Foursquare Exceptional Cask Selection Mark XXV 'Eminence'
Foursquare · Foursquare Distillery
Richard Seale continues to raise the standard for aged Barbadian rum with each Exceptional Cask release. Eminence delivers the trademark Foursquare balance — power without brutality, complexity without confusion. The 60% ABV demands respect but rewards patience, particularly with a few drops of water that unlock additional layers of fruit and spice.
Nose
Dark toffee and burnt caramel lead, with rich oak and dried stone fruit following closely. Leather and cigar box complexity emerge with time, alongside a warm note of roasted coffee. Despite the proof, the alcohol is well-integrated.
Palate
Full-bodied and commanding, with waves of dark chocolate, molasses, and muscovado sugar. The dual-cask maturation (bourbon and sherry) creates a push-pull between vanilla sweetness and dried fruit richness. Spice builds through the midpalate — cinnamon and clove — with oak tannin providing structure.
Finish
Exceptionally long, with tobacco, espresso, and lingering toffee. The oak is assertive but never astringent, and the proof fades gracefully into warmth.
- Base Ingredient
- Barbadian molasses
- Distillation
- Blend of pot still and twin column still distillates
- Country
- Barbados
Food Pairing
The rum's deep toffee and molasses character mirrors the caramelized dates in classic sticky toffee pudding, while its oak tannin cuts through the butterscotch sauce — a natural pairing that amplifies both dessert and spirit.
Master distiller Richard Seale, a fourth-generation Barbadian rum maker, hand-selects aged pot and column still rums from Foursquare's warehouses in St. Philip Parish for his acclaimed Exceptional Cask Selection series.
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