How Foursquare Became One Of The World’s Great Rum Producers

Foursquare Distillery was established in 1996 by the Seale family. The distillery is on a former sugar plantation in St. Philip, Barbados, that dates back to 1720. The distillery’s driving force is Richard Seale, a fourth-generation rum producer. He is known for his commitment to traditional rum-making techniques and innovative approach to creating high-quality rums. He is also one of the foremost authorities on the history of Barbadian rum. I recently had an opportunity to speak with Richard and jointly taste a lineup of some of the Foursquare rums.

Foursquare Distillery uses traditional rum production methods, employing pot and column distillation. Both molasses and molasses/sugar cane juice blends are used as a base. The rums are aged in various casks, including ex-bourbon, Sherry, and wine, to create complex and layered flavor profiles. The distillery has medaled countless items in international spirit competitions and is among the most awarded rum producers in the world.

JM: You have been an innovator in the production and maturation of rum, yet you dislike the term that is applied to your legacy. Why is that? How would you describe your role in developing Foursquare Distillery and its rum range?

RS: I dislike the term because it is generally abused in the spirits industry. “Innovation” is often applied to gimmicky product developments or trivial activities like using a different cask type. Real innovation is hard, takes years to develop, and is eventually widely adopted.

We strongly believe in respecting the Barbados style, using traditional methods, and developing rums with gravitas, not a marketing gimmick. We apply modern understanding and knowledge to execute on a high level.

The new pot still is a good example. It is a classic double retort, an early 19th-century innovation widely adopted in rum. However, we have adapted it to run under a vacuum and used the best material science to develop the copper surfaces. So, it’s a 200-year-old method integral to Barbados Rum and yet a modern innovation.

JM: Historically, Foursquare’s rum range was molasses-based, but you now use both molasses and sugar cane juice rums in your expressions. What was the motivation behind this move? Are you trying to recreate the historic style of Barbadian rum?

RS: There were three motivations behind using cane juice. The first was the struggle of the local sugar industry. The decline in this industry means that there is a real possibility that Barbados could stop growing sugar cane, as has happened in several other Islands. So rather than depend solely on molasses from the local factory, we have taken matters into our own hands, and both take cane from local farmers and grow cane ourselves. Regardless of whatever happens to local sugar, Barbados will continue to grow cane, and Barbados Rum will continue to use local inputs.

Secondly, we wanted to re-blur the lines between molasses and juice. The concept of a rum made solely from molasses is a modern one. Historically, Barbados estate rum was made from both juice and molasses.

Thirdly, we use cane juice to make a completely different style of rum than we do from molasses, and juice is best suited to this style of rum. This is an important concept because the rums are not simply alternatives differentiated by raw material. Making rums distinguished by raw material differs from what we aim to achieve, as this would only reinforce the modern distinction. We are making different rums from each of our source materials.

JM: Foursquare rums blend marks obtained from pot still and column distilled spirits. Are there any rums in the range that are exclusively pot distilled? Any prospect of any such rums being added to the range?

RS: We have made three very small, limited releases of pure pot still. These are released as part of the Habitation Velier series, which allows us to release expressions not part of the core Barbados style. We do not expect to release pure pot as part of our core releases. For the core range, we keep close to expectations of the Barbados style and the Foursquare style—and that style is achieved by blends.

JM: You’ve experimented with maturing rums in barrels that held other liquids, both sweet fortified wines like port, Sherry, and Moscatel, to dry still wines. You’ve also matured rums in casks from your friend Cyril Camus, the famed Cognac producer. You’ve opted for either maturation or an extended multi-year maturation in these casks instead of a shorter months-long finish. Why is that? What sort of additional, alternative cask maturation can we expect from Foursquare in the future?

RS: Well, I would not call them experiments or innovation. We work to a straightforward and old principle of sourcing the best quality casks for the maturation of spirits. This is why we don’t do gimmicky marketing like “finishes.” With rare exceptions, we source new to the source primary casks. Why use an exceptional quality cask for only a few months? That makes no sense to me. This suggests to the consumer that you are just trying to flavor the spirit rather than mature it. We buy good casks and use them for decades. We have several unreleased cask types in maturation. Moscatel is one that will be released soon.

JM: Beyond wine and Cognac casks, what type of previously used casks best complement rum? What aroma and flavor components are you looking for in alternative casks to impart to the maturing rum? The whisky industry is experimenting with casks that have held everything from maple syrup to Tequila to various types of beer. Do any of these types of casks make sense for maturing rum?

RS: None of those casks you name make sense to me. I am not interested in flavoring; I am interested in maturing. I source wine and cognac casks because the cask is exceptional.

JM: The rum industry has averaged around $15 billion in global sales over the last decade. That puts it in fifth place among the major spirit categories, just slightly ahead of gin and behind Tequila but well behind whisky, vodka, and brandy. Rum has been heralded as the next big thing in spirits for over 30 years, yet it never seems quite to reach the take-off point. What will it take for rum to expand its share of the international spirits market significantly?

RS: It will take investment in maturing stocks. That is what we have been doing. I am thrilled with the reputation of our rums, which has taken more than two decades to achieve. There are no shortcuts to make a sustained impact at the premium level. Every multinational desires a spirit that can be mass-produced on demand, is cheap to make, and can be marketed at a premium price, and this is unfortunately done in rum. When these games stop, we will expand our share.

JM: Rum is produced in over 160 countries around the world. There is no worldwide regulation of rum production standards beyond those imposed by individual countries. How significant a factor has this been in holding back the growth of rum demand? Is country-specific Geographic Indications (GI) the answer to educating consumers about rum quality and production practices? Would a Barbados GI make it easier to grow the market for Barbadian rum? Could a Barbados GI be recognized by the US or the European Union?

