Buy Doorly's

Doorly’s is named for the old Doorly family firm and is now blended and bottled by Foursquare Distillery in St. Philip, Barbados, under Richard Seale. It functions as the house’s accessible line, sitting below the sought-after Exceptional Cask Selection (ECS) releases. Many reviewers reach for it precisely because it delivers a recognisable Bajan character without the ECS price.

Production follows the classic Foursquare method: molasses fermentation, a blend of pot and column distillate, then aging predominantly in ex-bourbon barrels, with some expressions seeing Madeira or sherry casks. The rums are not sugared or coloured, which drinkers repeatedly flag as a plus. Alcohol sits at 40-43%, and the frequent request in reviews is for a few extra points of proof.

The range runs from the 3 Year White through the 5, 8, 12 and 14 Year olds, plus the XO Fine Old Barbados Rum and the XO Sherry Finish. Expect vanilla, caramel, toffee, toasted coconut, oak and gentle baking spice, with dark fruit and chocolate emerging in the older bottlings. The white brings banana, citrus and light coconut. The common criticism is that oak can run ahead of the fruit, giving a linear, sometimes bourbon-like feel, especially at the younger ages.

How people drink it depends on the bottle. The 12 and 14 Year get sipped neat as everyday pours, praised for balance rather than fireworks. The 3, 5 and 8 Year earn their keep in cocktails: a Barbados rum punch, a crisp daiquiri, a Corn ’n’ Oil or a Rum and Coke. Whether you want a Doorly’s review before you buy Doorly’s, this is a dependable introduction to Foursquare and to Barbados rum in general.