Foursquare 2008 Principia Velier 9-Year

Here we have a Foursquare with double-aging. Matured for 3 years in bourbon and 6 years in olorosso (sherry). At the time of the tasting, I hadn't looked how the Principa was aged and accordingly didn't know anything about it, as I only had a sample.

Smell: First of all, I have a balanced Foursquare on my nose, but it develops rougher and more earthy over time. I notice a lot of red dried fruits, burnt sugar, dark wood aromas. I have a strong smell of plums, cherries, pomegranate. The typical hazelnut is also included, which I always find at Foursquare. The whole aroma package is beautifully tangled. There is also light bourbon wood with vanilla. I would estimate the rum is 10 years old. Otherwise the wood would be darker.
A quick look at the label says three years in bourbon and six in sherry casks.
The sherry barrel is present and the red fruits also come out nicely. The red rubber rings are also present, which I always notice when sherry is aging is involved. Deeper in the glass it is also earthy and the bourbon barrel flavors become more and more dominant over time. It is very reminiscent of Empery. I would consider it the equivalent that I can only reproduce the Empery from memory. It doesn't look very elegant or refined, this is not one of the best Velier bottlings.

Taste: It starts sweet with burnt sugar, dried fruits (the red fruits are also included) and with a lot of bitter substances from many tannins. With only 9 years, I have to say that it has already got a lot of tannins. It rapidly increases in spice, becomes dry (this makes the earthy aromas even more present), pricks the tongue with hundreds of needles and develops a light bourbon wooden barrel aroma with lots of vanilla. The wood is young and fresh, not old and mature. It stays that way for quite a while before it turns into the finish. As soon as the heat subsides, you can taste the diluted burned sugar and the sherry flavors in form of red rubber rings really come through. Many red dried fruits follow. Cherries, pomegranate in combination with burnt sugar, the red rubber rings

Aftertaste: cherries, red rubber rings, light wood, vanilla

Conclusion: He was able to hold back in the smell, but on the palate he clearly showed what a bully he is. The sharpness is very pronounced, you have to endure that. The sherry finish was much more present on the nose than on the palate. With all the light wood, it seems quite young. This is not a rum that I would spend more than € 100 on. I would mature it in cognack barrels at least two years to make it smoother and to take away the spice.

Overall rating: 85 points

Sweetness: 2/5
Fruit: 3/5
Sharpness: 4/5
PL (200 €): 2/5

Really really a top rum.
Probably not for beginners but you can’t expect much more from a rum.
The nose is divine and the length is never ending.
Probably the palate has room for improvement (for my taste) but really one of the best out there

Here's another killer Foursquare with a nice sherry finish.

On the nose there is plum, strawberry jam, cherry, vanilla, raisin, orange zest, kiwi, nutmeg, slightly overripe strawberry and blackberry.

The palate is super creamy, plum jam, some sourness. With water the creaminess drops of a bit, and I get strawberry compote.

We have a medium-long finish here, packed with oak, ginger, cream and pepper. The finish is mouth-coating at full strength. I'd recommend skipping the water on this one; it's better at cask strength.

Fabulous rum!

Tried Principia and Patrimonio and it was one of the best rum I have tried. Looking forward to try more of the Foursquare Rums.

Great offering with very good flavors. Wish it was and ECS offering as opposed to Velier due to availability in the US.

După cum spuneam, probabil cel mai bun rom din lume.. Inca nu am gustat Destino :))

A Velier and Richard Seale collaboration that is very special. A single blended rum distilled in 2008 then a double maturation of 3 years in ex bourbon casks plus a further 6 years in ex sherry casks..
Bottled at 62% , it should raise a few pulses !
A chewy full bodied rum with tons of stone fruit sherry taste notes. Really fills the whole mouth with a long , long finish. Wonderful aftertaste..
If there was a slight criticism , maybe a year or two more in the bourbon and less in the sherry ? But an amazing rum overall.

Жаренный сахар,кожа и сухофрукты...лак,апельсин,жаренные орешки и карамель...полированная мебель и табак...слива и нотка чёрного шоколада(22)
Мощный,пряный,сухой...сухофрукты и кожа...дерево(22)
Финиш сухой и пряный,много кожи...грецкий орех...ментол...вязкий дуб и кислый табак(22)
Баланс(22)
Хересный монстрик(88)
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Had this in Barbados and it was lovely as all Foursquare rums are.

Full body, very fruity balanced rum
Quite high in alcohol, so not for the novice rhum drinker