Aroma visualization from community tastings
Foursquare ECS XIII 2008
Most people rate this a very good Foursquare, though a few call it just another one and one shrugs "typical Foursquare for better or for worse." Expect the classic house profile: coconut and vanilla up front, plenty of oak and spice, brown sugar and a little tobacco from the ex-bourbon casks. Runs drier and woodier than earlier ECS vintages, with a long finish.
The community says- Gorgeous nose
- Coconut and vanilla
- Alcohol not integrated
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The look inside the bottle
How does Foursquare ECS XIII 2008 taste?
Aggregated from 243 community reviews.
Dry, woody, coconut-vanilla Foursquare at full strength Loved by most as a well-balanced, dry-yet-sweet Barbados classic with a gorgeous nose. The recurring gripe: at 60% the alcohol isn't always neatly tucked in.
Fans of dry, oaky ex-bourbon Foursquare
People wanting big tropical fruit or low ABV
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
85 of 243 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is Foursquare ECS XIII 2008 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.7 sits in the “Very good” band. 97% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Community voices
What does the community say?
13% rate it between 6 and 8. 20 selected write-ups from 243 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
One of the community's most-rated rums
Review by Henry Davies
An exceptional rum. The nose is inviting with oak, sugar, and apple notes. The palate has depth, a light spice, with brown sugar and gentle oiliness. Incredible poise and finesse for a rum of this type. The finish is long and enjoyable, with a slowly fading spice, and hints of leather and tobacco. In my view, one of the best ECS releases, and certainly the best ex-Bourbon to date.
Review by 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 :-)
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
This rum is drier than the 2004, 2005 and 2007. Foursquare definitely delivers this time. A wonderful complex nose that you just want to return to over and over again. The palate is heavy, well balanced and dry with a touch of oak. The finish is long and a bit of smoke as well as fruits.
Review by Stefan Persson
It’s a blend of pot and column distilled rum aged for 12 years in ex-Bourbon barrels. Overall it’s a really great, complex, intense and well balanced rum that’s dry and sweet at the same time.
Review by Joachim Guger
Foursquare in the usual quality and with the usual flavor profile. And that (still) at a fighting price. A bit weaker on the nose and less complex than its brothers with bourbon finish. In the mouth really cool. That's how rum should taste. OK, then there's the '96 Diamond...
Review by HenryL
Above average good! One of the most complex Barbados rums I know and also one of the best ECS Second tasting: Surprisingly light on the nose, but a flavor bomb in the mouth. Pleasantly oily and powerful. Taste wins over smell here.
Review by Tschusikowsky
The nose is great. Everything you would like in a FS. In the mouth, the alcohol is too present and not optimally integrated. Overlays the profile in the mouth. Nevertheless, very digestible and a good FS.
Review by Benoit Mahe
A magnificent nose but a rather simple palate with a short finish. I like it a lot, but it lacks something to make it an excellent Foursquare. For the price, it's still a very good rum that's easy to find.
Review by Insta: spiritofbernard 🇫🇷
Foursquare has established itself as one of the best rum brands in the world, both in my eyes and in those of other enthusiasts. On the nose, the aromatic power is impressive. I would have reduced it a little more, the 60% are very violent, but it's undeniable that this is a great rum and a real treat. Edit March 2023: the rum has micro oxidized and the bitterness of the poorly integrated alcohol has given way to precious wood coated with coconut and sweet tropical fruit. An excellent nectar 🤤
Review by Oliver
The nose really makes you want more - classic Foursquare notes in top quality. Lots of spice and wood, quite little fruitiness (apart from the typical coconut note). On the palate, the associations of the nose continue. Wow, the rum is really fun!Excellent release See ECS series of Foursquare!
Review by Rene Pfeiffer
Nice and round. Sweet, vanilla, coconut, spicy, woody, owl and solvent. The alcohol is top integrated. Delicious.
Review by Stefan L
Foursquare delivers as usual. Today this even exceeds my expectations. - Tasting it again and this is really really good.
Review by Jakob Mmmmhhh
Absolute FS rocket. Lots of caramel, vanilla and wood, but also subtle fruit in the form of coconut. Alcohol not perfectly integrated, otherwise it would be the perfect barbarian.
