Doorly's 12 Year Rum

I'm indebted to this community. Truly. Between the pandemic and the summer heat, my heart just hasn't been as much into whiskey as it usually is. I thought a change of pace in order, so why not try rum. From my limited rabbit hole plunge, it's pretty clear that the rum world is filled with just as many passionate anoraks as the whiskey world is. Also, I'm grateful to @Soba45 @cascode @Ctrexman and @ContemplativeFox and @jonwilkinson7309 (sorry if I forgot anybody) for all your fine suggestions. I'm a bonafide Foursquare fanboy now. Now this rum is bananas. Literally! On the nose the first thing I get is bananas, particularly green bananas, along with plantains. The 12+ years in the barrel have also given it some lovely bourbon caramel and vanilla notes, along with some subtle brown sugar. The madeira cask gives it a dry wine quality, and the port casks leave some subtle berries. No sulphur or hogo (not that I mind such things), and a noticeable lack of ethanol. Such an enticing nose! As you drink it, you know it's a rum, but your brain is tricked into thinking it's a bourbon. The barrel shows up here, with some elements of tannic char and the caramelized wood sugars. You can taste the oak and the age. All I can think is that it's remarkable that after 12 years in a barrel this rum didn't become over oaked. Here in Texas they age stuff for 36 months and it tastes like sucking on a barrel stave sometimes. And this finish! This must be the longest finish, clocking in at well over 2 minutes, on a 40% spirit of any kind I've ever tried. It moves in waves of fruit and spice, almost reminiscent of a hybrid between a high rye bourbon and a highland single malt. This is exceptional. And as a bonus, there's no added sugar, an age statement, and it was only $23! Given the age statement, along with the multiple (expensive!) casks it aged in, and the fact that I've tried single malts at 3 and 4 times that price that weren't half as satisfying as this rum, I'd say they're doing some damn fine work at the Foursquare distillery, and I look forward to exploring more of their products in the future. I might stick to the Doorly's and R.L. Seale line for the time being, and squirrel away a bottle of Sagacity for a special occasion. Thanks again to y'all for your recommendations. Cheers!

Rating: 17/23 N: I get some mellow but not musty wood from the barrel mixed with tropical fruits. Banana, pineapple, some orange, possibly mango. Some spices come out from the barrel as well. There's a richness that's somewhere between caramel and molasses. It's a solidly complex and very balanced and paradigmatic rum nose. P: Wow, this is smooth with some nice richness that reminds me of Plantation Trinidad! It's tasty with lots of vanilla and age and complex rum flavors like fireworks that aren't overstated and some cinnamon, pepper, and ginger. Plantation Xamaca is much fruitier and more interesting in a rougish, rebellious high-schooler manner than this is, but I still get the tropical fruits from the nose, with just a dash of added tropical tartness like maybe some lemon or lime. In comparison, Plantation Xamaca is endearing, but harsh, sort of like Dalwhinnie 15. I also did a side-by-side with Appleton Estate 12 and the Appleton Estate tastes more aged with more of those standard woody flavors with some floral vanilla and spice, but it's also surprisingly harsher and less balanced and rounded. The Appleton might have more complexity, but I'm not actually sure it does. It's like the Appleton is a Japanese whisky to Doorly's scotch. F: Some lingering wood and fruit, along with vanilla and a pervading spicy burn that isn't harsh. A nice finish that continues with the tale weaved by the nose and palate. Show less Wow. This has to be at least a 16. I can even imagine a 17 or 18. For a $25 spirit, that's amazing! With most spirits, 40% ABV seems like a cop out, but in this case the balance, complexity, and smoothness come out beautifully. It's about as smooth as Appleton Estate 12 is, but I prefer the more fun, balanced profile of Doorly's 12 perhaps just a tad. It's definitely a step up from the XO, which is also quite good. The Appleton and Plantation Xaymaca have been growing on me, but I still think I like this Doorly's the best. It's damn fine stuff. I'll give it a 17 this time. Sadly, it is far from the greatness of Plantation Trinidad 2003, but for less than half the price (and as something that can actually be found), this is a fantastic choice.

Breaking the fast on my dry month (2nd of the year) and I’m grabbing a…rum? Well it’s been a long time coming. I’ve been taking a hard look at other brown spirits, specifically armagnac and rum. I’ve picked up some bottles based on reviews and hoping to either expand my horizons or renew my whiskey vows 💯. To the experience we go! Nose: I’m hit with a vapor of cherry cola cough syrup mixed with some oaky vanilla and caramel. The sugary/cough syrupy smell has never been my favorite and has been the main reason I haven’t been a rum fan to this point but @ContemplativeFox and others swear by this product so going in with an open mind. I’m now dreading the initial taste but the community’s vote of confidence keeps me hopeful. About 10 minutes in the glass and the nose opens up quite a bit. The cherry cola cough syrup note is now almost gone and what you’re left with is this deep caramel and sweet vanilla goodness, much akin to a well made bourbon. Hope springs! Now to the taste. Palate follows the caramel vanilla nose but now enveloped by a velvet cloud of Molasses funk, which is also surprisingly well-integrated. Like in a cloud frappachino kind of way. There’s a noticeable alcohol bite for a 40% abv. Some oak tannins in the mid palate but it’s balanced with the “sweetness”. Mid to long finish that lingers. The cherry cola now shows up again to remind you it’s a rum but this time it’s complementary and is more amenable to my taste. This drinks a lot ike [american] whiskey finished in rum barrels. It’s pretty good. Factor in the sub $20 price and this is a no-brainer for any whiskey drinkers looking to dip their toes into the rum pool. Not gonna say I’m a full convert but I can see going back to this when I’m a mood for something different that doesn’t stray too far from bourbon or single malt whiskey. I picked up Appleton estate 21yr and a cask strength 25Yr old Kirk & Sweeney, which will either reinforce my apathy or move me closer to expanding my horizons…to rum. Who knew. Cheers PoD!

