Foursquare ECS XXII Touchstone

Overall a great Foursquare ECS rum. Mr Richard Seale have done it again. I tasted it the Swedish importer’s, Lars Renbjer’s, stand at the Stockholm Beer & Spirits Fair 2023. Touchstone is a molasses based double-aged pot- and column blended rum aged in ex-Bourbon and ex-Cognac casks for 14 years. It consists of two components. The first component, a 2008 ex-bourbon aged distillate which was filled in ten former Cognac Camus casks in 2020, then 12yo, to mature for almost 3 years more. The second component was aged for 5 years in ex-Bourbon casks and 9 more years in ex-Cognac casks.

Round thing but no over highlight FS. It has something of dark chocolate with orange zest and a little black pepper. I think the cognac barrel comes out more harmoniously here than in the Dominus in comparison.

Solid FS. Not worth 150€.

Tasted at the Pueblo del Ron Nuremberg 2024 trade fair. I also had to try this one, as I've been putting off my sample for some time. However, as I was able to take a bottle with me for 102€, I simply tried it on the spot. A good ESC that ranks in the middle of the ECS bottlings. Edit: It also makes a solid impression as a mixer.

Give this rum time to breathe and you will be rewarded with a captivating experience that will continue to develop for a long time!

in the first impression on the nose already very fierce oak and tannins (have just also two freshly sawn oak slats here for the expansion of the rum cabinet, which are quite good for reference). With a bit of standing time, caramel and a nice butterscotch note come in. Spicy on the palate, coffee, but unfortunately quickly fades into a rather bitter note (tannins, tannins that were already so dominant on the nose?). For me, this ECS bottling is too unbalanced. A second chance there is then soon again ...

Nice "once all" tasting with friends... quick while I still have senses.... Nose: caramel, some chocolate, coconut. Pleasant and classic Foursquare. Nothing outstanding in my view, but usual good quality. 8,4 Palate: round and coconut, soft, caramel, floral. Again, solid and clearly Foursquare. That's about as good as it gets. But it doesn't have to be. Just Foursquare. 8,4

Dieser Rum liegt schwach auf der Karamell-/Fruchtseite, dafür stärker auf Holz, Gewürz, Bitterschokolade und Leder. Wobei an der Nase neben Orange eine weitere markante Frucht vorhanden ist, könnte Apfel sein. Nur im Abgang kommt etwas Karamell und süße Frucht für mich hinzu, weshalb der Touchstone bis dahin zu unausgewogen für mich ist, um ihn in Richtung 9/10 zu bewerten. Nichtsdestotrotz hochwertig!

Rather unspectacular, weak nose and quite sharp on the palate. Probably should have come out of the barrel sooner... Compared to other ECS at the lower end of the scale and not very typical FS character. //update: stick with the points, I don't like the strong cask influence here.

#4299 14.10.2023 sitting at home raxing after a tough training yesterday and a trip across the border for our monthly shopping today. Another nice release but I think the prices have gone spiralling and I suspect many out there buy a lot to sell online afterwards. Nicely balanced almost subtle release. Fruity and fresh. The palate is also fruity with a nice floral touch. The finish is medium to long and fruity. Draws really nice curtains in the glass. The empty glass has a light smoky note and faint chocolate.

In direct comparison with the Isonomy, the nose is much more restrained and one-dimensional. Coconut, vanilla, spices and wood are discreetly present. The palate is more on the woody and spicy side, even slightly bitter with some leather.

Un ottimo ECS. Naso molto interessante, fruttato e profondo. Al palato sa essere molto deciso ma anche delicato. L’invecchiamento in botti ex cognac lo ha ingentilito quanto basta. Uno dei miei ECS preferiti tra gli ultimi usciti!

Typische Foursquare-Aromen treffen auf kräutrige Tabak- und Schokoladennoten. Mir fehlt insgesamt etwas die letzte Finesse, auch die prägnanten grünen Aromen wecken bei mir subjektiv keine Begeisterungsstürme. Qualitativ gibt es aber nichts auszusetzen, der Alkohol ist für mein Dafürhalten angenehm integriert und schafft eine gute Süffigkeit.

In Nase eher zurückhaltend, dann geht’s würzig und vor allem Bitter vorwärts. Etwas unrund das ganze. Ist ein guter FS aber nichts was mich von den Socken haut, landet also nicht im Regal.

Foursquare halt :-) Wie immer bodenständig, würzig, gut eingebundener Alkohol. PLV ist auch in Ordnung. Nachtrag: mit einer ECC Abfüllung >50% macht man in der Regel nie etwas falsch. Gilt auch für diesen hier. Keine Änderung an der Bewertung,