Château du Breuil Foursquare Rum Explorer 2016

Part of Chateau du Breuil's Rum Explorer range, this is a Foursquare from 2016, the dry, additive-free Barbados rum from Richard Seale's St Philip distillery, here finished in cognac casks. Bottled at a soft 41%, it is built for easy drinking rather than intensity, an accessible entry into authentic Bajan rum.

The molasses spirit, blended pot and column in the house style, shows coconut, sweetness, wood and vanilla on the nose, then fruity coconut, vanilla and wood on the palate, with a finish of vanilla, wood, coconut and a molasses edge. The cognac cask adds gentle roundness without dominating. It feels faintly sweet but is certified unsweetened, the impression coming from cask and fruit rather than dosage. An ideal first rum or relaxed casual pour for drinkers easing into real, dry Barbados.