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22 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Went to one of the local spirits show put on by one of the distributors in town and there was the usual vodka, gin and sourced/young whiskies on display. But the highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the Foursquare rums that were there to see if there was an "interest" in bringing to the market.

 

Included were the 9yo Port finished at 40pf (ok), the 11yo Zinfandel finish (5 years bourbon, 6 years zin at 43pf - better) and the 2004 11yo cask strength at 118pf (excellent!).

 

Yes please, bring it into the market!

 

The zinfandel finish cask strength was very whiskey forward (it took a drop or two of water which helped it to open up even more) and one to look for while the Zinfandel finish had some lovely red fruit character and was a bit sweeter (although by no means sweet) although I think it could have really been helped with at least a little more proof.

 

Thanks for sharing. I know rum made at Foursquare is available in the US under other labels, is Foursquare-branded rum (distillery bottlings) not yet available in the US? I was talking to a guy in the rum aisle at the liquor store a few weeks ago and he was raving about a Foursquare rum he bought.

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They have been coming to the US under the Doorly's and RL Seales 10yo label for awhile as you probably know (He also is the source for "The Real McCoy" rum and perhaps others) but I don't think these more limited finished and cask strength selections have gotten much distribution in the US in the past. They started to show up late last year as best I can tell but weren't available in Atlanta until now.

 

They seem to be more common in the UK which I suppose makes sense as Barbados is a former English colony and that is where Seales is from as far as I know. But I think they are beginning to show up more in the US lately. Seems like the DC/Virginia area is where the importer is located but I could be mistaken about that.  

 

Perhaps someone here has a bit more inside knowledge on their US distribution to share? I know Sailor22 is pretty plugged into their rum! He has mentioned an all pot still rum being done by Velier in Europe. Not here that I know of unfortunately.

 

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/33318/foursquare-2004-cask-strength-11-year-old

Edited by tanstaafl2
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Their R.L. Seale and Doorly's as well as Real McCoy (which is a product from a NDP that is 100% Foursquare sourced) are all distributed via Total Wine - The 2004 is via a different distribution stream and is available at most of the usual well stocked on line retailers. 

The pure pot still and the 2006 cognac finished  Veliers Foursquare collaborations are Euro only releases.

 

Richard Seale and his wife live in Barbados - they travel a lot, mostly in service of their brands and other business interests.

 

Foursquare has a Pot Still and a Coffy Still, their products are usually a blend of spirit from each.  Mount Gay has two very large pot stills and a industrial column still, their products are likewise often blends.  If I'm not mistaken only their Mt. Gilboa is all pot still. You probably won't be surprised to learn that the two pot stills are indeed on Mount Gilboa.

 

 

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Went to one of the local spirits show put on by one of the distributors in town and there was the usual vodka, gin and sourced/young whiskies on display. But the highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the Foursquare rums that were there to see if there was an "interest" in bringing to the market.

 

Included were the 9yo Port finished at 40pf (ok), the 11yo Zinfandel finish (5 years bourbon, 6 years zin at 43pf - better) and the 2004 11yo cask strength at 118pf (excellent!).

 

Yes please, bring it into the market!

 

The zinfandel finish cask strength was very whiskey forward (it took a drop or two of water which helped it to open up even more) and one to look for while the Zinfandel finish had some lovely red fruit character and was a bit sweeter (although by no means sweet) although I think it could have really been helped with at least a little more proof.

I picked up the Port finish a month ago and been enjoying a pour a fair number of times after a long day in the yard, sitting by the fire pit at night. I thought that was really nice so might need to look into the 2004 11 year that I originally had passed. Really impressed so far.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 8/25/2016 at 10:43 AM, tanstaafl2 said:

Went to one of the local spirits show put on by one of the distributors in town and there was the usual vodka, gin and sourced/young whiskies on display. But the highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the Foursquare rums that were there to see if there was an "interest" in bringing to the market.

 

Included were the 9yo Port finished at 40pf (ok), the 11yo Zinfandel finish (5 years bourbon, 6 years zin at 43pf - better) and the 2004 11yo cask strength at 118pf (excellent!).

 

Yes please, bring it into the market!

 

The zinfandel finish cask strength was very whiskey forward (it took a drop or two of water which helped it to open up even more) and one to look for while the Zinfandel finish had some lovely red fruit character and was a bit sweeter (although by no means sweet) although I think it could have really been helped with at least a little more proof.

