Foursquare Port Cask Finish

A really straightforward bottle design, typical for the distillery, with a lot of details on the contents. It lists age, wood types, the specific blend, and when it was bottled. All excellent information. You'd expect this kind of label from a scientist running a distillery. Also, it has a screw cap! And I'm saying that's a good thing! A rare and welcome change. Color: Bronze. I believe this has had very little filtration, as the glass shows some cloudiness and I can see particles in the bottle. Light filtration is a positive. Light filtration means maximum flavor. Smell: Subtle fruit sweetness. It doesn't overpower with brown sugar or molasses. It has a very pleasant sweetness supported by many tropical fruits. No sugar was added, so you're smelling exactly what was distilled and aged. It's much less pronounced than most rums I encounter. Taste: How can I phrase this best... It's not excessively sweet, and much of the aroma comes through in the flavor. But as an experience, it tastes like a visit to the islands should feel. Follow me here, but it tastes like everything you'd want from a relaxing trip to a tropical beach. A superb combination of tropical fruit and well-integrated oak, finishing with coconut and banana. Ever eaten banana chips? It has that same kind of finish. This is an excellent rum. The distillery is known for its artisanal approach to spirits, and it truly shows here. Great fruit and oak notes with just the right amount of sweetness. It's not overly processed, sanitized, sweetened, or manipulated. This is what a skillfully made spirit can and should taste like. I'm very eager to try a bottle of the Criterion...

I obtained the Foursquare Distillery Port Cask Finish at the Barbados airport following a hectic adventure with a close friend. I admit, I purchased this bottle based on the label alone, as it sounded intriguing to someone like me, who leans towards whisky. Aged in Bourbon barrels for 3 years and Port barrels for 6 years, this batch was bottled in June 2014. My first impression from nosing is "Hello there, port!" With a couple of hints of roasted coffee and tobacco, this aroma gives way to orange marmalade, eventually settling into spiced raisins. This rum is very smooth and rich. Cola, cinnamon, nutmeg, light pepper, and oak provide a warm embrace as it coats the tongue. When I taste this, its subtle tropical fruit sweetness transports me back to the island. I can recall flashbacks of enjoying fresh coconuts and bananas on the beach. If I close my eyes, I can hear gentle waves lapping the shore. This has a dry, tannic finish that is actually quite pleasing. This is an excellent sipping rum that I would never consider mixing. I highly recommend this to whisky drinkers who appreciate a sweet flavor profile in their spirits. 8.75/10

The aroma is typically rum-like without being overly sweet. The palate presents abundant fruit and minerals upfront, with a light caramel undertone. There are some spices, including cinnamon, but they aren't harsh. Earthy and smoky notes are present but subdued. While it's sufficiently balanced, it's also rather bland and disappointingly weak. A slight bitterness counteracts the sweetness but is too monotonous. A hint of coffee tartness complements chocolate and wood nicely, though the alcohol is still noticeable. Vanilla is present, and the mineral flavor adds a generic fruity note, but it's not particularly exciting. A touch of butterscotch is detectable. It just lacks the punch needed for true enjoyment. It's balanced enough, but despite being an excellent mixer, it's not an engaging spirit to sip on its own. The flavor profile is solid but simply far too muted.

Outstanding. I appreciate this offering, and the influence of the port cask finish truly elevates this already premium rum into a remarkable experience. Exceptionally smooth. Sweet and rich, yet Foursquare does not add sugar. One can detect the ripe, deep fruit notes without any raisiny quality.

A fantastic Rum, sweet, mellow, and among the best I've ever sampled. My preferred rum is consistently whichever Foursquare rum I'm currently drinking. Absolutely superb neat.

Delicious. Sweet (unlike Zacapa, Zaya, Diplomatico which are sugary) and rich, with a woody finish.