Samaroli Barbados Rum Distilled in 2010 TWB Exclusive 15th Anniversary. It’s probably worth me noting at this point that this is a rum from the Foursquare Distillery.

I dare say I probably don’t have to elaborate any further on the subject of Foursquare. If anyone reading this is wondering why, then please type Foursquare into the search function on the site…..All should become quite clear.

For those unfamiliar with Samaroli they are an Independent bottler and importer primarily of Scotch Whisky. However as you can see from this review they also bottle rum. The company was founded by Silvano Samaroli, who sadly passed away in 2017. Further information is contained here in his obituary by ScotchWhisky.com. I could regurgitate some of the information contained in the piece but I think it’s a very nice piece and a great tribute to the man.

I’ve not reviewed a great deal of Samaroli rum over the years. I don’t think I’ve ever bought a bottle. When I have reviewed, like I am today I have done it from a sample.

I don’t have anything against Samaroli or any doubts about the quality of what they bottle. However, most of their offerings of aged Barbados, Guyana and Jamaican rums – which are primarily what I will purchase from Indie bottlers are not Cask Strength.

Samaroli in the main tend to bottle their rums at around the 43-46% ABV mark. Again I don’t really have anything against this but they are also priced quite highly for this kind of ABV. With the amount of Cask Strength offerings both from IB (Independent Bottlers) and OB (Offficial Bottlings) that have come out of the likes of Foursquare, Demerara Distillers, Hampden, Worthy Park etc – I’ve just not got that excited about Samaroli. I like to feel I am getting a good bang for my buck. I’m a stingy Northerner after all.

I digress, so we’ll get back to the rum I have in my glass. What we have is an 11 Year Old rum from Foursquare Distillery. It was distilled in 2010 and bottled in 2011. It has been bottled at a slightly conservative 45% ABV. A Single Cask rum noted as being Cask Number 16. It has been selected by The Whisky Barrel as part of their 15 Year Anniversary celebrations. Only 330 hand numbered bottles have been produced.

As touched upon earlier Samaroli bottles are really cheap – this retails at £120. It is available exclusively from The Whisky Barrel.

There is nothing telling me split between Continental (European) and Tropical ageing with this. It was bottled in Scotland in 2021. I’m not sure when it left Barbados for Europe though.

I make an assumption that this is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rum – as is very much the house style of Foursquare. If it were 100% Pot or Column distilled I am sure it would be noted somewhere. Liikewise I assume it has also been aged in ex-borubon casks as again nothing suggests otherwise……..

Presentation wise we get the 3/4 almost stubby opaque bottle – which is popular amongst Italian bottlers. The label is quite nice but I would prefer a little more information on the liquid. The rear label isn’t hugely useful to be honest. You get a carboard cut out sleeve to house the rum as is often the way with IB’s.

In the glass Samaroli Barbados Rum Distilled in 2010 TWB Exclusive 15th Anniversary is a classic Golden Brown and is very vibrant and shiny (I can’t think of a better way to describe this!).

The nose is full, warm, light and inviting. It’s familiar (I’ve had a fair bit of Foursquare’s output). It’s not as rich and “deep” as some of the recent Cask Strength Foursquare Exceptional Cask series. This is more in keeping with the Doorly’s line up – especially the 5 Year and the XO.

Vanilla, butterscotch, banana bread and some nice warming spicy oak give this is a very pleasant and approachable feel. Easy drinking……….

Very easy drinking…..Taking a sip it’s got a really lovely blend of oak, vanilla, cashew nuts and some heavily buttered white toast. If I was some kind of raging alcoholic, I might refer to this as a Breakfast rum…….

It’s easy going, yet so very well blended and put together it just literally slides down. There isn’t much burn. I’d place it as kind of Foursquare equivalent of Mount Gay’s 1703.

Just a lot better…….

The mid palate becomes slightly gentler with more vanilla, icing sugar and some almonds/cashew nuts. The finish fades out nicely, it’s a decent length and has a nice sharpness to it. Quite Bourbon like with lashings of vanilla and some fresh tasting oak.

With the current trend towards Foursquare and the fact this has been bottled by a famous Whisky bottler, I doubt it will be around long.

I reckon The Whisky Barrel are on to a winner here………….