The newest addition the the Doorly’s range released by Richard Seale from Foursquare Distillery, Barbados. I’ve covered other two Doorly’s last year along with an introduction about the brand and since I am excited to have this in my glass I’ll just leave it here.
The positive feedback that Doorly’s XO and the 12 Year Old received made possible the release of a 14 year old, something I was looking forward since I heard about it last year. The main difference between Doorly’s and most of the other Foursquare releases is that this is a permanent product, no limitation on the number of bottles, although I’ve been told that the 14 may have some changes every year – like vintages – can’t complain really.
Doorly’s 14 is made from molasses, a blend of pot and column still and aged in ex-Bourbon casks for 14 years in Barbados. The blend also contains a small percentage of rum aged for 14 years in ex-Madeira casks, although I don’t know how much. Bottled at 48% ABV – a bit more fiery then it’s predecessors – with no additives except a bit of caramel colour to “restore the natural colour from the cask lost through dilution to bottling strength” – as the back label states. Man, I do love the sound of a syntetic cork pop, let’s see what we have.
On the nose it’s intense, I get that sweet/sour cherry note I almost always get with FS rums. Also dry figs, unsweetened chocolate, dry red wine, sprinkles of cinnamon and a good chunk of oak. That wood gives it quite a spicy oomph that seems to be carried by the increased ABV.
On the palate the woodiness increases, it’s actually a tad bitter. Drier and spicier than the nose suggested along with notes of dark cacao, strawberry jam and red fruits – mainly cherries. That dry red wine note comes back (I am very bad at wine types) along with a lot of spicy wood. On the finish there’s charred oak and a dry plum-like taste – lingering for quite a while.
Doorly’s 14 it’s more on the woody side than I’m used to from FS but the ex-Madeira cask aged portion of the rum gives it some fruitiness to balance that. The bitterness from the first sip is somewhat surprising if anything but the more I drank it the more I wanted (I know how it sounds, I’m not an alcoholic) and I’m totally on board with the higher ABV.
I feel I sound like a broken record sometimes when I say anything from Foursquare is good, delicious, well-balanced and so on, but it’s the truth and credit must be given where it’s deserved. Can be found for £61 on Master of Malt and I fully recommend it. Well done!
Doorly’s 14 Year Old score:
Flavour/taste: 60/70
Value for money: 15/15
Transparency/purity: 15/15
Overall: 90/100
Cheers!
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