After Foursquare 2004, Foursquare 2005, and Foursquare 2007, here comes Foursquare Cask Strength 2008!
The principle is always the same, only the vintage changes, and that's a big step, because each vintage has its own character.
As with the other years, this is a blend of column and pot still rums. Aged in ex-bourbon casks for 12 years, it is bottled without reduction (i.e., without adding water).
Nico's tasting notes
The nose shows impressive concentration, with a striking flight of solvent. This first approach is poignant, revealing an intense, vibrant rum that we can't wait to find out what it has to say. At the start of the response, the American oak barrel details beautiful notes of coconut and vanilla.
Aeration immediately reveals a delightful roundness. Nuts are rich, fatty, just toasted and gently caramelized. Vanilla and coconut are more prominent than ever, now diluted in sweet milk.
On the palate, the power is straightforward and clean, with a hint of pepper. The rum is radiant, warming the palate in a generous burst. The wood is dry in the first moments, and shows its most toasted side. The coconut and vanilla flavors take over, but remain taut.
The finish is quite light all in all, and the spices swarm gently on the palate.
"A clean, precise vintage, less greedy than its predecessors, which will appeal to lovers of straight, dry rums..."
The previous vintage, Foursquare 2007, also displays concentrated solvent notes, but less intensely. The nose is fuller and more indulgent. On the palate, it's also rounder and warmer. It is less clean and precise, less taut than the 2008.
