some nutritional information on their website which does identify sugar (grams per 100ml) present in their rums. This is noted as having 0.25 grams per 100ml. It is not noted if this is “added sugar” or not. Either way it works out at less than 5 grams per litre. This is backed up by a Hydrometer test. So if this had additives they are at the low end of the the spectrum.

    Let’s get on with the tasting for this one, as I think I have exhausted all my information!

    In the glass the liquid is pretty much as clear as you can get. There may be a slight yellow tinge to it but not much at all.

    Nosed Diplomatico Planas is quite sweet and vanilla forward. It’s a “classic” style of white rum. Custard and White Chocolate mingle alongside some young sweet alcohol. I like the slightly aggressive boozy nature of this rum. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a huge punchy white rum but it does have enough alcohol on the nose to suggest it will stand up in mixed drinks.

    Which to be fair is how it is likely to be used by most people. As I understand it – it has been given extra ABV as that is what bartenders indicated they wanted from a white rum.

    It’s not a hugely complex nose – the vanilla is complimented nicely by desiccated coconut and some toffee. It’s light and quite inviting.

    Sipped Diplomatico Planas is surprisingly tasty. It has a nice aged note to it – some peppery spice and a bit of chilli. That said the younger rums in the blend make their presence felt as does the ABV. Sweet boozy alcohol mixes alongside the vanilla and coconut.

    Finish wise it isn’t huge but it does leave a decent hit of booze and some nice spicy oak notes. Peppery and slightly heated – notes of red chilli. It’s quite a refreshing rum.Diplomatico Planas Ron Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Mixed – which is I daresay who this white rum will be used, it works really well. The extra ABV gives a nice kick and the sweeter notes of the rum pair themselves nicely with most mixers. Ginger Beer is perhaps the only mixer, where it can’t quite punch above its weight. A rum and coke with Planas is very pleasant.

    It reminds me of Chairman’s Reserve White Label or Elements Eight Platinum due to the sweeter coconut notes.

    This is a really nice, well balanced white rum. It’s not a high ABV grassy Agricole or a unaged Clairin. It’s not a funky Jamaican Overproof. It’s a lighter “ron” style of white rum with more flavour and balance, than most manage.

    At £30 and with the extra ABV this is certainly a good option if you are seeking a “classic” white rum.

     

  • Bumbu XO Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Bumbu XO Rum Review by the fat rum pirateBumbu XO Rum. Probably the most criticised “rum” over the past couple of years amongst more “serious” rum enthusiasts, has been Bumbu The Original.

    However, amongst less serious rum imbibers, Bumbu The Original is hugely popular. Any drink which is stocked by supermarkets, for any length of time will be selling a fair few units. Bumbu The Original, I dare say is selling more than most.

    So it is no surprise that the company behind Bumbu The Original (which has been around since 1893, according to their marketing) have moved quickly to produce a more “Premium” XO version of Bumbu. Surely that is only right for a rum which markets itself as the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Time) on Twitter. F.F.S.

    Bumbu XO Rum, is an eighteen year old rum from Panama. Or it is a blend aged up to eighteen years. Depending on which line of bollocks you read. In all fairness it is a completely different product to Bumbu The Original.  It is widely available in the UK, Europe and the USA. I have every confidence that it will be selling very well in time for Christmas, as relatives and friends buy something a bit more Premium for the average Bumbu drinker. Personally I would suggest Cyanide or maybe Arsenic.

    Retailing at around £40 Bumbu XO Rum, is certainly very competitively priced for an eighteen year old rum (or blend aged upto eighteen years). There is no mention of a Solera System, so we must take it at face value that they can produce and widely market an “eighteen year old rum” at £40. Much like the likes of Kirk and Sweeney the age, the price point and sheer volume of product available, doesn’t really add up.

    As mentioned Bumbu XO Rum hails from Panama and was distilled at the Don Jose Distillery. It was distilled on Column Stills and aged in ex-bourbon casks for the majority of its eighteen years. It is then finished in Spanish White Oak Sherry Casks. There is little additional information available. They have their own very fancy website here.

    Presentation wise Bumbu Rum Co. know exactly what they are doing with this. A more Premium update on their standard bottling. The only difference is the colour of the bottle and the metal X on the front of the bottle. Everything else – bottle shape, cork stopper is as can be found on Bumbu The Original.Bumbu XO Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Unlike Bumbu The Original Bumbu XO Rum is actually legally a “rum” in the UK and the EU. It is bottled at over 37%. It comes in at 40% ABV. When ran through the Hydrometer it bobs at 35% ABV which suggests around 19 g/L of additives. Much less than The Original which had around 40g/L of additives.

