Foursquare ECS XXVII Equidem

 I was very excited about this rum after all the positive reviews. The dark color is already very impressive. On the nose I get plum jam, chocolate or rather dusty cocoa powder, in the background also slightly sour (papaya, bitter orange...), blackcurrants. On the palate, the high ABV pushes quite hard, but not yet to the point of being biting. Notes of leather, cherry wood, barrel (tannins), dark chocolate. The experiment with the Black Muscat cask was a real success! For me, it's on a par with the Pleni, Raconteur and Absolutio (all of which I had at 88 points)

 What a color! The Equidem is very dark in the glass and literally screams chocolate, dried fruit, leather, plums and blackberries. And that's exactly what it delivers. Oily and pleasantly warm on the palate, with more cocoa, chocolate and wood on the long finish. This Foursquare was already very hyped before its release in Germany. And rightly so!

 It is very dark ... Nose dark dried fruits, blackberries, pepper, chocolate, some clove and baking spice. Pleasant sweetness on the palate... Alcohol slightly biting and sharp-edged on the tongue (should have given it more time) Dried fruits also here clearly with chocolate some coconut ... something peppery hot comes again and again with but does not interfere at all but makes it then but something special . I don't see a 90+ here, it's just not different enough for that, at least for me.

 Wow, wow. Insanely complex, powerful Foursquare. The finish in the Black Muscat barrel fits like a glove on the Foursquare eye. This combination is really amazing. I'm not really a sweet person, but the sweetness of a summer jam is just perfect here. This creamy complexity is second to none. For me, this is the best Foursquare I've had in a glass so far, a touch ahead of the Absolutio. Alcohol perfectly integrated. Stands out from the standard Foursquare mash. Doesn't have to hide behind the Velier bottlings.

 The nose is very inviting and relatively sweet. Chocolate, dried fruit, caramel, vanilla, coconut and various spices. I like it very much. Very oily/creamy on the palate, lots of spices that I can't quite put my finger on, perhaps even cardamom and nutmeg. Plus chocolate and woody notes. All in all, a very good and palatable Foursquare, but without reinventing the wheel. Edit: Initial rating confirmed. Very tasty Foursquare, but still just behind the Absolutio and the Plenip. But significantly better PLV 👍

 I've been looking forward to this release for a long time. One of the darkest Foursquare in the glass that I have tasted so far. On the nose, I find leather or old leather armchairs, dark chocolate and dried fruit, plus some spices such as clove. Incredibly intense on the palate. Sweetness at first, then a jammy fruitiness, followed by dark chocolate and some leather. However, the alcohol is already pushing quite a bit out of the freshly opened bottle. Like almost all Foursquare ECS releases, the Equidem also benefits greatly from a little (1-2 tsp water to 2 cl) water, which opens it up and takes away the sharpness. Then it's just a heavenly marmalade, the fruitiness comes to the fore and the darker aromas recede somewhat. The finish is medium-long with a heavy sweetness and jam. A really nice release and for me in direct comparison on the same high level as the Absolutio, whereby the Absolutio for me has more of a port fruitiness with more dried fruit and the Equidem more of a velvety, jammy fruitiness in line with its maturation.

 This bottling has the hype quite rightly with the quite extraordinary Black Muscat Cask Finish! It has strong parallels to the Velier Foursquare Absolutio (comparison to come) but seems almost better balanced and has an incredibly beautiful mouthfeel. Very creamy, heavy and simply a great viscosity. Aromatically, port and red wine notes meet dark chocolate, caramel, some typical coconut and banana, but also rather atypical notes of cassis, blackberry and plums, which are complemented very pleasantly in the finish by a slightly spicy ginger kick (ginger sticks dipped in dark chocolate). Really great bottling and highly recommended!🇧🇧👏🏼 Update: in a direct comparison with Absolutio, it comes out on top. Significantly sweeter, more caramelly and the alcohol is not quite as well integrated in direct comparison. But that's complaining at a high level!

 Wow, finally another ECS Foursquare that stands out from the others, which are usually very high quality. The alcohol is more than super integrated. I'm thrilled. Of course, I'll still have to try how it fares against the Absolutio. That's why one or two points may change in the rating.

 The nose on this rum is amazing. It is fruity, caramel, and vanilla on the surface, but as you dig deeper you get roasted coffee beans and cacao. The taste has figs, plums, and caramel, which is followed by a long finish with spice

 Old Bourbon Foursquare meets dark red wine. Tasted together with Velier Absolutio and there are many similarities. Coconut, spices, caramel a la Foursquare, but then lots of dark fruits and cocoa. Very good!

 And here we have another FS ECS again and I must say it is very successful, I like the ex muscat very much. On the nose I smell raisins, overripe plums, a touch of sour tangerines and marzipan. The taste is nice and smooth to creamy, caramel dominates along with plum and peach jam. A ginger spiciness comes in on the finish which ends with a bitter tail reminiscent of black tea (the spiciness remains). Richard Seale, I am again very pleased.

 A powerful rum with a strong character, intense roasted aromas, dark chocolate and a fine spiciness. Notes of dried fruit, leather and a hint of tobacco unfold on the palate, accompanied by a pleasant bitterness. The alcohol is well integrated and gives the rum a pleasant warmth. A complex and well-balanced rum.

 Finally I have the much-praised Equidem in a jar. And I have to say. It doesn't disappoint at all, but offers a consistently broad aroma spectrum that goes beyond the standard Foursquare notes. Lots of fruit that also has some sweetness, the finish is a little drier and the tannins come out clearly.

 Hmm, I don't quite like it as much as I had hoped based on the previous reviews. Too much blackcurrant on the nose for me (I don't like that) and wine (neither). The palate is more to my liking, but perhaps a little too sweet on the attack.

 The black muscat cask gives a very unique profile . Alcohol perfectly integrated as usual . At the same level of the Velier releases and better of many of them.