Bardstown Bourbon Collaborative Series Foursquare Rum
Bardstown Bourbon Collaborative Series Foursquare is what happens when Bardstown Bourbon Company's blending program meets the most decorated rum distillery in Barbados — a 107 proof (53.5% ABV) 750mL American whiskey, not a rum. The base is a custom blend of 90% 7-year-old Indiana straight rye (45% corn, 51% rye, 4% malted barley) and 10% 17-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon (84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley), finished 23 months in Foursquare ex-rum casks on the top floor of Bardstown's rickhouse G. Released April 21, 2023 in about 3,000 9L cases at a $159.99 MSRP. Named a Whisky Advocate 94-pointer and #9 in the Top 20 Whiskeys of 2023. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 107 proof (53.5% ABV) — 750mL (one retailer lists 110; press release + 5 sources confirm 107)
- Blend: 90% 7-yr Indiana straight rye + 10% 17-yr Tennessee straight bourbon
- Finish: 23 months in Foursquare Barbados rum casks (R.L. Seale & Co., master blender/distiller Richard Seale; distillery site dates to ~1720, reopened 1996)
- Awards: 94 points, #9 Top 20 Whiskeys of 2023 — Whisky Advocate; grade A — Drinkhacker ("a near-perfect marriage" of rum and whiskey traditions)
- Finished: Bardstown, Kentucky (rickhouse G, top floor)
Bardstown Blending Meets Barbados Rum
Bardstown Bourbon Company's Collaborative Series pairs its Kentucky blending program with world-class producers — and Foursquare, the Barbados distillery run by fourth-generation master blender and distiller Richard Seale, supplied the casks. The rum barrels don't make it a rum; they lend the rye-dominant blend a layer of caramelized-sugar and tropical-fruit depth over classic rye spice. Explore more American whiskey, browse rye whiskey, or see the full Bardstown Bourbon Company range at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
The brand's own release notes: a nose of plantain, toasted almond, clove, coconut, peanut, orange zest, and raisin; a palate of rye spice balanced with aged oak; a long, complex finish of baked fruit, lingering spice, and caramel sweetness. Retailer consensus (Whiskey Caviar): deep amber; vanilla, toasted oak, nutmeg, orange peel, banana foster, coconut, and plantain; molasses, brown sugar, and dried fruit; rich rye spice with caramelized sugar; a medium-long finish of baking spice, charred oak, molasses, caramelized fruit, and toasted coconut.
How to Enjoy
Neat, at full proof, to get the full arc from rye spice to rum-cask fruit — a splash of water opens the caramelized notes. Not a cocktail whiskey at this proof and price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a rum?
No — despite the title wording, this is an American whiskey: 90% straight rye and 10% straight bourbon, finished in Foursquare Barbados rum casks.
What does the rum-cask finish add?
Tropical fruit (plantain, coconut, banana foster), caramelized sugar, and molasses layered over rye spice — the rum influence, without any rum in the bottle.
How limited is this release?
About 3,000 9L cases, released April 21, 2023 at a $159.99 MSRP through the gift shop, 24 states, and Seelbach's.
Rye meets Barbados — order Bardstown Bourbon Collaborative Series Foursquare from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.