Barbados
There are 1,076 rums from Barbados in the RumX database.
Show all Barbados rumsBarbados is a 167 square-mile island in the Lesser Antilles and it’s the most easterly in the Caribbean. Spanish conquerors took hold of the island in the 15th century, and it was under Portuguese rule for a while as well. The island was abandoned in 1620 but reclaimed by the British in 1625; they controlled the Caribbean island for the next three hundred years. The sugarcane arrived on Barbados in 1640, and the island became a sugar and rum powerhouse fuelled by the slave trade, mainly by plantations worked by enslaved Africans. Barbados is the “birthplace of Caribbean rum”, and the style is inherently British. Four major distilleries call Barbados home: Foursquare, Mount Gay, St. Nicholas Abbey and West Indies Rum Distillery. The rum style is darker and fuller compared to other Caribbean rums, thanks to higher molasses concentration and the use of pot stills. The rum usually ages in ex-Bourbon barrels for long periods, making the style particularly appealing for whiskey drinkers. Although column stills are now also used by the island’s rum producers, pot stills are still relevant, differentiating this rum style from others. For reference, Barbados rum is more similar to what you’d find in Jamaica than the rum produced in Spanish- and French-style producing countries — it has no added sugar. Barbadian rum producers are pushing for their own Geographical Indication, standardising and improving the rum quality and international exposure. Still, producers have yet to agree on what Barbados rum should be and how it should be produced and aged. The future is bright, though, for Barbados rum.
Top rated Barbados rums
Rum Artesanal Barbados Rum Rockley Style BBR
Top review from Jakob:
"Head-to-head with the Silver Seal and for me a nose ahead - although this can turn out the other way around at the next comparison. Here, too, smoke, honey, fresh fruitiness, plus green notes - the all-round pampering program for aficionados, which makes every tasting a star hour of rum. Always a pleasure!"
Single Cask Rum BRS
Top review from Zucker und Zeste:
"I found it a little fresher than the Artesanal rum, but this was a little more complex and mature. With both bottlings, it is amazing how ingeniously alcohol can be integrated into a rum."
Barbados BRS
Top review from Jakob:
"Absolute royalty from Barbados - the "Rockley" style reaches its highest form of art here. Smoke, honey, fresh fruit, plus green notes - all this with perfectly integrated alcohol and without ever developing any form of heaviness. In one form: Formidable."
Destino Richard Seale
Top review from Jakob:
"To date, the most impressive testimony to the quality Foursquare is capable of producing. Aging in former Madeira barrels brings a perfect flavor complement to the usual Foursquare profile and puts the Destino in a different league than the bulk of other Foursquare bottlings. Excellent."
No. 3 Rockley BBR
Top review from TheRhumhoe:
"A rum whose vintage is often considered a benchmark in the field, and it's easy to see why. The nose is very full and complex, with a multitude of flavors: exotic fruits, floral notes, aromatic herbs, tobacco, spices (ginger, licorice, anise, chili, vanilla, pepper), smoky wood, nuts, caramel, honey, chocolate and medicinal notes form an aromatic bouquet as special as it is detailed, deep and lively. The palate is very elegant and sophisticated. The rum is lively, rich in spices, aromatic herbs and floral notes that extend to honey. Wood, smoke, leather and chocolate follow the complex, fresh palate. Some medicinal and fruity notes lie in ambush on the tongue. The alcohol is very well integrated. The finish is long, dark, bitter, medicinal, woody and slightly herbaceous. There are also dried fruits, leather, spices and chocolate. For a profile of Barbados, this is an original, complete and accomplished rum, with remarkable and delicious flavors."
Destino
Top review from Oliver:
"One can directly recognize the Foursquare DNA. Compared to other bottlings, however, an uncanny complexity and depth awaits, reminiscent of tropically aged Demerara bottlings. On the palate, round, nutty-spicy, intense, multilayered with a great sweetness. Similar to the 2006 just a touch more complex. Best Foursquare so far. A real firework in the mouth - Love it!"
Wild Series Rum Barbados No. 25 (Batch 1)
Top review from Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰:
"This is a great Barbadian. Once poured you know you're in Barbados. I love the coconut that is there from nose to finish. Seems like they hit the right barrel for this release. Well balanced overall and natural sweetness on the palate. Price to quality is very good."
12 Years old
Top review from Stefan Persson:
"Best Bajan rum I’ve tasted so far. This release is produced by Foursquare for St. Nicholas Abbey, cause they hadn’t rum aged at this length at this stage of their production. Nowadays they have released a 12yo produced at the estate if I’ve understood it right."
Absolutio
Top review from zabo:
"First impression: Oh yes!!! After the failure with the Raconteur, which I personally didn't like that much, only the Absolutio. The combination of bourbon and port barrel works really well in my opinion. The alcohol is perfectly integrated. Nice and soft and velvety to drink, beautiful dark color and pretty curtains in the glass. At 179€, it's also cheaper than its predecessor. From what I remember of the Velier Foursquare Crosstasting, it stands out from the others and would be at the top of my list. I think this will be my new favorite Foursquare."
