Bajan rums are highly over rated in my book

Paul, we get it, you don’t like Foursquare. As a relative newbie, I see your point, but since I started a year ago I have consumed over 70 bottles of rum, of a wide variety. I certainly haven’t tried them all, but a representative sample from most types or distillers. Many of my purchases have been because of your recommendations and experience. Most of which I like, some you couldn’t pay me to drink again. Of the rums you have recommended, my favorite is Dictador Insolent. It’s amazing. But it costs 100 euros where I live. Far more than the Foursquare ECS you are complaining about. (Between 60-89 euros) Some of your criteria are purely subjective, such as price. I don’t care what a bottle costs. If I want one, I’ll get one within reason. Also, ready availability near you. That has zero impact on a rums true appeal to others, so to rank a bottle lower just because you can’t get it isn’t really valid, is it? Would the inability to get Havana Club 15 really lower it’s score? I, like many others here respect your opinion but Foursquare Is good rum. Maybe even great rum. It suits me and many others. So do rums from Plantation, even with the sugar. XO is one of my favorite rums thus far. Or the Chairman’s Reserve 1931. An amazing product that I shall continue to explore. I have a bottle of Admiral Rodney. Actually sipping a glass as I write this. It’s good. Maybe even great. Reasonably complex and eminently drinkable. My point is that it’s all personal preference and completely subjective. You have a vast amount of experience and I truly have enjoyed your stories and perspective since I joined, but the constant bashing of Foursquare from you seems out of character and it’s not really helpful to anyone. Why do you care if others enjoy them? Drink what you like, right? Anyway, just struck a nerve and I hope you don’t take offense. Certainly none intended.

Oh Paul, you sure can make your statements! ;-) Actually a lot of Foursquare rums are, from my point of view, really not that expensive but it is a matter of taste as well. For me Barbados is, looking at my repeat purchases, #4 in my list: 1. St. Lucia 2. Cuba 3. Jamaica 4. Barbados St. Lucia is a clear winner but not because of Admiral Rodney; my love goes to the (entire) Chairman's Reserve line-up. Cuba is up there for one of my daily sippers, Mulata Gran Reserva; simple but well made and comforting. Jamaica is still under my investigation but Appleton's Rare Blend 12yo has become indispensible overhere as are a couple of Doorly's expressions (Foursquare) and a few rums from Cockspur and Mount Gay. Panama, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua are still being looked at but none of the rums from any of these countries has been able to seduce me for a repeat purchase yet. Colombia is a contender though because of 'La Hechicera Gran Anejo'.

Immiketoo and Harrie: Sorry if I offended anyone with this, but too much clairin inspired this thread. Two of the three rums from Barbados on my list of repeat purchases happen to be from Foursquare. One is Doorly's XO, which is a fantastic daily sipper that should offend no one. It is a budget rum, but I would still buy it even if it were $100 US. That is how much I love it. The other one is Alleyne Arthur's Special Barbados Rum, which is very cheap. However, my very first bottle of this one created my life long love affair with it. In March of 2019, I was very seriously injured in Las Vegas and refused to get into an ambulance to be taken to a hospital. An entire bottle of this rum in one day served as my much needed pain killer. After 5 days of being stuck in my hotel room and drinking rum every day, I was finally able to walk enough to be able to make it through the airport and fly back home. Thank goodness for all of that rum! As for my third Bajan rum worthy of repeat purchases, it is 896 8-Year, which I like as a tad better than Doorly's XO. As for Cuban rums, I was only lucky enough just once to try Havana Club 7. The damn embargo prevents me from trying any more. As for Chairman's Reserve 1931, I am debating on driving 400 miles to my west to finally get me a bottle, as well as a bottle of La Hechicera Gran Anejo. These have been on my wish list for a long time. However, I am really sick and tired of long drives just for rum running. None can be shipped in to where I live. Crazy alcohol laws!

Don't worry Paul, I am not offended in any way. Besides, I know how you like to make your statements and I like your style though I do not always agree. Driving 400 miles is crazy of course but in the case of Chairman's Reserve 1931....., especially if you can combine it with la Hechicera is maybe not that crazy after all. And when you are at it they might have the Chairman's Reserve Legacy as well. You could discard it as a poor man's 1931 in a way but it is phenomenal, certainly at its price point.

Hey guys, I think it makes anyway no sense to classify the rum in favourite countries or in replaceability. In my case, the taste of rum depends on mood and season, sometimes a strong dry one or a sweet lovely rum fit. That's why mankind produces thousands of different rums. Of course, I have my favourite countries and brands, Savanna from La Réunion, Worthy Park and Long Pond from Jamaica, the whole great shit from Guyana (except El Dorado), Caroni of course, Barbados goods, Martinique stuff, Dictador, and many more. All the unreplaceable single cask and limited editions are the pepper and salt on the rum journey. I usually avoid to buy twice the same rum, too many to choose from and to try ( I don't drink every day) except some mix rum like O.F.T.D. (Cuba Libre), Gosling's (Dark'n'Stormy) or Kraken (with hot apple juice in the winter). So, drink what you like and can afford, your taste will change anyway during your live and rum journey. I have started with the sweet Dom. Rep. O&O rums and thought they are great, now I love the unmatured ester bombs which newbies cannot stand. Everything is in a flow. Cheers mates !!!

Paul, not offended at all. As I’ve said, much respect to you and all your efforts and experience. Just voicing an opinion borne on the few rums I’ve sampled in comparison. I get the whole fanboy aspect associated with certain brands, and it can grate a nerve. I just like to let people enjoy what they love. :)

And how one even measure "overatedness"? Isn't it the same way as saying "my personal opinion greatly differs from the generally accepted one", only hinting that my opinion is where the "objectivity" lies? And since rum assessment is highly subjective, the answer will probably vary greatly from person to person. In my opinion, there is the Old Pascas Barbados rum, which is awful (and imo not even bottled on Barbados), there are rums like Bumbu or Plantation I don't really care about (except OFTD), then there are good rooms like Seale's 10y in that black leather-like bottle or Gunroom which are solid, but I don't like them that much, and then there is Doorly 14y old, Rum Sixtysix and the Real McCoy 12y Special Reserve finished in madeira casks which I consider to be up there with the finest rums ever made I had the luck to taste. So in my book, since it produces some of the best rums I know, the answer is negative, Barbados belongs on the map of the prominent rum producers. But as I have said, it's all highly subjective. The objective fact is that many people buy and drink rum from Barbados. But then again, many people buy and drink stuff like Captain Morgan or Bacardi Silver. Do we have to assume emotional stance towards that fact? We always can, that's for sure.