N. Kröger Foursquare Wagemut Home Base 2022

This Home Base bottling comes from German label N. Kroger's Wagemut line and goes to Foursquare, the additive-free St Philip distillery in Barbados. Aged just over 10 years and given a roughly three-month Madeira finish, it was bottled at cask strength, 54.7%, with no added sugar, a value-minded twist on the house style.

The Foursquare pot and column blend provides the familiar Bajan backbone of vanilla, caramel and spice, while the Madeira cask pushes a fruity, sweet-wine edge of grape, apple and cherry to the front. The aroma carries fruit, vanilla and a sherry-like richness, the palate turns woody and fruity with caramel sweetness, and the finish stays roasted and spiced with dark chocolate. The house spiciness sits a touch behind the fruit here, giving a wilder, rounder reading of Foursquare. Unsweetened and lively at full strength, it offers genuine character for the price, with a little heat to match.