    So lets give this a whirl and see exactly what we are getting for our £40.

    In the glass we are presented with a pretty dark brown spirit with a nice reddish/orange hue. On the initial nose you get a lot of Orange Peel – marmalade like and some spices that are a bit like Christmas Pudding (very apt at this time of year).

    Notes of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg also come into play. There is little by way of oak or wood that you might expect from an eighteen year old spirit. It has little burn to no burn. Whilst it doesn’t smell synthetic or unpleasant it doesn’t really smell all that much like rum.

    Running alongside the orange and marmalade notes is a layer of sugary sweetness. This isn’t hugely cloying or again unpleasant, but it’s not all that “rum” like though.

    Sipped, it is a fair bit drier and not as sweet as I was expecting. I tried this a while back at a Rum Festival, so I already knew ahead of this review that it didn’t have a similar flavour profile to the banana heavy mess that is Bumbu The Original.

    There is a touch of oak and a little bit of spice. Traces of ginger and little cinnamon. It does unfortunately have a layer of faux sweetness. This is slightly synthetic and it tends to dull and flatten out the spicier notes fairly quickly. Flavour wise it is quick to disappear.

    The more you sip the more you notice a saccharin like note. This pretty much kills any kind of flavour that you might have experience within the first sip or two.

    On the mid palate you do get a touch of coffee and again some Christmas Pudding like spices and a fairly big hit of orange zest.

    Finish wise – there pretty much isn’t one. There is a slight note of marmalade and a little light cinnamon but little else. It’s very very short finish wise.

    Bumbu XO Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIIn all honesty it’s a step up from Bumbu The Original. I dare say a lot of people who get this for Christmas, will probably wish they had got the regular version. Despite the fact that this is “better”. Still to a fairly experience spirits drinker, it’s completely insipid. That said it will still be too much for many Bumbu drinkers. Some may get more curious and might levitate towards better rum (or just rum full stop) in the future but that is up for debate.

    Some people will refer to this as a kind of entry level spirit. The additives help smooth it out and make it more palatable.

    Bumbu The Original’s base spirit is made at WIRD (West Indies Rum Distillery). WIRD is now part owned by Cognac Ferrand. Who in turn own Plantation Rum. This is similar to something Plantation might put out. I do think they would have made a better job of it though.

    From my perspective this is just so boring.

     

     

     

  • The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish

    Bythefatrumpirate

    The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac FinishThe Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish. This is the final rum in the “Flower” series featuring the artwork of Hans Dillesse, a Dutch artist. The Duchess are an independent bottler from the Netherlands, who began bottling rums in 2018.

    The brand are gaining quite a following and this is their latest Single Cask release. If you are in the UK then their rums can be found here. The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish is a rum from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). This particular rum was distilled on the Wooden Coffey Enmore Still. It was distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2019. It has spent 8 years in an ex-Armagnac cask in Europe. I am unsure how much of the its prior 12 years were spent in the Tropics/Europe.

    It has been bottled at Cask Strength of 50.8% ABV. It came from cask number 27 (whatever use that is to us) and yielded 243 bottles. In the UK, this retails at just under £90 it is slightly cheaper in Europe.

    The presentation once again is excellent with a wonderful flower design. The choice of colour for the cap (Baby Blue) is a little odd but I like the stubby 3/4 bottle and the overall presentation is good. It’s sleek and modern. A little over busy but the label does have a lot of valuable information on it. Which is what we want to see.

    I’ve given you all the information I can find on this rum so we may as well move onto the fun part and see what this Armagnac finish is all about.

    In the glass we have a medium/golden brown coloured spirit. The nose is quite sharp – slightly menthol in some ways. There’s some oak there but it’s a little flat and the sweeter notes form the Armagnac cask are trying to make themselves felt but it’s all very subtle.

    Further nosing and more time in the glass sees more of the wine influence shine through. More sweetness – a slightly acidic white wine note mingles alongside some hazelnut and pencil shavings. There’s a slightly sour, musty note in there which is a little off putting to be honest.

    I get the feeling that this Enmore may have been a little too oaky and was put in the Armagnac cask to try and send it in another direction and give it a new lease of life. Further nosing reveals some Peach and Apricot – which give the rum a softer easier approach.

