Barbados is widely regarded as the birthplace of rum, with a rich legacy of sugar cultivation and distillation dating back to the mid-17th century. During that time, nearly every large plantation was operating its own small distillery, and sales of this potent cane spirit had become a significant source of income.

From colonial times through independence (which Barbados achieved in 1966), rum remained deeply woven into the island’s social fabric and commerce. Small rum shops dotted every village and Bajan rum developed a reputation for offering a classic expression of the British Caribbean style of rums.

Foursquare Rum Distillery of Barbados is of course acclaimed amongst modern rum enthusiasts for its artisanal quality. And it traces its origin back to the early 1900’s when rum merchant and blending company R. L. Seale & Co.was founded by the very aristocratically named Reginald Leon Seale. At the time, companies like R. L. Seale served an important role in Barbados’ rum industry – they sourced various marks of rum from distilleries, skilfully blended them for consistency and resold the blended rum.

Several iconic Barbados rum brands were actually started by contemporaries of Reginald. They include Martin Doorly & Co. (established 1908) who created the Doorly’s brand and Old Brigand. These heritage brands became acquired by R. L. Seale & Co. And while these acquisitions made good business sense at the time they were acquired, one of the main reasons these heritage brands still exist has been the desire to preserve the historic names that Babadians have come to know and love.

For much of its history, R. L. Seale & Co. remained a rum merchant and blending company – reliant on other distilleries to produce the spirit itself. All that changed in the 1990s when the fourth generation of the Seale family, led by Richard Seale, joined the business and lead the establishment of a new distillery on the grounds of an old sugar estate in St. Philip Parish named Foursquare. Richard chose the dormant Foursquare site for its historical significance and ideal layout.

It's worth noting that the earliest ever known mention of the word “rum” in an official document – and the basis for the claim that Barbados is the birthplace of rum – appeared in a 1650 lease for a plantation in St. Philip. The area had also been a sugar plantation since the 1600s with a brief history of fermenting and distilling rum. Richard could also repurpose several 19th-century sugar factory buildings to house a state-of-the-art distillery.

In starting Foursquare Rum Distillery, Richard would not only revive a storied site of rum-making, but also complete his family’s journey from rum shop traders to fully integrated distillers that craft rum in the classic and traditional Barbadian way – while also leveraging modern technique.

Foursquare Rum Distillery is home to two unique types of still for Rum production. An artisanal copper pot with a double retort, and a traditional twin column Coffey still - each still producing its own distinct style and character of rum.

In a sense, distillation at Foursquare is a convergence of the (very) old and (fairly) new. The distillery mainly operates two types of stills: a traditional double-retort copper pot still and a modern twin-column still that operates under vacuum. The distillery then blends the output of the pot and column stills to create what is known as a “single blended rum”

But I learnt, from a recent meeting in Singapore, to mindfully use words like “innovation” when you speak with Richard about making rum. Thanks to Foursquare and Doorly’s distributor La Maison du Whisky, I had the pleasure of attending a Doorly's Rum tasting masterclass led by none other than Richard Seale. Our session quickly blossomed into a lively dialogue on the nuances of the rum industry, blending history and what it means to be truly innovative in this space.

Richard emphasised the paramount importance of quality casks in crafting exceptional rum. He bemoaned the diluted meaning of "innovation" in today's spirits world – observing how producers often resort to gimmicky barrel finishes—such as ex-orange wine or Tabasco casks—and label these superficial tweaks as innovation. Genuine innovation, said Richard, is painstakingly difficult and rare.

If you’re wondering what “true innovation” looks like to Richard, read our recent interview with Richard where we delved into how Foursquare applied materials science learnings to enhance the catalytic effects of the copper in their traditional pot still.

Doorly's 3-Year-Old Barbados White Rum, 47% ABV – Review

We began our tasting journey with Doorly's 3-Year-Old White Rum. Though this rum is charcoal-filtered to achieve its lighter style, Richard explained that this filtration method isn't new and has been in use since more than 50 years ago when lighter rums were in vouge.

Modern rum lovers almost always love rich, chewy, potent rums. Yet ironically, it was lighter rums that revolutionised cocktail culture at the turn of the century. According to Richard, tasting Doorly's rums from the 1950s, one would be surprised by their much lighter character.

“Right now, full-bodied rum is in trend. Twenty years from now, everyone will be drinking light rum again,” said Richard, with a wry smile. “I’ve seen these cycles,” insisted Richard, “I remember when I first started [making rums], people said you had to make it lighter.”

Tasting Notes

I found the Doorly’s White Rum fresh and creamy on the nose, exuding softness and a smooth, natural cane sweetness.

On the palate, it’s remarkably mellow while also delivering rich creamy textures, vanilla, coconut water, subtle citrus zest and lightly minty and flinty nuances.

The finish is a gentle dryness that gracefully rounds off the experience.

