Foursquare Doorly's 14 Years Old Barbados Rum 48% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (89)

Doorly's is one of Foursquare's brands. Colour: amber. Nose: not the first time that I have the impression that by using molasses and blending column and pot still, they often manage (not saying that was their goal) to create some kind of 'agricole' rum. This one's got the same kind of waxy polishes, slightly salty, almost olive-y touches, the slightly heady floralness, the crème brûlée, the tarte tatin, these slightly 'burnt' touches, this earthiness… Now, yes I know Barbadian rum existed way before the French started to make agricole rum, thanks to Napo and the British navy (or the other way 'round). Mouth: excellent, bold, salty, full of liquorice and smoke, cigars, burnt caramel, varnish and olives, some lavender (sweets), aniseed, caraway and cloves… I'm wondering if you wouldn't achieve some rather similar results if you would let some yellow chartreuse age for a decade or so in active wood. Like, in a proper ex-solera manzanilla butt. Seriously, I find this Doorly's just perfect and, perhaps, a little 'funkier' than the Foursquares. But not too sure about that part… Finish: long, with a little pepper, one olive, some orange juice and some caraway. Comments: I even like the blue parrot on the label. Is that an ara? What would the rum world do without parrots? In any case, this Doorly's was extremely convincing.