Foursquare Penultimus
I picked up this bottle of Foursquare Penultimus out of curiosity about the influence a Moscatel cask finish would have, but also because it marks the beginning of the end for the Exceptional Cask Selection range. I’ve tasted a lot of the ECS releases, although only have a handful in my collection. With Penultimus quite literally meaning “second to last”, this felt like one worth treating myself to.
Foursquare needs very little introduction. Under the stewardship of Richard Seale, the Barbados distillery has become one of the most respected names in rum; and the Exceptional Cask Selection range has played a major role in that reputation, showcasing different cask maturations while remaining unmistakably Foursquare. Penultimus continues that story with the distillery’s first use of Moscatel wine casks in the ECS series.
Facts & Figures.
ABV: 57%
Country: Barbados
Age: 15 years
Cask: Ex-Bourbon and ex-Moscatel
Still: Pot & Column
Price: £100
Distillery: Foursquare Rum Distillery
On the nose.
Straight off the bat, I get dark chocolate and very juicy raisins that make for a dark, fruity profile. There’s also a lovely coconut freshness. This has an interestingly dry profile despite an element of sweetness and I’m very intrigued going into the tasting.
On the palate.
The first thing that caught my attention were the tannins that give this a rather warm and thick (chewy) profile that coats the mouth. Jammy fruits (plums, blackberries, black cherries), very old wood offering a lot of spiciness, and a slice of lemon in earl grey tea are all balanced beautifully. The finish is pretty long with oak, leather and more chocolate/cherries. Overall, a very rich profile with the spices and high ABV working together well without being too overpowering.
I added 2-3 drops of water to this to see what the impact would be and found it adds a bit more of a tongue tingle while simultaneously softening the oak influence. The cherry and chocolate remain with the lemon coming through more towards the finish in a much sharper (almost sherbet-like) way. Earl grey tea remains consistent.
8/10 – Foursquare have a reputation for delivering excellent rums and this is no exception.
My scoring system, explained
- 10: Exceptional. This is best in class and a firm favourite of mine.
- 9: Outstanding. Near perfection, a bottle I would be sad to finish (and very happy to restock!)
- 8: Excellent. An evening spent sipping this would be a very good one.
- 7: Great. Add to cart, no questions asked.
- 6: Very good. At the right price I would definitely buy a bottle.
- 5: Good. If someone poured me a glass you wouldn’t hear me complain.
- 4: Above average. Not quite good but better than some.
- 3: Average. Average at best, this isn’t offensive but equally not exciting either.
- 2: Not for me. This simply means it’s not a profile I find enjoyable; rather than a reflection of quality.
- 1: Not the spirit. This is a poor representation of the spirit.
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