Plenipotenziario
Top review from crazyforgoodbooze:
"An extremely tasty number that is dominated above all by the floral tones of rose and Thai flying mango, which then alternate with nutty and chocolaty aromas. Mega exciting, extremely palatable and a complexity like this is very rare with Foursquare. Absolutely outstanding for me! It has become one of my favorite sipping rums. I think this could really be my absolute favorite Foursquare!"
Triptych
Top review from DomM:
"Velier FS (+ a fee spected other contenders) blind cross tasting: Honestly, the results here were very close. The Belier bottlings display a very high quality thourgout the range. Triptych and Pleni came out on top for me closely followed by Destino. I was somewhat surprised, that Sassafras and 2006 came out rather at the bottom, while I enjoyed both very much on their own. Raconteur also quite low in the ranking with Principia clearly at the bottom."
Rockley Still
Top review from Rodolphe:
"Blind tasting tonight. The nose is great. A big salad of exotic fruits in the foreground. A little almond powder behind, some dried fruit, a hint of rubber. A nose that makes you want to drink it, really! I really like it. On the palate, the woodiness is more noticeable, as are certain aromas such as candied prunes. A little less fruity. A wonderful discovery, I found it really very good, but I didn't guess at all, I thought it was a Jamaican-dominated navy blend."
Green Label
Top review from crazyforgoodbooze:
"Teil 4/8 unseres 1986er Rockley Tastings: wow! unglaublich intensiv sowohl an der Nase als auch im Geschmack! richtig schön dick, cremig und ölig. Papaya trifft Minze, trifft Piment trifft Banane und zum Schluss kumquatmarmelade mit frischem Vanillemark. geile Nummer! unglaublich smooth und dennoch komplex genug und nicht so schnell weg wie sonst oft bei Trinkstärke. in kurz: die beste Rockley 86 Trinkstärke!🤤🇧🇧"
Barbados
Top review from Jarek:
"One of the best Foursquare bottlings I've had in my glass so far. Luckily I was able to get hold of the last bottle at the GRF 2023 😄 I had it in my glass again today, after a long absence from Foursquare, and it's unbelievable how delicious the rum is. An essence of the typical Foursquare profile."
Exceptional Cask Selection XX Isonomy
Top review from Jakob:
"The high age suits the rum well and brings thanks to the wood influence still a little more vanilla melt from the bourbon barrels. Also overall with recognizable proximity to American whiskies with fresh oak, present spice of pepper, cinnamon and cloves, concise toffee, dried fruit and subtle minerality. Very good Foursquare representative."
Wonders of the World #7
Top review from crazyforgoodbooze:
"Wow. Definitely in my top 5 best foursquare rums I've had so far. Incredibly drinkable, aromatic and complex. Unusual but awesome is especially this light green chili note that perfectly complements the otherwise typical caramelized coconut, banana chocolate note. I would have bought me in any case gladly! Since you can quickly times accidentally make the bottle empty in one evening😂🤤"
Raconteur
Top review from DomM:
"Velier FS (+ a fee spected other contenders) blind cross tasting: Honestly, the results here were very close. The Belier bottlings display a very high quality thourgout the range. Triptych and Pleni came out on top for me closely followed by Destino. I was somewhat surprised, that Sassafras and 2006 came out rather at the bottom, while I enjoyed both very much on their own. Raconteur also quite low in the ranking with Principia clearly at the bottom."
Rasta Morris
Top review from Tom Buteneers:
"Deze heb ik eerst een tijdje laten rusten vooraleer ik me er aan waagde, gezien het hoge alcoholpercentage. Herkenbaar Barbados-profiel en sterk, maar toch is de alcohol niet overheersend. Qua smaak helemaal mijn ding, deed me denken aan gezouten karamel met tropisch fruit. Heerlijke smaak die lang blijft nazinderen."
Exception
Top review from Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰:
"This is a lovely bottling and I got the nose as soon as I opened the sample. The fruit is there especially coconut that I love in the rums from Barbados followed by the wood and spices in near perfect harmony. The empty glass will release the most wonderful flavours after and hour or so and even the day after you still get some of the flavours. Price to quality is OK."
Exceptional Cask Selection III 2004
Top review from Jakob:
"Gets me a subjective sympathy point in addition, because the high-percentage Foursquare profile at the time was definitely something new, which has caused enthusiasm. But also regardless of that, an excellent representative of the typical Foursquare profile."
