ctbeck11
Foursquare Nobiliary
Aged Rum — Barbados
Reviewed
October 19, 2021 (edited January 8, 2022)
Nose - bittersweet molasses, dark chocolate, strong oak, clove, allspice, vanilla, grass, anise, toffee, violet, coconut, nutmeg, orange pith, leather, tobacco, caramelized banana, black cherry, grape, pineapple rind, moderate to high ethanol burn.
Taste - bittersweet molasses, leather, tobacco, pineapple, orange zest, clove, allspice, dark chocolate, salted caramel, coconut, cherry, mint, grape, vanilla, nutmeg, sweet floral notes, tannic oak, overripe banana, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium long with molasses, dark fruits, chocolate, and strong, tannic oak flavors.
The nose is similar to the 2007 Exceptional Cask release I tasted yesterday, but the Nobiliary is deeper, richer, and less confectionery. The leather, tobacco, and oak notes are also cranked to eleven. The palate follows suit with explosively rich molasses, chocolate, and dark fruits. Pineapple, banana, and brandied cherries are also in the mix.
What a fantastic rum! In my mind, Foursquare is the Texas whiskey of rum. And I love Texas whiskey. Big, bold, tannic, and jam-packed full of amazing aromas and flavors. As a 14 Year product, the two extra years absolutely refine the experience. It’s still hot, but not nearly as youthful and bright as the 2007.
This is getting a very high score. In fact, it’s going to be the first non-whiskey spirit to crack my elusive 4.5 ranking. And I’m tempted to give this a perfect 5.0, but will try it a few more times before making the final decision. Regardless, Nobiliary certainly lives up to its name. I can’t imagine rum getting much better than this. I wonder if an extra two years of aging could possibly improve it? We’ll find out tomorrow.
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
@jonwilkinson7309 Thanks! And agreed. I haven’t tried a bad one yet. Many balk at paying whiskey prices for rum, but examples like this show they can be easily worth it.
Great review! I have yet to find a Foursquare that is less than exceptional, so I don't have a problem with the price points. But even their "entry level" bottles like Detente and Sagacity are exceptional in my book.
@ContemplativeFox horrible bargains …more than their equivalent age in single malt
@PBMichiganWolverine @ctbeck11 I think Foursquare has discovered the prices for their products that match their values (or perhaps are a tad low). Good stuff, but not great bargains, except for Doorly's 12.
@ctbeck11 @ContemplativeFox yeah I’ve seen the Shibboleth for that price range, and I balked as well thinking “ that much for a rum that’s not Caroni! How dare they “.
@ContemplativeFox @PBMichiganWolverine We’ll see once I do the review whether I’ll like it better than Nobiliary. I think that one will be hard to top. And yea, Shibboleth was $140-150 when I picked it up, which is really high. I believe Nobiliary was $120.
@PBMichiganWolverine It disappeared quickly. I balked at the price, but it sounds like it was worth it.
@ctbeck11 oh I’ve had that one—-you sent it i believe. Was one of the best I’ve had—-I tried looking for a bottle, but seems long gone.
@PBMichiganWolverine Shibboleth is the one with an extra two years. It has a 16 Year age statement. I’m assuming it’s the oldest mass market product Foursquare has released, although I’m sure there have been some older one-off bottlings.
Which is the one that has the extra 2 yr? Can’t recall if that was Detente or something else
@Ctrexman Well it’s definitely my favorite rum so far, and right around my top 10 overall. It’s a winner in my book.
Boy sounds like this is the one....Mr Anderson