Foursquare Détente

Rating: 18/23 Nose: After several minutes of aeration, I detect vanilla, caramel, banana (perhaps a hint of orange and pineapple), musty/dusty wood, and spices. It's quite pleasant and much more mature than when initially poured. While not exceptionally complex, the aroma is very rich and inviting, though leaning a bit sweet. Palate: It has a burn, but it's sweet with significant fullness and richness. There's some char that doesn't become overwhelming. The wood is present with a nice musty/dusty quality that integrates well with the char, leading nicely into the vanilla. Caramel adds to the sweetness, but it might be a touch too sweet overall. I notice less banana than anticipated, with more orange peel and some pineapple. There are dry, tannic notes that approach leather at times. I'm having difficulty pinpointing the specific spices, but clove seems to be present. While not the most intricate palate, it offers a good amount of complexity and is packed with flavor. I wish the burn was less intense. Adding water significantly reduces the burn and enhances toasty flavors that lean towards nutty, while also highlighting the barrel aging. I also perceive actual fireworks and hogo. It's notably better with a splash of water, making the chosen proof somewhat surprising. However, being slightly too high in proof is preferable to being too low. Finish: The finish is somewhat numb from the burn, with some bitterness present. A faint sweetness remains, but dryness, astringency, and bitterness dominate. - Conclusion - This is a fantastic rum. It doesn't blow me away, but it's a highly enjoyable sipper that isn't excessively priced. I did prefer the Foursquare Premise, which was considerably less expensive when I acquired it. If this were a bourbon, I'd estimate it to be a blend of expressions aged between 4 and 10 years, poured from the neck. With aeration, the youthful characteristics recede considerably. After careful consideration and comparison, I find this to be a delightful rum. I estimate its rating to be between 18 and 19. I considered a 17, but believe this is superior. I'm settling on 18.

I've been focused on bourbon recently and wanted a change. Last summer, after several recommendations from others, I began exploring sipping rums (because I needed more alcohol) and developed a fondness for Doorley's 12 year rum from the Foursquare distillery. It had lovely brown sugar and butter notes, but it was a bit thin at 40%. Fortunately, Foursquare offers an Exceptional Cask Series (akin to special annual or semi-annual whiskey releases like Booker's or Ardbeg). These are rums that are well-aged, non-chill filtered, undosed, and matured in a variety of casks reminiscent of the old rum trade, such as bourbon, sherry, port, Madeira, etc. This release, Detente, is ten years old and a blend of rums aged in bourbon and port casks. The nose is rich with brown sugar, butter, figs, raisins, and strawberry jam. The port influence carries through to the palate with strong oak and vanilla flavors enveloped in a velvety port texture. The taste doesn't quite reveal the 51% ABV until the finish, where there's a slight surge from that proof, followed by a long, fruity, lingering finish. This is what Angels Envy or Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban aspire to taste like. It's the finest port cask aging I've experienced. This receives high marks. It's a special release from August 2020, but I discovered it lingering on a back shelf at Total Wine. You might still find a bottle nearby, and with warmer weather approaching, you might consider a deviation from your usual whisky routine, as I did. Cheers!

Nose - citrusy molasses, strawberry, grass, salted caramel, pineapple, grape, cherry, floral notes, raspberry, pink lemonade, allspice, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - grassy molasses, strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, white pepper, lemon pith, orange zest, clove, allspice, mint, caramel, cola, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with sweet molasses, jammy red fruit, and citrus flavors. This is the port-finished sibling to the sherried Premise bottling. Both are 10-year-old products, with Detente bottled at a slightly higher 51% ABV. The port influence is prominent. The typical bittersweet Foursquare molasses note is present, but jammy red fruits are dominant on the nose and palate of this one. Strawberry, raspberry, and cherry, even hints of pink lemonade, are easily identified. Overall, this is a delicious rum, but like Premise, it's not my preferred Foursquare profile. It's sweeter than their more traditional offerings, though certainly not as cloying as additive-laced rums can be. At $75 a bottle, I find it to be a solid value. However, I will continue to save my money for the older, exclusively ex-bourbon bottlings, as they generally suit my taste better. Another big thank you to a friend for the generous sample!

Similar to the Sagacity, it's quite spicy; I preferred it with a little water, which enhanced its sweeter qualities. It's rich, oily, and jammy, featuring berries, oak, baking spices, vanilla, caramel, and tropical fruits. It's also very well-balanced. I would happily purchase a full bottle. Both this and the Sagacity are excellent. I slightly favor this one. Thank you to a friend for the sample.

It smells sour, possibly from the port cask. Beneath that, I can detect brown sugar notes. The taste also feels a bit sour (dry?) and slightly bitter. Then it transitions into a long fruity finish. It's definitely one of the most complex and enjoyable rums I've tasted to date.

Kind of cherry, very sweet with a full flavor that really hits you. It has a mild oak or woody flavor from aging. This is really exceptionally made. It has a hint of caramel, maybe from the sugar sweetness. But hands down, it's a great time to enjoy this with friends 💜