There are many producers of rum on the island of Barbados, but one of the oldest is the family-owned R L Seale & Co Ltd, a company that has been passed down from father to son since 1820. The current man in charge, and head distiller, is Richard Seale who is known for his innovative approach to distilling and blending rum in order to produce perfect rums with exceptional flavour.
R L Seale & Co Ltd rums are made at the relatively new and modern Foursquare distillery. The whole distillery was renovated and restored in 1996. The Foursquare distillery is located at Four Roads, St. Philip and occupies the site of an old sugar producing facility that dated back to 1636. The new distillery combines very modern technology with a historic structure and several visitor attractions including sugar machinery museum, folk museum, bottling plants, and a glass fusing studio. Prior to completion of the new distillery Seale’s rums were made at the West Indies Rum Refinery, the new distillery allows Seale’s much more control over the finished rum. R. L. Seale & Co. Ltd are the third largest bottler of rum on Barbados and their brands are the most consumed on the domestic markets.
Not only is Foursquare distillery a very modern distillery it is also one of the most
eco-friendly distilleries too. The use of modern vacuum distillation technology allows the use of lower temperatures during distillation in the still to avoid over-cooking and damaging the flavour of the rum. Foursquare distillery produces their light rums in a three column vacuum still and their heavier rums in a modern port still. All carbon dioxide produced during distillation is recaptured, filtered and sold on to fizzy drinks manufactures and all the waste molasses is converted into a protein rich solid waste product used in animal feed. By comparison some distillers dispose of such waste in the ocean where it can have a massive impact on marine ecosystems. All of this increases the efficiency of operation, brings in extra revenue and lessens the ecological impact of the distillery.
Foursquare produces quite a number of brands of rum. There is the largest selling domestic white rum ESA Fields, Alleyn Arthur, Old Brigand, Foursquare Spiced Rum, R L Seale’s 10 Year Old and, for the export market, the Doorly’s rum range. They also produce Taylor’s Velvet Falernum an important and hard to come by cocktail ingredient. The Arthur Alleyne and Old Brigand brand was acquired by Seale’s in 1993, along with with a large stock of aged rum. As mentioned Doorly’s rum is their key export brand and is named after Martin Doorly the orginal owner of Martin Doorly & Co, a Bridgetown rum bottler. This eventually became Doorly’s Macaw Rum which was the first bottled rum exported from the island. The Doorly’s rum range still features a Macaw on the label.
Please follow the links below for more information.
Doorly’s 3 year old White Rum, R.L.Seale & Co, Barbados 40%
A light, fresh, fruity and aromatic white rum, great in cocktails
Doorly’s 5 year old Fine Old Barbados Rum, R.L.Seale & Co, Barbados 40%
Amber in colour, with a complex, dried tropical fruit nose. A vibrant entry leads to an 
evolving palate of fruit, toasted coconut and oak notes. Finishes with a fruity sweetness and warmth, but has a balanced lingering taste with a butternut / vanilla aftertaste.
Doorly’s XO Fine Old Barbados Rum, R.L.Seale & Co., Foursquare Distillery 40%
An older blend of 6 to 12 year old rums finished in old Oloroso Sherry casks which gives the rum sublte spiciness with surprisingly mellow and complex flavours of mocha, toffee, banana and raisins.
R L Seale’s 10 year old
Distinctively nutty with a full, smooth and well-rounded body and hints of fig and floral spice. The palate is a delicious butternut taste with light vanilla and dried fruit. There is a lingering finish, with hints of roasted almonds, cinnamon and toffee – very elegant.
Foursquare Spiced Rum, R.L.Seale and Co. 35%
A very good spiced rum, think vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, perhhttps://www.farehamwinecellar.co.uk/product/foursquare-spiced-rum-35-70cl/aps a hint of orange.
Richard Seale also produces a range of “Exceptional Cask Bottlings” which tend to focus on different oak finishes using casks that have previously held Californian Red Zinfandel or Port.
Edit 20/09/16: Doorlys 8 Year Old and Doorlys 12 Year Rums old now available in the UK.
Edit 25/05/17: Read more about Foursquare Rum, and the proposed Gargano / Seale Categorisation of Rum, here.
