Foursquare ‘Equidem’ Exceptional Cask Selection Rum

Foursquare “Equidem” Exceptional Cask Selection Rum is a showcase of what happens when one of the Caribbean’s most respected distilleries pushes itself in a new direction without compromising its core values. Produced at Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados, Equidem is a single blended rum, a combination of pot still and column still distillates from molasses, aged entirely on the island for 14 years. 

At the heart of this release is an unusual cask program. Part of the blend spent its full maturation in ex-bourbon barrels, building classic Foursquare notes of vanilla, toasted oak, and baking spice. The other component followed a dual maturation: five years in ex-bourbon, then a further nine years in ex–Black Muscat wine casks. This is the first time Foursquare has used ex–Black Muscat barrels, and they bring intense dark fruit, florals, and a subtle grapey sweetness that interweaves with the distillery’s drier, oak-driven style. 

Bottled at 61% ABV as part of the award-winning Exceptional Cask Selection series, Equidem is presented with no added sugar, no flavoring, no coloring, and no chill filtration. It’s rum in its purest form, designed for enthusiasts who want to experience the full power and detail of long-aged Barbados rum straight from the cask. 

In the glass, Equidem is notably dark, with an aroma that leans into black cherry, stewed red berries, oak, vanilla, and hints of leather and tobacco. On the palate, expect a thick, almost oily texture carrying waves of dark chocolate, caramel, baked red fruits, and spiced pastry, framed by well-integrated barrel tannins. Reviews consistently highlight the long, warming finish, where dried fruit, cocoa, and spice linger for minutes. 

Equidem is a limited, numbered release that will appeal to serious rum drinkers, collectors of the Exceptional Cask Selection series, and whiskey lovers exploring high-strength Caribbean rum. Enjoy it neat or with a small splash of water to open up the dense layers of fruit and oak. This is a bottle that rewards slow, attentive sipping, a benchmark expression from one of rum’s most admired distilleries.