Review by TheRhumhoe
Un Foursquare dans la pure tradition, jonglant entre la noix de coco, les raisins secs, les agrumes et le boisé gourmand sur le bourbon, avec des touches de caramel, de sucre brûlé et de toffee accompagnées de notes de café, de noix et de chocolat, suivies par une ribambelle d’épices douces (vanille, muscade, cannelle, épices d’hiver). À noter que les arômes de solvant qui viennent après un certain temps d’aération ne sont pas déplaisants. L’attaque en bouche offre un rhum enveloppé de douceur, sous des traits de caramel, de noix de coco, de raisin sec, d’épices douces, de chocolat, de vanille et de noisette, avec un fond de cuir et de bourbon. Il fait preuve de plus de complexité qu’il ne laisse prétendre. L’alcool est bien intégré. La finale est longue, sèche, presque tannique et amère avec des touches de cuir. On ressent l’effet du bourbon avec des notes très douces de vanille, de caramel et de chocolat, mais aussi de noix de coco et de raisin sec sur un lit de pain toasté ou légèrement grillé. Un bon Foursquare, solide représentant de sa distillerie.
Review by Mike H.
Great Foursquare, not much fruit but a lot of wood and spices. Lovely flavor profile.
Review by Alessandro
Un Rum rotondo e dal gusto intenso: secondo me uno dei migliori della serie Foursquare ECS. Gusto corposo ed al palato oleoso, si fanno sentire le note di Bourbon. Alcool inizialmente presente tende poi a mitigarsi. Buono per me
Review by Serge
Als Nicht-Foursquare-Freund muss ich sagen: echt lecker und gut gemacht.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Alcohol could be significantly better integrated for me both on the nose and taste.... Overall, it's a bit too toasty, bitter-woody and banned for me. Has it of burnt caramel.... I'm missing the fruity notes of banana, coconut and pineapple here.... Nevertheless, a solid foursquare overall but Holt me not quite off.
Review by mto75
gefällt mir an der Nase besser als am Gaumen, wo sich der nicht so gut eingebundene Alkohol doch etwas negativ bemerkbar macht. Sonst hätte es noch ein paar Punkte mehr gegeben…
Review by Frank
Ich finde zwar, dass die Foursquares alle sehr ähnlich sind, aber probieren muss ich die hin und wieder doch mal. Nase: fruchtig, cremig, würzig. Intensiv Kokos mit Vanille und Karamell im Vordergrund, dahinter mehlige Banane mit säuerlicher Ananas und Tabak. Der Alkohol sticht zunächst etwas. Insgesamt das bekannte Profil, für mich mit zuviel Karamell-Kokos. 78 Gaumen: würzig-holzig und kräftig. Deutliche Assoziationen Richtung Bourbon. Vorne dabei wieder Tabak mit etwas Leder und Vanille. Auch ein Hauch Kokos ist dabei. Am Gaumen gefällt er mir besser, hat mit einer leichten Rauchnote mehr Charakter. 82 Ich bleibe dabei: die ganzen Foursquares sind für mich austauschbar und fast beliebig. Aber dennoch gut gemacht.
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Expert reviews
4 critics scored it, averaging 9.0/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by New World Rum Club
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Expert review by Rum nagykövet
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Expert review by Rum Runner Labs
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Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review →Foursquare Rum Distillery 2008 delivers everything it promises on the nose and then some more. Without samples to hand I wouldn't like to rank and rate the series. This is no disappointment. It might even be the best example of this "expression" we have had so far. Another instant classic...
Details about Foursquare ECS XIII 2008
A Pot & Column Still Rum from Barbados, distilled by Foursquare, at 60%.
Community purchases
745 bottles logged by 503 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
17% opened, 53 emptied and repurchased.
What does Foursquare ECS XIII 2008 cost?
Community paid 62–115 €.
Current best price: 299.00 € – above the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
+5 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
745 purchased · 253 tasted · 138 wishlist · as of
About the Foursquare distillery
The Foursquare distillery is located in Barbados. Rums from Foursquare have been reviewed 14,076 times with an average of 8.3/10.
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Foursquare ECS XV Redoutable
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Foursquare ECS X 2007
Foursquare ECS X 2007Classic Foursquare: coconut, vanilla, dry oak
Foursquare ECS IX Empery 2004
Foursquare ECS IX Empery 2004Rich, oaky sherry-finished Foursquare sipper
Foursquare ECS XVIII Indelible
Foursquare ECS XVIII IndelibleLight, balanced Foursquare that wants more punch
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Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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