Variety and Vintage – Naming the variety of grape is acceptable if at least 85% of the wine is made from that grape or 100% made from 2 varieties. Vintage wines must contain at least 85% of the vintage in question that meets the protected designation of origin (PDO) or protected geographical indication (PGI) status. Drinking Guidelines I’ve not even looked at my original review of this rum. My past bottles of R.L Seale’s are long gone. I’m actually quite keen to see how this stands up alongside some of the bottlings put out by Foursquare and Foursquare/Velier over the past couple of years. One of my peevs is that many of those that attempted to hoard and bottle flip the Velier Foursquare releases probably haven’t even tried this rum. Still I must stop grumbling about that……. The nose is classically Bajan, not as sweet as Rum Sixty Six or Doorly’s XO perhaps slightly less fruity. There are notes of chocolate and coffee in the mix along with light vanilla and fruits such as banana and nectarines. All round its well-balanced and suggest complexity when sipped. I did once query the expense of producing such different bottles amongst his expressions but Richard assured me they didn’t add much to the overall costs. The container should also indicate a recommended serving size and how many alcohol units that would contain. It should also indicate the total alcoholic units in the container. For example, a 125ml glass for wine along with the 75cl bottle of that wine.

We have reviewed R.L. Seale’s Finest Barbados Rum in the past. As if Foursquare haven’t been releasing enough rum over the past couple of years Richard Seale also felt it was high time their “flagship” (you could argue the case for Doorly’s as well) rum received a bit of an update. So what we got was a red label on the bottle indicating this is now “Export Proof 46% ALC/VOL”. The previous incarnation was a not to shabby 43% ABV. Much the same as the equally iconic Mount Gay Extra Old. Mount Gay haven’t upgraded their offering to date. Such meticulous attention to detail is reminiscent of many of the more recent Central American producers (think Dictador or La Hechicera). However, such presentation is nothing new to Foursquare. They have been presenting rum in such a way that it practically jumps of the shelf at you for years. It’s synonymous with Bermuda,” says Goslings Rum CEO Malcolm Gosling. Goslings is the island’s oldest business and has been a staple of Bermudian culture since it was founded by James Gosling in 1806. The key to R L Seale’s appeal is its simplicity. Much like the iconic MGXO R L Seale’s doesn’t do anything fancy. It’s a pot/column blend of rum aged in quality ex-bourbon casks for 10 years in a tropical climate. It’s beauty is in its balance and complexity rather than a huge ABV and an unusual second maturation or fancy finish.Nosing reveals typical Bajan and Foursquare aroma’s. Vanilla, touches of caramel and some really well integrated notes of oak and bourbon like spice. It isn’t as “in your face” as some of the recent higher ABV releases but it is very pleasant and approachable.

Traditional Terms of production such as Reserva, Grand Reserva or Chateau may be used to indicate the production method. Goslings Rums, imported and distributed by Castle Brands, are available in all 50 states as well as North American and European Duty Free, the Caribbean, Canada, Australia, and most European markets.So on with the rum. Despite my mishap with the cork, the rum still exhibits that classic fruity, floral and light bajan note when opened. When poured into the glass the rum initially strikes you as being very light almost straw like. It does exhibit a kind of whisky like appearance. Luscious aromas of treacle and butter cookie over wet oak precede a slightly musty earthiness and old leather. On the palate, dark banana, burnt sugar and butter notes turn slightly dry at mid palate leading to creamy vanilla and baking spices over big charred wood. Hints of balsamic, dark prune and leather fade slowly in the very long finish. Geographic Distribution