Foursquare Exceptional Cask Series - Penultimus / 70cl

The first release from Foursquare that features Spanish Moscatel Wine Casks in the maturation, Penultimus is a fifteen-year-old Rum that will be eagerly sought out.

Penultimus is the thirtieth release (Mark XXX) in the Award-Winning Exceptional Cask Selection series.  there is no need to approach this release with a asense of impending finality; rather, enjoy it with excitement and anticipation.

It is a blend of rums distilled in the copper double retort pot-still and the continuous twin column stills of Foursquare Distillery, and aged for fifteen years in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Moscatel wine casks.

More specifically, for the detail-orientated, it is a blend of two rums.  A dual-maturation comprising ten years in ex-Bourbon casks, followed by five years in ex-Moscatel casks.  This is then further blended with a fifteen-year-old ex-Bourbon cask.  Excitingly, for those who follow the various releases from Foursquare Rum Distillery, this is the first time that Spanish Moscatel wine casks have featured as a part of the maturation bill.

This excellent expression of Single Blended Rum has been distilled and fully matured at Foursquare Rum Distillery before blending and bottling, presented at 57% abv, without chill-filtration, at its natural colour, and free from sweeteners and other adjuncts.

NOSE Complex evolving layers of dark, bitter chocolate, black tea leaves, ground mixed spices, and Medjool dates vie with desiccated coconut, green grape skins, dried banana chips, and a hint of zesty lemon.

PALATE Soft, oily and sweet on the palate.  A sense of freshness.  Golden melon, ripe pineapple, gentle caramel, and more dark chocolate.

FINISH Grippy and long-lasting.  A tangy, jiucy lemon sherbert rush gives way to more green-grape-skin astringency that lasts and lasts.