{"product_id":"foursquare-rum-distillery-exceptional-cask-selection-epilogue-mark-xxxi-19-year-barbados-rum-750ml","title":"Foursquare Rum Distillery Exceptional Cask Selection Epilogue Mark XXXI 19 Year Barbados Rum 750ml","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eRichard Seale has never needed anyone else's endorsement to prove Foursquare belongs at the top of the rum world, but he's gotten plenty anyway. Fred Minnick, author of \u003cem\u003eRum Curious\u003c\/em\u003e, has called Foursquare simply \"the Pappy of Rum\" — the same reverent, sold-out-before-you-hear-about-it status that Pappy Van Winkle occupies in American bourbon. For eighteen years, the Exceptional Cask Selection series has been the clearest proof of why: a succession of one-off, hand-selected releases that Richard Seale bottles only when he personally judges them exceptional, each one a genuinely unrepeatable snapshot of what Foursquare's aging warehouses in St. Philip, Barbados can produce. Epilogue — Mark XXXI — is the 31st and final release in that celebrated series. Its name says everything about what it represents: not simply another entry, but the closing chapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAt 19 years old, Epilogue is the oldest release Foursquare has ever produced — a blend of rum distilled on both the estate's double-retort copper pot still and its twin-column Coffey still, matured entirely in ex-bourbon American white oak barrels for the full 19 years, with every stage of distillation, maturation, blending, and bottling taking place on-site in Barbados. Like every Exceptional Cask Selection before it, Epilogue carries no added sugar, no coloring, no filtration, and no additives of any kind — Richard Seale's uncompromising, transparent production philosophy, applied here to what may be the most significant single bottling of his career. Despite its considerable age, the rum shows none of the heaviness or excessive oak that nearly two decades in barrel might suggest — instead, a surprisingly smooth, fruity, and elegant character carries through from nose to finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe International Wine \u0026amp; Spirits Competition found \"a rich mahogany colour\" ushering in \"an enticing aroma of dark chocolate, leather, and dried fruit,\" the palate \"big and mouth filling with silky texture, revealing leathery sweetness alongside tobacco and ripe fruit,\" with a finish that \"lingers, complex and rewarding.\" Independent retailers describe bright aromas of grapefruit and caramelized orange leading into layers of toffee, nougat, butterscotch, and brown butter, underscored by leather, tobacco, berries, and tropical fruit — a rum \"rich and unctuous,\" remarkably mellow for its 114-proof strength, closing on a long, luxurious finish. Bottled at 57% ABV, without dilution beyond what maturation itself provided. A symbol of patience and know-how, and a fitting tribute to nearly two decades of the most celebrated limited-release program in modern rum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigins \u0026amp; Craftsmanship\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFoursquare Rum Distillery occupies the site of a former sugar plantation in St. Philip, Barbados, with estate origins reaching back into the 17th and 18th centuries. The distillery was closed for years before being reopened by the Seale family in 1996, and distilling operations and blending are today directed by Richard Seale, fourth-generation trader and distiller of R.L. Seale \u0026amp; Co., founded in 1926. Under Seale's leadership, Foursquare has built its reputation on absolute transparency and traditional method — a strict no-additives policy covering sugar, coloring, glycerin, and artificial flavoring of any kind, at a time when undisclosed additives remain widespread across much of the broader rum category. The distillery was named Rum Distillery of the Year at the 2016 IWSC in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Exceptional Cask Selection series represents Richard Seale's own personal, hand-selected projects — one-of-a-kind expressions released only when he judges them to have reached exceptional quality, each one showcasing a genuinely unique approach to rum blending and maturation. Epilogue, Mark XXXI, is a blend of pot still and column still rum: distillate from Foursquare's double-retort copper pot still combined with rum from its twin-column Coffey still, matured together for 19 years entirely in ex-bourbon barrels constructed from American white oak. All distillation, maturation, blending, and bottling take place on-site in Barbados. As with every release in the series, Epilogue contains no added sugar, no coloring, no filtration, and no flavor additives of any kind. Bottled at 57% ABV \/ 114 proof, in its natural color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritics Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInternational Wine \u0026amp; Spirit Competition (IWSC) tasting note:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A rich mahogany colour ushers in an enticing aroma of dark chocolate, leather, and dried fruit. On the palate, it is big and mouth filling with silky texture, revealing leathery sweetness alongside tobacco and ripe fruit. The finish lingers, complex and rewarding.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoursquare \/ Old Town Tequila (extended tasting note):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Nose: Bright aromas of grapefruit and caramelized orange lead into layers of toffee, nougat, butterscotch, and brown butter, underscored by notes of leather, tobacco, berries, and tropical fruit. Palate: Rich, beautifully integrated, and remarkably mellow for its 114-proof strength. Finish: Long, rich, and luxurious with an unctuous mouthfeel that lingers with notes of brown butter, caramel, leather, tobacco, and tropical fruit, inviting another sip.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChips Liquor \/ Skurnik Wines \u0026amp; Spirits (extended tasting note):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Rich and unctuous with notes of grapefruit, caramelized orange, toffee, nougat, butterscotch, and brown butter with undertones of leather, tobacco, and tropical fruit.