St. Nicholas Abbey Foursquare 12 Years old

This Barbados rum was produced by Foursquare for the boutique St Nicholas Abbey estate, which revived rum-making at its 1658 Jacobean great house in 2006 but, in its early years, sourced aged stock from Foursquare. The result is a single cask aged 12 years, bottled unsweetened at a gentle 40%.

The pot-and-column Foursquare distillate, matured in ex-bourbon oak, gives a pure and elegant profile of vanilla, caramel, coconut and soft fruit, with a quiet touch of smoke, raisin and dark chocolate on the finish. The palate is balanced and woody without weight, the kind of refined, easygoing Barbados rum that drinks beautifully neat on a relaxed evening. The low strength means it leans gentle rather than powerful, but the character and fruit are there. A fine introduction to elegant Bajan rum and a softer counterpoint to the cask-strength Foursquare releases.