RS: Well, it’s analogous to a trademark. When you invest in your brand, you protect it via a trademark. The challenge we face is that together with Mount Gay, we have done an excellent job in developing the value associated with Barbados Rum. However, the greater the value of a category, the greater the opportunity for exploitation. That is what’s happening now. There are grievously sub-standard adulterated Barbados and Jamaica Rums on the market with dubious sourcing.

Our efforts to take a larger share of the premium market will be hampered if we don’t protect the Barbados rum brand. You don’t generate sales directly from a trademark or from a GI; you protect the value you have created from exploitation by poor copies using your name (brand or country). It is no accident that the most valuable categories, from Champagne to Cognac to Bourbon, are strongly protected. Consumers need as much confidence in a category as in a brand.

JM: Thank you

Here are some tasting notes on Foursquare Distillery’s core expressions.

Foursquare Rum 2004, 11 YO, 59% ABV, 750 ml.

The nose is rich and concentrated, with intense aromas of vanilla, toffee, and dried fruits, complemented by hints of spice and oak. It’s full-bodied and smooth on the palate, featuring flavors of caramel, dark chocolate, and dried apricots, balanced by spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of oak, vanilla, and a touch of smoke.

Foursquare, Rum 2005, 12 YO, 59% ABV, 750 ml

The nose features aromas of butterscotch, vanilla, lime zest, tropical fruits, and toasted coconut. It’s rich and velvety on the palate, with flavors of caramel, banana, and a touch of spice. The oak aging adds complexity, contributing notes of vanilla and dried fruit. The finish is long and smooth, with a pleasant balance of sweetness, fruit, white pepper, and spice.

Foursquare, Rum 2007, 12 YO, 59% ABV, 750 ml

The nose has aromas of toffee, vanilla, coconut, tropical, and dried fruits, with subtle hints of oak and spice. The palate is smooth and well-rounded, featuring flavors of caramel, dried apricots, a touch of vanilla, and oak-derived notes of spice and toasted nuts. The finish is long and dry, with lingering notes of vanilla, oak, and a hint of spice.

Foursquare, Rum 2008, 12 YO, 60% ABV, 750 ml

The nose is fruity and aromatic, with notes of vanilla, caramel, and dried fruits complemented by hints of spice and oak. It’s full-bodied and smooth on the palate, with flavors of toffee/caramel, dark chocolate, dried figs, tropical fruits, baked apple, ginger, notes of spice, and a touch of smokiness. The finish is long, with lingering notes of vanilla, oak, and a hint of spice.

Foursquare Rum 2009, 12 YO, 60% ABV, 750 ml

It’s rich and aromatic on the nose, with notes of vanilla, caramel, and dried fruits, complemented by hints of spice and oak. It’s full-bodied and smooth on the palate, with flavors of toffee, dark chocolate, dried figs, spiced cherries, apples, citrus, notes of spice, and a touch of smokiness. The finish is long, with lingering notes of vanilla, oak, and a hint of spice.

Foursquare Rum, 2010, 12 YO, 60%, 750 ml

It’s aromatic on the nose, with notes of vanilla, caramel, and dried fruits enhanced by subtle hints of oak and spice. It’s smooth and balanced on the palate, with flavors of toffee, dark chocolate, baked apple, and dried apricots. The oak influence adds complexity with notes of spice and toasted nuts. The finish is long, with lingering notes of vanilla, oak, and a touch of spice.

Foursquare Rum Premise, 10 YO, 46% ABV, 750 ml

Aromas of butterscotch, vanilla, Sherry notes, tropical fruits and toasted coconut dominate the nose. The palate is rich and velvety, with flavors of caramel, banana, vanilla, spice notes, red berries, and hints of stone and dried fruit. The finish is long and smooth, with a pleasant balance of sweetness and spice.

Foursquare Rum Empery, 14 YO, 56% ABV, 750 ml

It’s rich, robust, and complex on the nose, with aromas of vanilla, toffee, Sherry, stewed cherries, and dried fruits, complemented by hints of spice and oak. The palate is smooth and full-bodied, featuring flavors of caramel, dark chocolate, dried apricots, golden raisins, stewed cherries, red berries, and spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish is long, with lingering notes of oak, vanilla, and a touch of smoke.

Foursquare Dominus, 10 YO, 56% ABV, 750 ml

Aromas of toffee, vanilla, dried fruits, and subtle hints of oak and spice dominate the nose. The palate is smooth and well-rounded, featuring flavors of caramel, citrus zest, dried apricots, raisins, dark fruit jams/jammy fruit, a touch of vanilla, notes of spice, and toasted nuts. The finish is long, with lingering notes of vanilla, oak, and a hint of spice.

Foursquare Nobiliary, 14 YO, 62% ABV, 750 ml

Rich and aromatic notes of vanilla, caramel, and dried fruits dominate the nose, complemented by hints of spice and oak. It’s full-bodied and smooth on the palate, with flavors of toffee, dark chocolate, dried figs, raisins, sour cherry, prune, almond, spice notes, and a touch of smokiness. The finish is long, with lingering notes of vanilla, oak, and a hint of spice.

Under Richard Seale’s guidance, Foursquare Distillery has established itself as a leading producer of high-quality rums. Each expression offers a unique and complex profile, showcasing the distillery’s dedication to excellence and craftsmanship. Whether the rich and aromatic 2004 vintage or the well-balanced and smooth Premise, Foursquare’s rums provide a delightful and memorable tasting experience for rum enthusiasts worldwide.

Cheers