Thoughts

Overall, this rum is exceptionally mellow and approachable, remarkable at a generous 47% ABV while also offering a delightful natural cane sweetness and creaminess thanks to the higher ABV.

Richard attributed its softness directly to the charcoal filtration process. Although filtration is often associated with neutral spirits like vodka, the charcoal filtration used here is a traditional Bajan technique used to soften unaged rum. This is selectively used and never applied to the older rums aged beyond 6–7 years.

Doorly’s XO Barbados Rum, 43% ABV – Tasting

Next, we turned to the Doorly's XO, the flagship and bestseller within the company’s portfolio. Richard proudly described this as their first double-maturation rum: initially matured in ex-rum barrels and subsequently finished in Oloroso Sherry casks. The rum is matured for a minimum of 6 years.

Tasting Notes

It opens beautifully on the nose with balanced sweetness. Ripe tropical fruits, dried mango, banana, orange zest, and warm cinnamon spices interwoven with layers reminiscent of orange marmalade. Caramelised notes and brown sugar deepen over time, with some hints of sarsaparilla and Cognac-like red fruit notes.

On the palate, medium-bodied caramelised brown sugar and vanilla lead the way, alongside pronounced nuttiness, dark chocolate, oak spices –cinnamon, cloves and a peppery warmth. Fruity notes give way progressively to a distinctly herbaceous cane sweetness. The profile remains rather fresh, with just some emerging hints of oak and light charred oak notes.

The finish is medium-length with some dried mango pieces, warm spices and a gentle oak dryness.

Thoughts

The Doorly’s XO is remarkably approachable and well-rounded for an aged rum.

It skilfully blends those caramelised notes with balanced fresh fruitiness and spice. The sherry cask influence introduces a subtle nuttiness and dark chocolate notes that compliment the spice-driven mid-palate. This is great value for money. It’s also quite versatile, making a solid sipping rum that is also fresh and light enough to enhance a fruity tiki cocktail.

Doorly’s 14-Year-Old Barbados Rum, 48% ABV – Review

Richard explained that while unaged white rum can indeed be very pleasant and enjoyable, he firmly regards age as the single most powerful tool available to elevate the quality of a spirit. It frustrates him when other producers today claim that “age does not matter”.

This set the perfect stage to introduce the final bottle in this lineup that is the Doorly's 14-Year-Old Rum, the oldest expression within the Doorly's lineup and a testament to the impact of extended aging.

This rum is comprised of components that have spent the entire maturation period in Madeira wine casks in addition to bourbon barrels. The rum is also bottled at a more robust 48% ABV.

Tasting Notes

The nose is wonderfully expressive, bursting with abundant dried red fruits—particularly plums, raisins, and hawthorn. Prominent plumminess is joined by cola gummies, before eventually evolving into deeper, darker nuances of tobacco box, cedar wood, and bitter dark chocolate.

On the palate, it’s got a remarkably chewy mouthfeel—far denser and more textured than its younger counterparts. This is also where the signature Foursquare ECS style begins to shine. An abundance of brown sugar and caramel, accented by slightly herbaceous, sweet nuances recalling Woods Candy, plum jam and liquorice. The sweet bitterness and growing woodiness hints somewhat at Cocchi Sweet Vermouth.

The finish is warm and satisfying, marked by a lingering presence of oak, tart red fruits, dark cherries, cardamom spice, and dark chocolate. It’s noticeably more dry and tannic, though it’s kept well in check, never overwhelming the overall character.

Thoughts

Overall, I find the Doorly’s 14 to be a very impressive core range rum, with lovely chewiness and a rich-textured mouthfeel. It’s surprisingly intense and oaky for a non-limited edition rum. If you have a certain impression that Doorly’s an entry-range product, you’d be surprised how wonderfully challenging this is. Despite its prominent tannins and some oak dryness, the Madeira cask maturation counterbalances with luscious, ripe red fruits.

Considering its complexity and richness, this is strikingly reminiscent of many of Foursquare’s beloved ECS bottlings. Besides the lower ABV, I struggle to see any obvious difference in character and quality!

Final Thoughts

This concludes Richard’s insightful tasting journey with us through the iconic Doorly's – the iconic first bottled rum to be exported from Barbados.

Mini bottle-signing session with Richard.

Reflecting on the broader rum industry, Richard observed that the last three decades have witnessed a remarkable global rum renaissance, with much greater demand for real rum around the world, including a growing enthusiasm here in Asia. He’s described his pride in a separate interview: “When I first visited Singapore and found our rum here… it's a feeling that never gets old. My grandfather would never have believed it was possible to export his rum all over the world.”

Yet, despite the optimistic outlook, Richard remains concerned over how rum is often marketed today. Transparency, he insisted, is critical. Producers certainly can—and do—create spiced or sweetened rums that cater to various preferences. Even Richard’s own company participates in crafting such products. Yet, he stressed that honesty with customers is essential. Without transparency, the credibility and reputation of traditional and authentic rums would be compromised.

@CharsiuCharlie