Released December 2018, Foursquare Empery is the ninth mark (release) in the brand's Exceptional Cask Series. It is a single blended rum, meaning it is made at one distillery (Foursquare) and is a blend of both column and pot still rums. In this case, Empery is a blend of two different 14 year-old rums. The first is aged for the full 14 years in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fill ex-bourbon. The second is aged for just 10 years in these aforementioned barrels with its final 4 years aged in ex-oloroso sherry. Bottled at 56% ABV with no added sugar or other additives.
Showing the most detailed of 4 parsed reviews.
Overripe fruit, vanilla, burnt sugar, and ethanol are some of the key aromas. This is a silky, fully coating rum. It has a strong essence of flambeed dessert or vanilla custard and flan. These play alongside fruity notes, but they are dark and strong like overripe banana.
Nose is bourbon and alcohol. It has the sherry sweetness to it and dark fruit. Damn, the flavor, it's bourbon-strong! Too much for my tastes. It has light sherry overtones but still a strong alcohol burn in the finish. Rating is based on neat sipping.
The aroma of this rum is highly impacted by the higher alcohol content. Some sweet molasses taste in the palate, but quick burn after. I tried with a little water, and it was much better.
Mother of God this is possibly the best rum ever created. I don't understand the other ratings at all. It is a polygamist marriage of rum, bourbon, sherry, and armagnac and it is glorious.
Same style and price bracket, best rated first.
