The return of the UK RumFest last year gave me the chance to try the Indelible months in advance thanks to Peter Holland’s generosity. It’s for the same generosity that now I have the chance to review this bottle as he kindly provided me with a sample – thank you, Pete!
First of all a moment of silence for all of those who weren’t lucky enough to enter in the possession of a bottle – they’ll have to be content just with my accurate tasting notes. We are now living throughout some sort of Foursquare craze, although no babies will be dropped by intoxicated parents (hopefully) as the stocks and allocations of their Exceptional Cask Selection aren’t enough to satisfy all the avid fans of the Barbados based distillery.
Their Indelible ‘not to be forgotten’ is the 18th release in the Exceptional Cask Selection range and is closely related to the long gone 4th bottling, the Foursquare Zinfandel. The Zinfandel was aged for 5 years in ex-Bourbon casks followed by 6 years in ex-Zinfandel casks – some of that stock was kept and used for the Indelible in combination with another ex-Bourbon matured rum. So far it sounds like a “diluted” Zinfandel, so I’m curious how much of the wine-ish profile is left.
So molasses based, distilled in a combination of pot and column stills and aged in ex-Bourbon and ex-Zinfandel casks for 11 years in the tropical climate of Barbados. Bottled at 48% ABV without any chill filtering or adulteration – limited run.
On the nose there is a perfumy woody scent. Sawdust, nutmeg, cocoa butter, ripe bananas and Luxardo cherries. Red apples, cinnamon with a hint of moth balls. Has a sweet vermouth-ish profile. Marmalade, blueberries, dark chocolate and passion fruit. Very inviting, very Foursquare!
On the palate it has a sweeter profile than their usual releases. Maple syrup, chocolate brownie, canned plums, cayenne pepper, ginger bread and orange zest. Biscuits, almonds, walnuts, passion fruit and blackberries. Spicy and sweet! Hibiscus tea, cloves and sultanas. Finish is long with cayenne pepper, nuts and honey.
Well integrated flavours and one of the easiest going expressions in the range. That being said I can’t say it’s my favourite Exceptional Cask Selection, I was hoping for something a little more – maybe it is because of the fame the previous Zinfandel acquired over time, but I find it a bit thin.
It’s still a Foursquare rum and still up there of course!
It’s priced at around £75 a bottle (if you’re lucky to find any), which isn’t that much given the limited availability and demand.
Foursquare Indelible – Mark XVIII score:
Flavour/taste: 56/70
Value for money: 14/15
Transparency/purity: 15/15
Overall: 85/100
Cheers!