Foursquare 2005

Deep amber color. Appears viscous on the nose, with notes of vanilla bean, butterscotch, caramel, condensed milk, allspice, freshly ground nutmeg, hints of leather, and faint pineapple. The mouthfeel is very enjoyable, though not quite as rich as some other Foursquare vintages. The palate is incredible and in some ways reminiscent of a fine Sherry-finished whisky. I detect notes of malt and abundant fruit character, with apricots, dried figs, and golden raisins mingling with salted caramel, brown sugar, charred cinnamon stick, and oak, with a subtle hint of cardamom. The finish is long and warm with banana caramelized in brown sugar, baking spices, and charred oak, featuring hints of smoke and black pepper. This is nearly perfect.

The aroma leans more towards industrial than tropical: tennis ball rubber and gasoline. Though there are some dried fruits underneath these top notes. The palate is a dazzling mess of flavors. There's tropical fruits, sugar cane, vanilla extract, confectioners sugar, and fruit leathers. It has an engaging juicy texture with added spice and tannins that dry things out. The finish returns to rubber, taffy, and a splash of gasoline. Adding a bit of water helps to dissipate the initial alcohol heat. Though there's no escaping the warming burn that radiates through your chest.

I received a blind sample from a friend. Glass: Glencairn, rested for 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: A strong vanilla extract note with some banana and peanut shells. Palate: Spicier than expected, with a ginger character. Finish: Long but not hot. The somewhat spicy ginger character lingers. Splash: A few drops of water do not reveal any new flavors. Overall: 7/10 - I'm not really a rum enthusiast, so while this was an enjoyable pour, I get the impression it's primarily intended as a cocktail ingredient rather than for sampling neat.

Nose: Starts with sugarcane, vanilla, nutmeg, and exotic fruits like banana and coconut. Then comes oak and ethanol, but it's not too strong. Taste: Begins sweet, vanilla, and fruity. Transitions to pepper, citrus, and smoke. The finish is pleasantly lengthy with oak, leather, and dehydrated tropical fruits. Intricate but well-balanced. Fans of bourbon will like this rum. The conclusion has a heat comparable to Stagg Jr, while the initial sweetness is akin to Weller 107.

This rum is packed with flavor. It's a potent spirit, but the taste is incredible. On the nose, I detected sweetness and tobacco, but with a little ice, the flavor intensified and the profile reminded me of aged spirits from well-known distilleries, which have a good tobacco and leather aroma.

Nose: For some reason, I detect a significant amount of Sherry here. Rich, dark fruits. A hint of cane sugar comes through. Taste: The cane sugar and coconut/tropical notes blend wonderfully with that Sherry/fruity aroma I perceived. I had an audible reaction to this one. Fantastic.