The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Doorly's XO Barbados Rum

Doorly's XO Barbados Rum

R.L. Seale and Co. Ltd. · Foursquare Distillery, St. Philip, Barbados

$2886 (43% ABV) proofMinimum 6 Years (ex-Bourbon barrels; finished in Oloroso sherry casks)Bridgetown, Barbados — the island that has been producing rum for centuries and arguably still makes some of the world's finest, where the Foursquare Distillery quietly bottles one of the most underrated rums on the planet under the Doorly's label.
Doorly's XO is the insider's choice from Foursquare — the same distillery, the same master blender, the same dedication, at a price that makes you wonder if the industry has got its pricing backwards. It outperforms rums at twice its cost and rewards anyone patient enough to nose it properly before sipping. This is the rum that converts whisky drinkers. Serve neat or over a single large cube, take your time, and don't be surprised when you reach for a second glass.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Elegant and inviting — vanilla, dried fruit, baking spices, toffee, a whisper of tropical fruit, faint oak

Palate

Beautifully balanced — toffee, vanilla cream, dried fruit, gentle oak spice, a touch of citrus, light molasses sweetness that never overwhelms

Finish

Smooth and medium-long with lingering toffee, vanilla, and a gentle dry spice note

Specifications
Base Ingredient
Molasses
Distillation
Blend of pot still and column still distillates
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Cocktail — The Bajan Daiquiri: 2 oz Doorly's XO · ¾ oz fresh lime juice · ½ oz simple syrup. Shake hard with ice, double-strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish — let the rum speak for itself.

Food Pairing

Pair with: Crème brûlée with caramelised orange — the toffee and vanilla in the rum trace every note of the dessert.

Train These Aromas
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