 

The port finished 9yo and 2004 11yo cask strength versions just came in stock at K&L, so I ordered a bottle of the 2004 based on your's and sailor's recommendations. I'm excited to finally try some Foursquare rum!

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  • 2 weeks later...
21 hours ago, MTNBourbon said:

Just might finish this bottle tonight.

That good? Or just trying to clear shelf space?

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2 hours ago, Kpiz said:

That good? Or just trying to clear shelf space?

Yes. Nice stuff, but I've had better for about the same price.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Been awhile, one of the best/better Rums I've had, not really a rum guy. Well let's say I've only had about 12 different so far. El Dorado Special Reserve (15 Yr. Old) . Very nice sweetness, cherries, I really like the color, nice vanilla scent, pretty complex.

IMG_0313_zpsm4tmvcuo.jpg

 

Edited by MTNBourbon
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  • 3 months later...

Just a heads up that Astor has 15% off all rum today. I'm currently contemplating my purchases and will report back shortly. Under consideration are the following (feedback welcome, though I may have already pulled the trigger by the time anyone responds):

  • Duncan Taylor Caroni 16yr Old Rum - 1997
  • Duncan Taylor Bellevue 14 Yr. Single Cask Rum - 1998
  • Balcones Cask Strength Texas Rum
  • Smooth Ambler Revelation Rum
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11 minutes ago, Kpiz said:

Just a heads up that Astor has 15% off all rum today. I'm currently contemplating my purchases and will report back shortly. Under consideration are the following (feedback welcome, though I may have already pulled the trigger by the time anyone responds):

  • Duncan Taylor Caroni 16yr Old Rum - 1997
  • Duncan Taylor Bellevue 14 Yr. Single Cask Rum - 1998
  • Balcones Cask Strength Texas Rum
  • Smooth Ambler Revelation Rum

 

I have the DT Bellevue and the SA Revelation and I like them both! The Caroni might be worth a shot. Never tried the Balcones.

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4 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

 

I have the DT Bellevue and the SA Revelation and I like them both! The Caroni might be worth a shot. Never tried the Balcones.

 

Thank you much! I think you actually posted some positive notes about that DT Bellevue several months back so I'm looking forward to that one. I was trying to limit myself to two bottles but shipping for four bottles is only $5 more...

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1 hour ago, sailor22 said:

I picked up the Rhum JM 15yr and the Duncan Taylor 10yr Dillon.

 

I was looking at those as well. I'm intrigued by the Dillon as I don't know much about the distillery besides that it's in Martinique - do they have distillery bottlings that are available in the US?

 

I ended up buying the DT Caroni, the DT Bellevue, and two bottles of the Smooth Ambler Revelation. I was VERY tempted by the Balcones rum but just couldn't bring myself to buy it for some reason.

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2 hours ago, Kpiz said:

 

I was looking at those as well. I'm intrigued by the Dillon as I don't know much about the distillery besides that it's in Martinique - do they have distillery bottlings that are available in the US?

 

I ended up buying the DT Caroni, the DT Bellevue, and two bottles of the Smooth Ambler Revelation. I was VERY tempted by the Balcones rum but just couldn't bring myself to buy it for some reason.

 

Dillon is now made (and owned?) by Depaz. I am not sure when they stopped making their own distillate. Mid 2000's perhaps. So it is possible that the DT Dillon could be from the original, now closed, distillery since it was distilled in 2002. They do have a big store and museum in Fort De France in Martinique where the distillery used to be that is called Dillon.

 

Dillon also made some standard "non-agricole" rum, quite possibly with imported molasses. so there is no assurance that this was agricole in the first place.

 

Pretty pricey for a 10yo even with a discount! I hope Steve will share some notes once he opens it.

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Looks like Depaz, Dillon and Saint James are all owned by a French Group called Bardinet La Martiniquaise as well as a couple in Guadeloupe including one on Marie Galant (Bellevue, the one I did not get to visit)). Like everywhere else there seems to be some significant consolidation going on.

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Thank you for the additional info and history. I did not realize that Dillon is a closed distillery nor that all those distilleries/brands are owned by a larger parent corporation. I figured that many of the rum producers remained independent, but as you said, the trend of consolidation is not exclusive to whiskey. 

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14 minutes ago, Kpiz said:

Thank you for the additional info and history. I did not realize that Dillon is a closed distillery nor that all those distilleries/brands are owned by a larger parent corporation. I figured that many of the rum producers remained independent, but as you said, the trend of consolidation is not exclusive to whiskey. 