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBondston (extended tasting note):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Despite its high age, it does not come across as heavy or overly oaky — on the contrary, it offers a surprisingly smooth, fruity, and elegant character. Its profile features notes of dried pineapple, raisins, orange peel, ripe cherries, marzipan, dark chocolate, caramel, and buttery toffee.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFred Minnick, author of Rum Curious:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I believe that this distillery is the Pappy of Rum.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWarren Bobrow, Forbes.com:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"To drink Foursquare Rum, one must only possess a dream of tasting some of the finest things that money can buy…\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Profile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNose\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRich mahogany, deep amber with brilliant copper highlights — the color of nearly two decades of tropical Barbadian barrel aging. Bright grapefruit and caramelized orange open the nose, joined by dark chocolate, leather, and dried fruit. Toffee, nougat, butterscotch, and brown butter build warmth, alongside dried pineapple, raisins, and marzipan. Tobacco and berries add secondary complexity, with ripe cherries and orange peel rounding out a genuinely layered aromatic profile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePalate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBig, mouth-filling, and silky, with a texture that belies its 114-proof strength — rich, beautifully integrated, and remarkably mellow. Leathery sweetness meets tobacco and ripe fruit, while caramel and dark chocolate carry warm depth. Buttery toffee and dried pineapple add layered richness, the pot still and column still components working together to produce genuine complexity without ever feeling heavy or over-oaked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLong, rich, and luxurious, with an unctuous mouthfeel that lingers with brown butter, caramel, leather, tobacco, and tropical fruit. Complex and rewarding — a finish built for slow, repeated sipping, inviting another taste well after the first has faded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuick Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto w-full px-2 mb-6\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"min-w-full border-collapse text-sm leading-[1.7] whitespace-normal\"\u003e\n\u003cthead class=\"text-left\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.6)] py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003eCategory\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.6)] py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eSingle Blended Barbados Rum — Pot Still + Column Still\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABV \/ Proof\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e57% ABV \/ 114 Proof\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e19 Years — the oldest official release in Foursquare's history\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeries\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eExceptional Cask Selection — Mark XXXI, the 31st and final release\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAging\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eEx-bourbon American white oak barrels, entire maturation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistillery\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eFoursquare Rum Distillery — St. Philip, Barbados\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReopened\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e1996 by the Seale family\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaster Distiller\/Blender\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eRichard Seale — 4th generation, R.L. Seale \u0026amp; Co. (est. 1926)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eDistilled, matured, blended, and bottled entirely on-site in Barbados\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdditives\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eNone — no sugar, no coloring, no filtration, no flavor additives\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistillery Award\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eRum Distillery of the Year — 2016 IWSC, London\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritics\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eIWSC tasting panel reviewed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle \/ Identity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eThe culmination and conclusion of rum's most celebrated limited-release series\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAromas \u0026amp; Flavors\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eGrapefruit, caramelized orange, toffee, nougat, butterscotch, brown butter, leather, tobacco, dried pineapple, raisins, marzipan, dark chocolate, cherries\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottle Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e750ml\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eDark chocolate and cacao desserts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eDried fruit and walnut boards\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eAged hard cheeses — aged cheddar, Comté\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eCrème brûlée and vanilla custards\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eEspresso and coffee-based desserts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eServing Note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eBest enjoyed neat in a Glencairn or copita glass to fully appreciate its extraordinary complexity. A few drops of still water can open additional layers of citrus, caramel, tropical fruit, and spice. This is emphatically a sipping rum — its rarity, age, and character make it unsuitable for cocktail use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Winebow","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43954853838914,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0363\/8621\/files\/Foursquare_Rum_Distillery_Exceptional_Cask_Selection_Epilogue_Mark_XXXI_19_Year_Barbados_Rum_750ml.jpg?v=1783884625","url":"https:\/\/www.blackwellswines.com\/products\/foursquare-rum-distillery-exceptional-cask-selection-epilogue-mark-xxxi-19-year-barbados-rum-750ml","provider":"Blackwell's Wines \u0026 Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}