Looking for a rum produced by a family company that respects traditional methods? Then look no further. Foursquare is a family-owned distillery that has been masterfully managed by the Seale family since it was first founded in the 19th century. The distillery is located on the island of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea. The story goes that in 1883 Reginald Leon Seale decided to learn the art of rum blending. He then created his first company in 1926, lending his initials to the business name, R.L. Seale & Co. At the time, Barbados could not market its own rum, which was instead sold to bottlers and other independent brands. The distillery was handed from father to son, until Foursquare was built in 1996 on the site of the former sugar refinery and distillery of the same name. Rums are produced at the distillery from diluted molasses, and fermented with South African yeasts. Foursquare quickly established a strong reputation for its ex-bourbon cask maturations.

Released in 2017, Foursquare Criterion is the fifth edition in the Exceptional Cask Selection range launched in 2008. A blend of rums distilled in column and pot stills, Criterion is aged for 10 years in bourbon and Madeira casks. Original finishes like this are a trademark of Foursquare and its owner Richard Seale. The rums in the Exceptional Cask range are often matured first in ex-Jack Daniel’’s bourbon casks before being finished in more unusual casks, such as those previously used for wine or brandy.