That Boutique-y Rum Company Foursquare Distillery Barbados. I’m not at all surprised to see an offering from Foursquare Distillery making an appearance as part of That Boutique-y Rum Company’s line up. You see UK Brand Ambassador for Foursquare and Doorly’s Rum is none other than Peter Holland, who works with That Boutique-y Rum Company as a consultant.

Now there have been a number of “distillery” releases from Foursquare this year but the number of Independently bottled rums from Foursquare has also kept up a steady pace. To be honest I have stuck mainly to the distillery releases this year, such is their quality.

However, this bottling might pique the interest of a few Foursquare stalwarts. You see this is the oldest rum which has been sent to European Rum Brokers for additional maturation. This particular blend of Pot and Column distilled rum was aged for 11 years in Barbados before being sent to Europe. That Boutique-y Rum Company merely re-casked this rum into an ex-bourbon barrel in 2017 for an additional year of ageing. The rum has been aged entirely in just ex-bourbon barrels. So on the face of things we should have a rum similar to the 2004,2005 and 2007 Foursquare Distillery releases. This rum is a November 2005 vintage to be exact. It is 12 years old as it was botld in 2018.

The rum has been bottled as Cask Strength of 53.7% ABV and has been put in a very quirky 50cl bottle, boasting a label that features various seemingly unconnected things, like a specific number of a specific variety of birds, some tasty crisps and a character from a popular television series. What could it all mean…?

It retails exclusively at our friends over at Master of Malt for £64.95. On release of this, their first batch there were 521 bottles available. I doubt very many are left now. So you might need to be quick to get this one. I’ve moved quickly to push this up the review schedule.

In the glass we have a classic golden brown aged rum, with an orange/yellow tinge around the edges. Nosing the rum is familiar and reassuringly good! Classic notes of Vanilla, coconut, hazelnuts and pecans. Followed up by sweet notes of blackcurrant and a nice warming balance of oak and spices.

It has a great balance to it and such a good harmony and integration. At 53.7% it doesn’t have many boozy edges and feels just about perfect.

Sipped, the rum is a bit more spicy than I was expecting from the nose. Not quite as nutty initially. With further sips it all calms down and we are left sipping a very nicely balanced drop of rum.

Whilst the initial entry isn’t overly boozy it is quite hot and has a slightly bitter edge to it, this quickly moves over with the vanilla and coconut taking over. The pecans come back into play as well. There is a touch of raisin and blackcurrant and some traces of cinnamon.

As a sipper it is complex and rewarding and is definitely a rum which you will savour and spend time with in your glass. I like to have a glass alongside a rum and cola to sip on every now and then. It has a nice boozy rummy kick at 53.7% ABV but its balance makes it easy to sip.

The finish is very rich and warming with lots of double cream and hazlenuts. We are then presented with a rich array of spices which cling to the tastebuds making for a very long and very pleasant finish.

This rum will come as no surprise to anyone who has tried a Foursquare blend of Pot and Column distilled rum aged entirely in ex-bourbon casks. As a rum it is very good but it is slightly more expensive than the official distillery releases. So you have to take that into consideration. You are paying for the fact only 521 bottles will ever exist.

There is no surprise or any doubt in my mind just how good a rum this is. If you are a Foursquare nut then go get yourself a bottle. While you still can…..