Dràm Mòr Foursquare Single Cask Rum

Dram Mor, the Scottish independent bottler, selected this single cask of Foursquare, the benchmark Barbados distillery run by Richard Seale on a double-retort pot and twin-column Coffey with a strict no-additives stance. Drawn as a single cask and bottled unsweetened at a robust 60.9 percent, this 13 year old presents the distillery in full-proof, no-frills form.

Matured from molasses in ex-bourbon oak, it leads with an alcoholic lift over molasses, wood and vanilla on the nose, then wood, spice, vanilla and coconut on the palate, finishing on chocolate, vanilla and warmth. The profile is direct and oak-forward, the high proof bringing real heat that a splash of water helps to settle. This is a straightforward, sturdy Foursquare that puts wood and spice front and centre, a good cask-strength pour for those who take their Barbados rum unsweetened and full strength.