    So lets see how this one goes when we sip as the nose is a pretty mixed bag.

    It’s quite sweet. I would have guessed there was some kind of wine finish involved or some kind of fancy spirit. I’m not very knowledgable on Armagnac so I would never have guessed that.

    I also might have struggled to have identified this as a Demerara rum. The Enmore Wooden Coffey Still can produce a lot of different rum marques. This would seem to be one of the lighter ones as it doesn’t have a very big Demerara feel about it.

    The Duchess Guyana Rum Armagnac Finish has quite an orange(y) feel to it – marmalade and some spicy oak come in. The initial burst of sweetness and the lighter notes of Peach and Apricot move into bitter notes of Orange Peel and slightly bitter Jaffa oranges. Wood and spice carry through the mid palate into the finish. The finish is a medium length and is fairly unremarkable to be honest.The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish rum review by the fat rum pirate

    There is a little trace of the traditional Demerara raisin and sultana notes but probably not enough to satisfy a lot of Demerara nuts. The tropically aged Demerara rums are poles apart from their European aged brothers.

    I’m not going to say one is better than the other but this is definitely a woodier, drier and less fruit heavy rum than you would get from a Tropically Aged Enmore.

    This is better than some of the long aged Enmore rums I have had, say for example the Bristol 1988, but not by much. I’d score them similarly.

    That’s not to say this is a bad rum. It’s pretty good. Yes it’s a bit on the light side but it delivers quite a nice reasonably well balanced sipper. It’s also a lot different to other rums – the Armagnac cask has brought something different to the table.

    You would probably buy a bottle and enjoy it but you might not rush out to get another.

    Good but not great.

  • Black Tot Rum Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Black Tot Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum Review by the fat rum pirateBlack Tot Rum Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum. This is the fourth release from Elixir Distillers in their “Black Tot” series that I have reviewed. It was, however the first one they released. Pretty much as long as I started to get quite serious about rum I’ve known about this mythical (and expensive) bottling.

    It seems to have been released in batches over the years. I guess to try and drive demand partly keeping it looking more limited than perhaps it was. That said the current £750 price tag will put a lot of people off. It’s simply just too expensive for a lot of people to justify even if they could afford it. I certainly know I have my limit when it comes to what I can justify paying for a bottle of booze and it falls way below £750.

    Black Tot Rum Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum is a blend of various flagons of genuine Navy rum (pre-dating Black Tot Day), which as a result of Black Tot day were never bottled by the Royal British Navy. Sukhinder Singh of The Whisky Exchange and avid collector of fine and rare spirits bought as many of these flagons as he could find. Noticing the differences between each flagon he set about perfecting a blend which best encapsulated British Royal Navy Rum.

    The Retail Price keeps increasing you can still pick up at bottle at The Whisky Exchange and at Master of Malt. As well as the stubby opaque bottle full of rum, complete with a chunky embossed cork stopper you also get a Tot cup, similar to those used in the days of daily rum rations, a wooden display case, a rum ration card and a book about the history of Black Tot, written by rum expert Dave Broom.

    Black Tot Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The exact make up of this rum is unknown and numerous different types of barrels are noted as being used to house the various rums. Which in turn were contained within the various different flagons. It’s a fair guess to say that a lot of the rums will come from familiar “English Style” rum destinations, such as Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana. Whilst the actual age of these rums is clearly pre-1970, the rum has not been aged in wood as the flagons used to store the rums from 1970 onwards are ceramic.

    Black Tot Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum is bottled at 54.3%, which is pretty much “Gunpowder” strength. I’m not going to bore you all with an essay about gunpowder strength or give you a history lesson on Navy Rum. This is a rum review so we’ll crack on with that……

    In the glass we have a very dark spirit. I would suggest some caramel colouring was added at some stage. It is a dark brown colour with a reddish/orange hue.

    The nose is musty. It smells a little “old”. Black Tot Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum has a tarry character initially. Some diesel oil and some road tar. A touch of sweetness comes through in the form of raisins, red grapes and a touch of black banana. A touch of black cherry also comes through.

    It’s complex and you keep getting different aromas with each nosing. It’s quite smoky and has a very leathery aroma to it as well.

    Sipped it is very smoky on the initial sip with a very tarry and musty flavour to it. It’s musty and again feels “old”. It’s not as fruity as I might have hoped for. The influence of the Caroni rum in the blend is quite evident as is the Guyanese elements. However the Guyanese elements are adding a more musty aniseeed note than the usual sweet raisin profile.

