Foursquare ECS XVII 2009

Foursquare ECS XVII 2009 belongs to the ECS range, the limited single blend releases that have made Foursquare a benchmark for aged Caribbean rum. A blend of pot and column still distillate from Barbados, aged twelve years in ex-bourbon oak and bottled at cask strength, 60% and entirely additive free, it is the kind of transparent, full proof rum the distillery is celebrated for.

Richard Seale's strict no sugar, no colour, no flavouring philosophy means everything in the glass comes from spirit and wood. The nose shows vanilla, coconut, oak and tropical fruit, while the palate is woody, spicy and dry with coconut, caramel, dark chocolate and a roasted edge, finishing long, dry and spice driven. This is classic Foursquare turned up to full strength, elegant and balanced underneath but with real intensity, rewarding slow sipping neat or with a few drops of water for those who want pure, unsweetened Barbados rum.