Overview
Brand: Foursquare, Exceptional Cask Selection series
Origin: Foursquare, St. Philip, Barbados
Still: Pot & Column Blend
Age: 10 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon & ex-Sherry
ABV: 46%
With this review, I come to my last Foursquare Exceptional Cask Selection bottling left to review (for now). It also happened to work out that this is the earliest edition of the series that I own.
Foursquare Premise (defined as "a previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion") is Mark VIII in the ECS series, and the first to feature ex-Sherry cask maturation.
It is a blend of pot and column still rums that were distilled in 2008 at Foursquare in St. Philip, Barbados, which were blended before casking. The rum spent 3 years in ex-Bourbon casks, before being transferred to ex-Sherry casks for 7 years, bringing the age statement, in total, to 7 years.
Premise was released from its casks in January 2018, and subsequently bottled at 43% ABV.
Appearance
Amber, low viscosity
Nose
Vanilla, old leather, medjool dates, candied orange peel, balsamic vinegar, butterscotch
Palate
Dates, Smarties candy, vanilla, strawberry syrup, butterscotch, rotting plums
Finish
Medium-length, fruity, musty; butterscotch, light cream, mushy strawberries, overripe raspberries
Rating: 7/10
Summary
Premise is a great rum that does a lot with a relatively lower proof than what's expected of modern ECS releases. The sherry cask maturation provides a lot of notes of rancio and red fruits, while pairing well with the Foursquare notes.
Old leather, vanilla, dates, and candied orange peel lead the nose, with balsamic vinegar and butterscotch coming in subsequent sniffs. The dates, vanilla, and butterscotch are on display in the palate, joined by strawberry syrup and rotting plums. The fruity and musty finish brings more of the same, with a light creaminess to it, along with rotting strawberries and raspberries.
This is beautifully crafted, and really works well as a 92 proof expression. This is among my favorite of Foursquare's sherry cask releases, which have comprised of several ECS, private cask, and Velier releases in the past few years.