    Further sips reveal a slight burnt smokiness and some hints of banana, guava and some rusty metal (?

    Black Tot Last Consignment British Royal Naval Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    ). It’s a hard rum to try and describe. It’s quite bitter in parts and it isn’t the easiest of rums to come to terms with.

    However, a few sips in I’m starting to get more fruitiness – raisins, plums and some tannic red grapes. Especially on the mid palate.

    The finish is a reasonable length but is quite dry and doesn’t linger for as long as you might expect from such a heavy style of rum.

    What you are tasting here is a snapshot in time. Something that cannot really be repeated. Were the Royal British Navy still getting a rum ration, I dare say it perhaps wouldn’t be as good quality as this is.

     

     

     

  • Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho cachaca review by the fat rum pirateCompanheira Extra Premium Carvalho. This is the third cachaca from Companheira that I have reviewed. Confusingly, one of those cachaca’s was also called Companheira Extra Premium minus the Carvalho part. However, it is also aged in Carvalho (oak).

    The difference between the two products seems to be a simple case of age. So although both are noted as “Extra Premium” (a nonsense in itself) this one has been aged in oak barrels for 4 years as opposed to 8 years for the Extra Premium. How this makes them both “Extra Premium” is beyond me.

    Companheira (Companion in English) Extra Premium Carvalho is produced in Jandaia do Sul, Parana state. Which is not overly famous for its cachaca production.

    Companheira was founded by Natanael Carli Bonicontro, who became interested in cachaca production whilst studying at University. He was given the opportunity of producing a cachaca as part of a Biochemical Engineering class! Sounds a lot more fun than the science lessons I remember from school……..

    In 1994 Natanael began designing and building his own sugar mill, which he planned to use exclusively to produce Companheira Cachaca. He chose to name the cachaca Companheira, in reference to the Joao-de-Barro bird which spends its entire life with a single companion.

    Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho is produced from hand harvested sugar cane from the estate where the distillery and sugar mill are situated in the Ivai River Valley. The sugar cane is harvested during the winter and they use a strain of sugar cane with a high sugar content.

    The cachaca is distilled in Copper Alembic Pot Stills and then aged for 4 years in Carvalho (oak) casks. More accurately American oak barrels, so most likely ex-bourbon or whiskey barrels. It is noted it is then “finished” in “first use” French oak barrels.

    Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho cachaca review by the fat rum pirateCompanheira Extra Premium Carvalho comes in a variety of bottle sizes and I’ve also noted two different designs which appear to still be for sale in Brasil. The bottle design has been changed this year. It is the one at the top of this review. The “full size” bottle of Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho is 670ml and retails at around R$110 (which works out at about £14). It is bottled at 40% ABV.

    Much like it’s older brother it comes in a tapered bottle which becomes thinner towards the top. It appears a little taller than the Companheira Extra Premium. There is no presentation box with this cachaca and it is topped with a cork stopper, not a screw cap. Presentation wise it is quite modern and would certainly not unusual or out of place in amongst premium rums. A 500ml version (pictured at the bottom of this review) is also available.

    For further information they have their own website.

    Now I really enjoyed the Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho, so I’m hoping this younger version is enjoyable as well.

    So let’s crack on then and see how this little taste of Brasil goes down….

    On the nose Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho is surprisingly fruity, with some strong notes of white grapes and exotic fruits – lychees, passion fruit and a touch of guava.  Further nosing reveals some buttery notes, a nice waft of vanilla and some very gentle oak spices.

    It’s a very pleasant nose with a slightly perfumed note to it as well. Very nicely balanced.

    Sipped, it is woodier than the nose suggests. It is also a little more substantial. It’s quite a wood driven spirit but its not over the top in terms of the oak influence. In many ways it’s quite rum like. Quite molasses rum like as well, surprisingly.

    So the initial sip is quite spicy with notes of vanilla, bourbon-esque notes, cocoa nibs and a kick of ginger. Further sips reveal a cognac like fruity note – white grapes and a touch of pear.

    In terms of the mid palate Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho, develops into a very nicely balanced mix of dark chocolate, vanilla, oak spices and a touch of barrel char.

    It’s really nicely balanced throughout the sip and I do not feel the need to mix this. It’s the kind of cachaca I do not feel will really benefit from doing so with. Yes I’m sure it would work well but I think you’d certainly lose some of the subtler spices and complex notes in this spirit.

    Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho cachaca review by the fat rum pirateFinish wise, is perhaps where Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho shows its age. It may also be a combination of the pedestrian 40% ABV. It seems to fade out a little quicker than I had anticipated. The initial entry is great. The mid palate builds nicely and the finish is pleasant enough. However despite a reasonable amount of oak and spice, it just seems to disappear a little too quickly.

    That said though, this is a more than decent cachaca. Certainly a good reference point to the Companheira Extra Premium.

     

     

  • Foursquare Magisterium

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Foursquare Magisterium rum review by the fat rum pirateFoursquare Magisterium. The latest (unless they have snuck another one out in the last few days) in the increasingly prolific Exceptional Cask Series from Foursquare Rum Distillery, Barbados.

    I can’t say Magisterium is a word I have come across before. According to the Collins English Dictionary it relates to the teaching authority or function of the Roman Catholic Church. I dare say this particular name may be a bit of side swipe at another rum producer…….

    On the rear of the Magisterium bottle beneath Magesterium “Mastery” is noted which ties in with the above dictionary definition.

    So this hasn’t been released in the UK as yet. The bottle denotes a March 2024 release but around 6 months is pretty standard now for it to reach Europe/UK.

    Foursquare Magisterium is marque number XXVI (26) in the Exceptional Cask Series. Interest in these bottlings really peaked around 4-5 years ago. It would seem that less products are making their way onto the secondary market and the “buzz” around the bottles has went down a little. Not that this will mean they won’t sell out – just not quite as quickly.

    I still think the people who genuinely always wanted to buy and enjoy the liquid inside are still interested but some (like me) got a little tired of “fighting” to try and get something, which you knew was falling into the hands of collectors and flippers.

    Foursquare Magisterium is a blend of three 16-year-old single blended rums. It’s components were all distilled in two stills: a Double-Retort Pot Still and a Continuous Twin Column Coffey Still. Out of the three rums, two were double-matured.

    One spent three years aging in ex-bourbon casks and 13 years in ex-oloroso sherry barrels. The second rum spent nine years in ex-bourbon casks and seven years in ex-oloroso sherry. The final rum was matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks for 16 years. Fousquare Magisterium has been bottled at 58% ABV.Foursquare Magisterium rum review by the fat rum pirate

    I’m not quite sure how much this will retail for it has been around $150 in both the US and Australian market. So expect to pay upwards of £120 for a bottle when it does hit the UK. NB It is now being stocked by The Whisky Exchange £150 per bottle.

    I’ve exhausted my information on this release so lets dive in and see how exceptional this is.

    In the glass we are presented with a quite dark brown coloured liquid. With a very orange hue running through it.

    The nose has those familiar Foursquare notes. Lots of coconut, vanilla and Bourbon influence. It is a very nicely balanced nose. Not too fiery or too oaked at all. Despite what some might say about rum being aged for too long in the tropics.

    The Oloroso Sherry casks are certainly having an influence on Foursquare Magisterium. Lots of dark fruits – Plums, Blackberries and a bitter hint of Cranberry. There is also a very noticeable sweet sherry note.

    It is a rich and warming nose – well suited to us in the UK getting it on the run up to Christmas. It’s not what I would call a summer rum.

    Sipped, at the full 58% ABV it does tickle a little at first. However, it is extremely nicely balanced and after the initial sip your palate will quickly adapt and begin to appreciate the complexities it has.

    The rum is 16 years old and it does have a very pronounced oak notes initially. There is a sweetness that mingles nicely alongside the bitter oak char. Which prevents either element from unbalancing the mix.

    Foursquare Magisterium rum review by the fat rum pirateBeneath this we have an array of rich dark fruits – almost like a Black Forest Gateaux filling.

    The rum is more intense and less sweet than the nose suggested. The mid palate takes on an intense oak and dry astringency. Lifted by notes of dark chocolate and those dark fruits. There are hints of leather and a little shoe polish from time to time.

    The finish on Foursquare Magisterium is quite dry and again exhibits a fair amount of oak. It is long and very satisfying with a very lip smacking flavour!

    This is a another great entry into the Exceptional Cask Series. I have really enjoyed re-acquainting myself with a Foursquare rum as I haven’t had one for a while.

    Still producing really good stuff and still upping the ante in terms of tropical ageing.

     

     

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