Overview
Brand: Foursquare, Private Cask Selection series
Origin: Foursquare, St. Philip, Barbados (picked by LCBO)
Still: Pot & Column Blend
Age: 12 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon & ex-Sherry
ABV: 48%
Today's review looks at a rum from Foursquare's Private Cask Selection, a series similar to the Exceptional Cask Selection. Private Cask Selections are made– as the name implies– for private parties such as retailers and distributors. In this case, the second installment of the Dominion Series is an exclusive bottling for Canada, specifically the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.
Dominion Series Edition No. 2 is a blend of pot & column still rum that was distilled at Foursquare in St. Philip, Barbados. This rum was matured for 12 years in a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, before being bottled at 48% ABV.
Appearance
Orange-brown, low viscosity
Nose
Candied orange peels, rotting red grapes, strawberry tart, soy sauce, vanilla, raspberry jam
Palate
Vanilla pudding, strawberry tart, red plums, raspberry jam, butterscotch, cough syrup
Finish
Medium-long, fruity, musty; strawberry milk, stewed raspberries, vanilla, butterscotch, cinnamon
Rating: 6/10
Summary
Dominion Series No. 2 is a solid Foursquare that's just plain enjoyable. It doesn't push the boundaries of what the distillery is capable of, but it's a solid rum that's got a little something more than the basic offerings.
The sherry cask maturation brings forth notes like strawberry tart, red plums, raspberry jam, and even some umami in the form of soy sauce. The nose evokes other sherry cask Foursquares, but the palate is less complex than others, perhaps due to the lower ABV.
While not groundbreaking, Dominion Series No. 2 is an enjoyable expression from Foursquare, that doesn't really need a lot of thought put into enjoying it.