Alright, by popular demand—by which I mean that one person put in a request—let’s do a week of rum reviews. It’s been a year and a half since my last rum review and two and a half since my last review of a rum from the great Barbados distillery, Foursquare. Well, all of this week’s reviews will be of rums from Foursquare. Once upon a time, not so very many years ago, Foursquare was a very good value proposition but now prices for most of their releases have crept up quite a bit and the releases have become harder and harder to find—at least in Minnesota.

First up, I have for you a 12 yo released for the LCBO in Canada (the other reviews this week will also be of store picks). It’s a mix of rum matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks (the last one I reviewed was from ex-bourbon and madeira). Let’s get right to it.

Foursquare 12 (48%; for the LCBO; ex-bourbon and sherry casks; from a bottle split)

Nose: Brown sugar, light caramel, a bit of orange peel, butterscotch. With time the light caramel and butterscotch merge into toffee and the oak becomes a little more evident (toasted; not offensive). With a couple of drops of water the toffee expands and is joined by some black tea; a little more herbal too now (sage, oregano).

Palate: As indicated by the nose, with the caramel in the lead. A very good drinking strength; rich texture. Continues in this vein on the next few sips and then the oak pops out here as well, bringing spicier notes with it. More oak with water and it becomes brighter on the whole.

Finish: Medium. Develops as on the palate with time and water.

Comments: No fireworks here; it’s just solid, perfectly-balanced dark rum, almost definitionally so. I preferred it neat.

Rating: 84 points.