Foursquare 2008 Exceptional Cask Rum (포스퀘어 2008 익셉셔널 캐스크 럼)

“This vintage installment in the Foursquare ECS line gave us strong notes of vanilla and oak, with subtler hints of allspice, coffee, ginger, and cinnamon. It's fair to say that the 2008 gets a lot of love... On the nose, you get the classic Foursquare one-two punch of vanilla and oak, supported by an underlying sweetness and warmth. On the palate more pronounced spice notes enter the mix: ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. The woodier flavors are very well integrated; it's oaky, but it's not over-oaked. On a second sip you might notice some subtle coffee, caramel and coconut flavors and maybe even a hint of salinity. The finish really indexes on the ginger and cinnamon notes, backed by the main chorus of oak and vanilla. You may also catch a slight note of leather—less new car, more old leather rucksack.”

“2008 is another great entry in the Exceptional Cask Series' array of vintages. It's got a big fruit constituency in its profile, while also a heap of savory notes like pastry dough and dark chocolate. The fruit is a bit more pronounced in 2008 than other ex-Bourbon ECS releases, and adds some appreciated complexity to the typical Foursquare notes. Ultimately, this hits all the highlights, but doesn't quite set itself apart. It's a delicious rum you can't go wrong with...”

“Nosing Foursquare Rum Distilllery 2008 is a familiar experience... The nose is vibrant – with lots of oak spice, bourbon-esque notes and lashings of vanilla, coconut and ginger... Sipping Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008 is an equally pleasant experience. The mouthfeel is a little oilier, with more body than I recall from the previous releases... The mid palate develops into notes of red wine, cherries and some juicy raisins. There is a light vanilla and some toasted marshmallows overseeing the move from initial sip to mid palate. It is both sweet and savoury with notes of tobacco, leather and touch of cocoa.”