Foursquare Rum Distillery Penultimus
57% ABV (114 proof) | 15 years old, tropically aged | Mark XXX — 30th Exceptional Cask Selection | Ex-bourbon + Spanish Moscatel casks | Barbados — Foursquare Penultimus is the 30th release in Richard Seale's Exceptional Cask Selection: a 15-year-old blend of pot- and column-distilled molasses rums, tropically aged in Barbados. One component spent 10 years in ex-bourbon then 5 years in Spanish Moscatel wine casks — the first Moscatel cask ever used in the ECS series — alongside a 15-year straight ex-bourbon component. Bottled at natural cask strength with no added sugar, no chill filtration, natural colour. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
"Penultimus" — second to last — nods to the series' march toward its finale, and the rum drinks like an occasion: bitter dark chocolate, black tea, Medjool dates, and dried coconut on the nose; supple and oily with golden melon, ripe pineapple, and delicate caramel on the palate; a long finish of lemon sorbet and green-grape skin. Among cask-strength aged rums, fifteen tropical years plus a first-ever Moscatel double maturation make this essential for the Foursquare faithful.
Tasting notes
Nose: bitter dark chocolate, black tea leaves, ground spices, Medjool dates, dried coconut, green grape skin, dried banana chips, lemon zest. Palate: supple, soft, oily; golden melon, ripe pineapple, delicate caramel, dark chocolate. Finish: long; lemon sorbet moving to green-grape-skin astringency. (Official producer notes.)
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 57% ABV (114 proof) — natural cask strength, no added sugar
- 15 years tropically aged in Barbados
- Mark XXX — the 30th Exceptional Cask Selection release
- First-ever Spanish Moscatel cask maturation in ECS history
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat in a Glencairn first, then a few drops of water — at 114 proof it rewards patience.
Frequently asked questions
What does "Penultimus" mean?
Second to last — a nod to the Exceptional Cask Selection series approaching its finale.
How old is it?
15 years old, tropically aged in Barbados (Mark XXX, 2025 bottling).
What makes the cask recipe special?
One component is double-matured: 10 years ex-bourbon then 5 years in Spanish Moscatel wine casks — a first for the ECS series.
Is sugar added?
No — no added sugar, no chill filtration, natural colour, as with all Foursquare ECS releases.