Foursquare Principia - 62%
Picture taken at Roche Bobois Stuttgart
In this years Whisky Show in London, the Principia was presented by Richard Seale himself in a sherry cask "masterclass" side by side with Richard Paterson explaining his 15 years old Dalmore epxression.
With all respect to Mr. Paterson's lifes work, the Principia was just incomparably better and completely supplanted the famous highlander. Wasn't a fair fight we hear some voices mumbling..
Nose
Good heavens this is stellar! Rich and dark sweetness of sour cherries, with dates and plums, vanilla pods, hazelnut creme, Werther's caramel, some drops of nail polish and fresh ink. Noble mold, plus milk chocolate and some tobacco leaves. The longer it breathes in the glass, the fresher it gets.
With water: Wet soil soaked with the best cough syrup. Some tiger balm (sure this isn't from Marie-Galante?). Finally we get fine soap and female perfume.
Palate
Ultra heavy body with a beautiful cocoa bitterness. Cherries on a Black Forest cake. Thick and sweet agave juice mixed with sugarcane. The texture is creamy and oily with mentholated chocolate, rubber, plastics and earth, all enhanced with precious spices. Very intensive destillate but yet perfectly balanced. The sherry isn't overwhelming and just added another brush stroke to the harmonious look.
With water: The plastic and soap note from the nose showed up.
Finish
Longer than a mothers phone call! Leaving behind a nice astringency and bitterness (sorry mothers).
Rating
A mountain of a rum and a perfect example how to use sherry casks without adding too much wood to the liquid. In our humble opinion this easily competes with the best sherried whiskies out there on the modern market (since we didn't live in the "Macallan for a bargain era"). Chapeau to the team from Barbados (and Genoa)!