Rum. Pina colada’s, Hurricanes, Malibu, sun and fun. When the word is spoken, those are the images conjured (at least for me). With a heavy endorsement from @WhiskeyLonghorn I was intrigued. Looking for something new but still in my wheelhouse and at extremely affordable price, this had to be tasted. A rich, warm amber color draws you in. There is a soft, sweet bashful nose with a pinch of spice on initially greets. Let it open and the vanilla cream sweetness strengthens. Tropicals of coconut and pineapples mixing with the vanilla morph to ambrosia. The oak spice keeps the sweetness in check. A small amount of baking spice creates autumn images with the aromas of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. The body is silky and light and embodies the nose. A delightful rehash of vanilla, tropical fruits, oak and baking spices. The flavors remain for an ample length. The oaken spice and vanilla slowly fade with remnants of cinnamon and black pepper. As the flavors dissipate, the palate remains wooden and dry, but ever so slight and non distracting. It is actually expected and anticipated. For a rum appreciator, this sips as a bourbon and may appeal to those who don’t like the sugary and artificial rums. But for whiskey drinkers, this a perfect sipping spirit that does not deviate far from the profile. The sweetness is natural and not saccharine. The spice is subtle but present. Sip it neat, slow. When you think of rum, images of summer and beaches are conjured. But this is the antithesis of that and makes a good autumn sipper perfect for a cool evening. I found this more enjoyable than Ron Zacapa 23. This would pair with a good, mild cigar. Find this and share this one. This will have to be part of the standard stock, especially at the price. [$29][90/100][Tasted: 10/24/20]

Review from a whiskey drinker: I wanted to take a break from whiskey and try a different spirit like rum. The only rums I tried were flavored rum (Malibu) and spiced rum (Captain Morgan/Sailor Jerry). I tried a sample of Kraken spiced rum a few weeks ago, and it was not to my liking. After some research, I found Doorly's 12. I liked that it doesn't have any added sugars, and it was fairly cheap. So I decided to give it a shot and buy a bottle. While drinking this neat in a glencairn, the nose did have a lot of similarities to a bourbon. Rich vanilla notes with some cherry and orange. These aromas were carried by a deep butterscotch smell. I liked it a lot. On the taste, I get hit with oak and some dryness on the palate. Then there's a nice buttery and syrupy taste with orange zest. Its very rich and coats the mouth like pancake syrup, but its not too sweet. There's also some heat on this which is surprising for 80 proof. The finish is decent with some oak. While I find many similarities to bourbon here, it is distinctly a rum. That rich syrup feel with butterscotch flavor is good. I like this a lot, especially as a dessert drink. I would love to revisit this after I've tried several other rums. Also, its cheaper ($26) compared to most whiskeys the same age which is a big plus in my book! Side Note: This rum came in a fairly nice box with some good graphics. However, on the back of the box, "Foursquare Rum Distillery" is misspelled. It says "Forsquare" instead. Also, a small printed sticker was placed on the back of the bottle. It was covering the old "imported by" info with new information. I found it quite odd and had me a bit worried about QC, especially when the distillery's name is misspelled. Luckily the juice inside is great!

Nose: Fragrant molasses, like a cross between maple syrup, butterscotch sauce and sweet malt. There's a restrained dry and elegant estery note - just enough hogo to add interest. Moist earth and mild cigar, oak, toffee, vanilla and over time some light fruity notes emerge. A good nose. Palate: Sweet and soft arrival with a little tropical fruit. The fruit notes emerge further in the development together with some leathery notes and some licorice and mint. The cask becomes apparent after a while but never intrudes - it just lends weight and texture. The palate stays sweet but not cloying - it's juicy sweet orange rather than simply sugary sweet, and there is a balancing dryness. A good palate and texture right through - light rather than heavy. Finish: Medium/long. The fruity and leathery character of the palate subsides slowly into a well balanced finale with a gently aromatic tobacco note the final aftertaste. A great rum, and although relatively expensive it's good value for the money. It's a sipping dram that I'd recommend to whisky drinkers who normally eschew rum as being too sweet. While it's not a dry funky Jamaican or agricole this rum exemplifies some of the best characteristics of "standard" rum when it's allowed to speak for itself without added sweetening. I could happily lie in a hammock at the beach and sip this neat all day until the sun, and consciousness, gently dipped into darkness. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)