Thursday, April 14, 2022

Foursquare, Stolen Overproof Hampden, St Lucia; Rums? Rums!

I’ve asked for interesting samples from friend Charu… I got interesting samples from friend Charu. This time tons of random rum. Not the bottom shelf kind either. As with most Malternative reviews, my palate is not trained for it so I’m mostly judging it compared to whiskey. Previously from friend Charu: https://www.aerin.or … y:entry210317-202914

Foursquare Plenipotenziario 12, Velier Bottled 60%
A 12 year old blend from Foursquare, bottled by Velier. That nose is just dark molasses, and near-burnt sugar. So good, so deep, almost wood stain funky. Quite hot on the palate with 60% abv, tons of wood, sugars, leather, more of that toasted sugar bitter note too. Long aftertaste slightly bitter with deliciously burnt sugar and tons of toasted vanilla with baking spices playing the 3r fiddle here. Overall: Really quite tasty if one likes heavily toasted sugar-vanilla mix. Basically creme brulee top layer in liquid form. Possibly, ever so tiny bit too much bitterness on the palate. Value: N/A, though these are rather expensive even at MSRP.
This guy: https://www.masterof … -year-old-2007-wine/
Score: A- /RUM

Foursquare Redoubtable 61%
Another named release from Foursquare. Another blend of column and pot still rums from Foursquare. Typical burnt creme brulee sugar top on the nose. Quite sweet on the palate, with toasted, but not burnt sugar and vanilla notes. The aftertaste is yet again a typical Foursquare with toasted sugar vanilla blend, wood, some baking spices that finishes light and dry. Overall: Sweet and almost light, this drinks under it’s proof, yet just a tad too sweet for me without few darker bitter chocolate notes to back it up. Just a few would do, not enough to reach the bitterness of Plenipotenziario above, but perhaps a mix of the two would hit the right spot for my palate. Value: Circa $100, it’s probably alright considering how highly in demand Foursquare stuff is.
Score: A- /RUM

Stolen Overproof 6 Year Old Rum, Jamaican Rum, 61.5%
A 6 year old product from Hampden estate stills. Another funky nose with almost rubbery notes balanced by sugared vanilla. Nutty sweet palate with more burnt sugars, tons of spice and nearly tropical drink (don’t forget the bitters) quality. The aftertaste finishes with menthols and almost medicinal though a little bit short. Overall: As K&L Folks have mentioned this is a fantastic mixer for tropical drinks though very drinkable on its own if a little ‘funky’ for my palate. This reminds me of some sort of medicine with menthol notes towards the end. Still I’d probably drink this straight at a tropical resort. Or Mai Tai’ed the heck out of it. Value: This is $40? Pretty darn good overall.
Almost Certainly this: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1302807
Score: B /RUM

St Lucia 9 years, 2011 Bitters & Bottles SP, 60.3%
Bitters and Bottles store bottle , distilled in 2011 and 9 years old. Cask number 89308 (if I’m reading the label correctly). CHAIRMAN’S RESERVE 9 YEAR SINGLE CASK 100% SUGARCANE POT STILL RUM is the title. Funky menthol and rubber notes on the nose. Oh, I hope this isn’t another medicinal one. Tons of menthol, alcohol burn, licorice notes galore, this is almost like a bitey metholy rye in rum form. A little bit of water cuts down the burn and makes it a little more palatable. This is still pine resin, tons of menthol and some eucalyptus through and through the palate and the aftertaste. Overall: Not my thing, though I’ve glad I’ve tried it. Few drops of water is heavily recommended. Value: $138.50 I have no clue how to judge it but I’ll for, a little bit on the expensive side.
While it lasts: https://www.bittersa … arcane-pot-still-rum
Score: C- /RUM

St Lucia 11 years, Bitters & Bottles SP, 57.9%
Another Bitters and Bottle store bottle, this time cask number: 5150608 and as of 11 years old. A nice balance of wood, burnt sugar notes and spices. Something dark and tropical appears in between the sniffs on the nose. Still slightly medicinal notes remain. The palate is ginger-cinnamon toasted sugar candy, with some alcohol of course. Little bit of mint comes through but mostly whatever was on the palate continues into the medium length aftertaste. Overall: I am quite enjoying this contrary to the 9 years old one above. It’s got some funk and mint/eucalyptus going on but by no means it’s unpleasant to drink. Kinda like an enjoyable rye whiskey for me, I don’t usually like rye but sometimes the balance is there. Value: At $52.50 this is super solid deal.
This is the link: https://www.bittersa … on-cask-strength-rum
Score: B+ /RUM

Subtle Spirits, Tempest Rum, St Lucia 62.7%
Joshua Thinnes’s single cask pick, 9 year old, 100% Sugarcane, single cask #797082011 by Chairman’s Reserve stills. Lots and lots of wood on the palate, torched sugar, prunes, black raisins. Sweet and almost salty palate, alcoholic dried fruit compote, vanilla-sugar mix torched into bitterness, almost like oversteeped black tea, lots of wood notes with pine needles. Reasonably short but pleasant aftertaste with more dried fruit notes lingering around. Overall: Good but not my thing to be honest. I’ve got some mediocre associations with dried fruit compotes back from my childhood so it’s certainly working against me. As much as I want to like it… it’s not my thing. Honest disclaimer is I’m not too much into St Lucia’s palate balance. Water snaps things together nicely and changes the balance towards good notes. Few drops are highly recommended. Value: This is expensive. No.
Original listing: https://www.subtlesp … com/blog/the-tempest
Score: B (B+ with water) /RUM


Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown