Bardstown Bourbon Co. Foursquare Rum Finish

Tasted great in a glencairn after letting it sit for over 30 minutes, though it was fine neat. Smell - brown sugar, maple, caramel, has a light tropical hint of citrus and banana, oak, a little bit of cinnamon. For experienced whiskey drinkers, you can tell a certain distillery is present but it's subtle. Taste - brown sugar, maple, and caramel, a decent amount of barrel char/oak, I pick up hints of the rum, molasses, light almond and banana, the middle of the taste goes to pepper and baking spice, get hints of the sweetness but this is very much a rye-forward pour. Again, the specific distillery shows up but extremely lightly. Aftertaste - spice lingers with pepper and cinnamon, oak, leather, hints of the brown sugar and molasses remain. The finish is moderately long. This improved as I drank it. It's well-balanced, has good flavor, a little complexity, but the flavors aren't intense. There’s a fair amount of spice, but for 107 proof, I thought this drank pretty easily. I enjoyed the finish on this more than I have many others; it's slightly drying, but you can tell the rum is still present. The specific rye is good, but it’s the dominant component in this one. I would have preferred to see this blend use the specific high rye bourbon instead of the rye. I'm guessing the idea was that the bourbon with the rum would have been too sweet, and the rye balances it out, but I personally would have liked to see the sweetness increased a bit. It's good, and I'm not sure what else on the market you'd find with this kind of rum influence, especially considering this is a really good rum. With these collaboration series, prices are often $130+. This would be a borderline try-before-you-buy or an outright purchase. Looking forward to seeing how this opens up.

This spirit is a mix of 90% 7-year-old Indiana rye and 10% 17-year-old Tennessee bourbon, aged further in Foursquare rum barrels and bottled at 53.5% ABV. It costs approximately $150. I've sampled more from this brand and rum distillery than any other, and have never been disappointed by either. Combining them naturally results in a quality product. Since the blend is primarily 7-year-old Indiana rye, you might feel you're paying too much, but a high price can be justified when something excels; this is the finest rum-influenced bourbon/rye I've ever had, offering a perfect fusion of American and Caribbean styles. The baking spices and vanilla from the American side complement the molasses, dark fruits, and lightly roasted coffee from the Caribbean. The small addition of older bourbon supports a spicy conclusion with a lingering leathery, oaky note. This seems like a logical step from the popular ex-bourbon aged Foursquare rums in their Exceptional Cask series towards the bourbon/rye profile. It's an ideal gift for someone who loves rum nearly as much as they love bourbon and rye. The base blend isn't remarkable, but the value comes from the expertly applied influence of a high-quality rum finish in this release.

It was quite easy to approach. I decided to share it with family over Memorial Day weekend, and it was a straightforward drink to enjoy. With a single ice cube, the rich sweetness of the rum is immediately apparent both in aroma and taste. I appreciated this, as I was seeking something with more pronounced flavor without the intensity of something like Bookers. In retrospect, it's surprisingly similar to one of my favorites, Woodford Double Oaked, but with a rum-forward character. Many bourbons are now priced as if they're allocated, but this was worth the cost due to sharing with family and trying something new. As a general fan of this brand, I was surprised.

An excellent bottle, providing one of the best rum finishes I've experienced. Initially, it presents typical bourbon characteristics like vanilla and caramel sweetness, along with rum barrel funk, spice, and peppery notes. After two weeks, with most of the bottle remaining, the barrel funk has faded. Caramel and burnt brown sugar are now dominant, followed by a smoother, milder spice and pepper. I really enjoy this, and would rate it higher if it were more affordable.

A pleasant blend of molasses, tropical fruit, cherry cola, peaches, nuts, and cinnamon. Smell: Caramel, Marshmallows, Molasses, Bananas, Plums, Milk Chocolate, Cinnamon, Spearmint, Apricots, Cherry Cola, Pineapples Taste: Peaches, Molasses, Plums, Cloves, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Bananas, Marzipan, Almonds, Hazelnuts Aftertaste: Peaches, Molasses, Cinnamon, Cherry Cola, Bananas, Honey, Toasted Walnuts, Hazelnuts

I've heard and read great things about this brand; I've tried a few things like Disco 11, but this is the only one I own. The nose shows some rum characteristics, but for me, the palate is where this truly shone. The notes of tobacco and leather reminded me of some Foursquare ECS releases. The finish is long and peppery. I really like this one.