@the_rum_cartel created quite a stir yesterday by unveiling Foursquare and @velierspa’s latest collaboration, Fidelitas. This is the oldest Foursquare rum released yet, a 20-year-old rum aged entirely in Barbados. It spent 19 years in ex-bourbon casks and an additional year in ex-marsala wine casks. As with most Foursquare rums, it was a blend of pot and column still distillates, bottled just a month ago in January, yielding 2,160 bottles at 55% ABV.

On the nose, the Fidelitas was intriguing, softer than most Foursquare rums I’ve had, and it reminded me of a Christmas fruit cake in a bottle. I could find notes of cinnamon, cloves, and various baking spices, along with traditional Chinese herbal jelly, also known as “guiling gao.” There were also sweeter notes of cola and deep, citrusy notes of chinotto oranges.

On the palate, I was pleasantly surprised by how soft and juicy the Fidelitas was. The harmony of flavors between the ex-bourbon and ex-marsala wine casks was perfect; the ex-bourbon casks providing the structure and backbone, while the year in the ex-marsala wine casks rounded off the edges and mellowed out some of the harsher and sometimes overpowering vanillins. Chinotto oranges and cola sweetness were the main flavors, with red fruits appearing briefly and distinctly in the middle. There were littles traces of oak too that added a bit of chewiness and dryness to the overall rounded texture. The medium-length finish was where the notes of Chinese herbal jelly became apparent, with a hint of smoke and vanilla.

Fidelitas was truly a unique rum across Foursquare’s lineup, even among the Velier collaboration series. Soft and rounded are words I don’t usually associate with Foursquare rums, but Fidelitas showed us a completely different side to Foursquare rums— a side that I found to be quite enjoyable.

Your occasional rum addict!

@weixiang_liu