 

A few are still independent but they seem to increasingly be the exception and not the rule. Rhum JM, Clement and the one active distillery on St. Lucia are all owned by Groupe Bernard Hayout as was discussed in these threads a while back. Neisson, La Favorite (maybe La Mauny?) on Martinique and Poisson on Marie Galante are a few I can think of that remain independent family owned businesses.

 

Don't know very much about the Guadeloupe distilleries but they may be a bit more independent as well but aren't generally as well known outside of the local French islands and perhaps France.

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The Dillon called to me because I picked up a Dillon XO awhile back and thought it was good, and a good value.

I have pretty low expectations for the JM just because nothing else from them has impressed. But describing that low a proof as barrel proof is interesting.

Some of the new product coming from French islands has been disappointing - I have a vintage Damoiseau that is has obviously been colored, an HSE and a La Mauny that seem to have been flavored and many La Favorite products contain lots of added sugar. Then there is the Clement vintage 1953 that is the source of much speculation and debate.

Edited by sailor22
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On ‎2‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 4:44 AM, sailor22 said:

The Dillon called to me because I picked up a Dillon XO awhile back and thought it was good, and a good value.

I have pretty low expectations for the JM just because nothing else from them has impressed. But describing that low a proof as barrel proof is interesting.

Some of the new product coming from French islands has been disappointing - I have a vintage Damoiseau that is has obviously been colored, an HSE and a La Mauny that seem to have been flavored and many La Favorite products contain lots of added sugar. Then there is the Clement vintage 1953 that is the source of much speculation and debate.

 

I have often wondered how La Favorite gets away with calling their extra aged bottlings of heavily sugared rhum a rhum agricole or meeting the AOC given the apparent high quantity of sugar they add. Seems like they would be more like an El Dorado 25 than a true agricole! And yet the young agricole they produce doesn't appear to have any sugar added (or very little. If the tests show a low number I am inclined to give the producer the benefit of the doubt).

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I passed on an Exclusive Casks Nicaragua 17 year.  I did a quick Google search and it didn't reveal much about this bottling (e.g. distillery info) or Nicaraguan rum in general.  Anybody got a link to a quick primer on Nicaraguan rum? 

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5 hours ago, garbanzobean said:

I passed on an Exclusive Casks Nicaragua 17 year.  I did a quick Google search and it didn't reveal much about this bottling (e.g. distillery info) or Nicaraguan rum in general.  Anybody got a link to a quick primer on Nicaraguan rum? 

 

The most information I have found about Nicaraguan rum is on the Ministry of Rum website. As far as I can tell, all or nearly all of the aged Nicaraguan rum is coming from Compania Licorera de Nicaragua, aka Flor de Cana. 

 

I put some additional information below beyond what is available in the Ministry of Rum write-up. Much of this information came from a tour I did of the FdC distillery in March of last year.

  • The Flor de Cana distillery is located in Chichigalpa, which is about 30 mins northwest of Leon, on the Pacific side
  • Much or all of the molasses they use comes from cane grown in Nicaragua
  • They utilize column stills to distill to a proof of 190-195, which is essentially cane neutral spirits
    • They tout this as their rums being "pure". To me, however, his gives their rums a harsh taste at younger ages. The FdC7 and even the FdC12 to a lesser extent have a vodka-esque bite to them
  • Before filling barrels, they dilute the spirits down to 160 proof or so
  • Barrels are topped up (combined) each year with rums of the same age. So "single barrel" expressions from independent bottlers may not be what we consider a true single barrel if they purchased it from the distillery after several years of aging.
  • Rums are aged exclusively in ex-bourbon and ex-Tennessee whiskey casks. When walking through the warehouse, I saw mostly barrels from JD and Wild Turkey.
  • Barrels are broken down and re-coopered at the distillery. When reassembling them, they seal cracks with dried sugar cane remnants (I can't remember exactly how they did this) and there may be plantains involved as well
  • They claim to add no sugar to their rums and "prove" this by having everyone in the tour pour some FdC12 on their hands and rub it around. They say that since it dries without leaving a sticky residue, it is sugar free.

Also, K&L bottled under their Faultline label a very nice 15yo Nicaraguan rum at 100 proof for $60. Not sure how the bottle you're considering is priced, but this one is a pretty good deal and a good opportunity to try an unadulterated and higher proof Nicarauan rum. I have one open now and it is a straight-forward but very tasty, whiskey-like rum with hints of molassses.

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If it is from Nicaragua and it is NOT Flor de Cana then you've got something! Just about the only show in town. Or the country in this case.

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