Exceptional Cask Selection XII Nobiliary
Top review from Fasen :
"Wow. It is the greediness has the raw state! Well balanced, we are directly alpaguered by a huge pastry side (Crème brûler / Butterscotch / Cake / Vanilla / Chocolate / Brown sugar), it is very fat (Coconut / Walnut / Butter), we have some red fruits well sweetened this strolling in the mouth with their friends the dried fruits (Dried Apricots / Prunes).The woody is fine and greedy too and comes to structure this mouth with a touch of cooking and a slightly toasted side (Roasted coconut). A real cake this rum with power and a good grip in mouth, a killer!"
Exceptional Cask Selection XIII 2008
Top review from Tim :
"Smells really intense and delicious of fruit, caramel, vanilla and spices, although a little like solvent, which disappears after a while. Super round. This rum is heavy and strong on its own, but absolutely mild with a little water. Goes down like oil. Unfortunately, I don't get as much chocolate here, but lots of caramel/cream toffee, fruit and spices. The bourbon influence is there. Very round, tasty and complex rum, you can't complain much :-)"
Exceptional Cask Selection XIX Sovereignty
Top review from SaibotZtar :
"Beginning somewhat alcoholic nose... Sherry comes through well makes it more fruity and slightly sweeter in comparison ... After a bit of time in the glass, the spiciness fades a bit and it seems more harmonious ... The sherry cask has done a good job and brings mMn the typical Foursquare character something forward and makes it different (which is very welcome in view of the countless bottlings) prices beyond the 100€ I see as excessive."
Exceptional Cask Selection XV Redoutable
Top review from Oliver:
"Wonderful rum from the Foursquare distillery! Spicy, full-bodied and delicious. In the nose surprise floral notes, which I did not know from Foursquare so. From the profile it goes towards really good Tropical Guyana Column! Very good!"
Mystique Private Cask (The Whisky Exchange)
Top review from Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰:
"#4594 29.01.2024 Relaxing at home with this nice sample I received today. A rather intensive rum wich settles a bit with a few drops of water. This is a pretty different profile with a lot of punch. I like it a lot but I think this one will split the waters a bit. Rest for a long time or add a few drops of water. The tannins are close to taking the first row here ☺️ Nose Intense, balanced, wood, light roasted, berries, faint mint, light caramel, light sherry notes. Palate Lightly oily, balanced, complex, wood, medium roasted, tannins, fruity, light mint, faint caramel. Finish Warm, wood, light roasted, tannins, dried fruit. The empty glass has some light chocolate and light camphor notes. Will see if I can get my hands on a bottle."
Finest Barbados Rum (Imported West Indies)
Top review from Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰:
"Thinking about the price tag on this bottle you Gert a lot of Barbados on your table. A surprisingly good rum with fruit and spices. The wood is light but the spices on the palate makes it warm. I like it."
Wild Series Rum Barbados No. 13
Top review from Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰:
"This is a tasting set from 2022 where we had a lot of fun around the table. A very nice release from Romdeluxe and I have tried it a few times since then as well. A fruity and naturally sweet rum with nice spices and wood. The ABV is really well integrated and it draws really nice curtains in the glass. The empty glass is also fruity with a little chocolate and citrus."
Principia
Top review from crazyforgoodbooze:
"Holy moly the claps neatly! But very horny and intense. Strong mocha, vanilla bean, raisin, discreet sherry and rum raisins, dark chocolate with fleur de sel and espresso beans and then again coconut and banana chips. Only the alcohol could be better integrated. Aromatically, however, it is really fun!"
Plantation Extreme No. 5
Top review from mto75:
"glad to have tasted this 🦄. From memory, I would say the RA 1986 WIRD was even more on honey and smoky notes. The Plantation has a broader fruit palette to offer, with mango, papaya and green tea. Distilled exclusively on the Gregg farm, it is idle to argue whether this makes it a 'real' Rockley...."
Flavour profile of Barbados
Most frequently mentioned flavors
Popular distilleries of Barbados
- Foursquare 520 rums
- West Indies 188 rums
- Mount Gay 95 rums
- St. Nicholas Abbey 15 rums
- Multi Distilleries 5 rums
- Rockley 15 rums
- Ebbe & Flut Brennerei Rügen 2 rums
- Foursquare & West Indies 2 rums
All rums from Barbados
- West Indies Rum Artesanal Barbados Rum Rockley Style BBR 1986 34yr 53,7% RX7784
- Duncan Taylor West Indies Single Cask Rum BRS 1986 25yr 52,7% RX1028
- Silver Seal West Indies Barbados BRS 1986 33yr 58,8% RX3896
- Velier Foursquare Destino Richard Seale 2003 2yr - 12yr 61% RX635
- Nobilis West Indies No. 3 Rockley BBR 1986 34yr 54,7% RX9395
- Velier Foursquare Destino 2003 14yr 61% RX53
- Romdeluxe Foursquare Wild Series Rum Barbados No. 25 (Batch 1) 2007 14yr 62,3% RX12303
- St. Nicholas Abbey 12 Years old 12yr 40% RX3847
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