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Foursquare ECS XXII Touchstone 2008
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Drier and woodier than most people expect from Foursquare — this leans away from the usual coconut-vanilla toward oak, spice, bitter chocolate and orange peel, with the ex-cognac casks adding a dried-fruit, grape edge. At 61% it needs air, or a few drops of water, to open up. Loved by fans, though several say it's less exciting than other ECS bottles.
The community says- Well-integrated 61%
- Cognac-cask depth
- But: Hot without water
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How does Foursquare ECS XXII Touchstone 2008 taste?
Summarized by AI from community reviews.
Dry, woody, spicy Foursquare with cognac edge Well-made and clearly Foursquare, with a cognac-driven dry, spicy side. Fans call it complex; a fair few find it hot, a bit bitter, and less thrilling than other ECS releases.
Aroma profileFoursquare fans who want the drier, cognac-finished side
People chasing soft, coconut-sweet Foursquare or avoiding heat
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
54 of 144 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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Rated better
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1993
8.8/10302.00 €
More intense
Foursquare ECS XXV Equipoise 2009
8.4/10124.90 €
Similar rating, cheaper
Foursquare ECS XXI 2010
8.5/10105.89 €
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First choice: 44 of 52 tasters who tried both prefer it.
What does the community say?
144 community reviews
49 selected write-ups on this page, all of them in the RumX app
Top 18% of Barbados rumsTop 23% at Foursquare
Rate it in the app
Positive from 8.0 · Mixed 6.0–7.9 · Critical below 6.0
Review by Stefan Persson
Most helpful positive review
Overall a great Foursquare ECS rum. Mr Richard Seale have done it again. I tasted it the Swedish importer’s, Lars Renbjer’s, stand at the Stockholm Beer & Spirits Fair 2023. Touchstone is a molasses based double-aged pot- and column blended rum aged in ex-Bourbon and ex-Cognac casks for 14 years. It consists of two components. The first component, a 2008 ex-bourbon aged distillate which was filled in ten former Cognac Camus casks in 2020, then 12yo, to mature for almost 3 years more. The second component was aged for 5 years in ex-Bourbon casks and 9 more years in ex-Cognac casks.
Review by mto75
Most helpful mixed review
in the first impression on the nose already very fierce oak and tannins (have just also two freshly sawn oak slats here for the expansion of the rum cabinet, which are quite good for reference). With a bit of standing time, caramel and a nice butterscotch note come in. Spicy on the palate, coffee, but unfortunately quickly fades into a rather bitter note (tannins, tannins that were already so dominant on the nose?). For me, this ECS bottling is too unbalanced. A second chance there is then soon again ...
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Round thing but no over highlight FS. It has something of dark chocolate with orange zest and a little black pepper. I think the cognac barrel comes out more harmoniously here than in the Dominus in comparison.
Review by Leo Krüper
Solid FS. Not worth 150€.
Review by zabo
Tasted at the Pueblo del Ron Nuremberg 2024 trade fair. I also had to try this one, as I've been putting off my sample for some time. However, as I was able to take a bottle with me for 102€, I simply tried it on the spot. A good ESC that ranks in the middle of the ECS bottlings. Edit: It also makes a solid impression as a mixer.
Review by BTHHo 🥃
Give this rum time to breathe and you will be rewarded with a captivating experience that will continue to develop for a long time!
Review by Johannes
Not bad, quite smooth thanks to the Cognac finish.
Review by Frank
Nice "once all" tasting with friends... quick while I still have senses.... Nose: caramel, some chocolate, coconut. Pleasant and classic Foursquare. Nothing outstanding in my view, but usual good quality. 8,4 Palate: round and coconut, soft, caramel, floral. Again, solid and clearly Foursquare. That's about as good as it gets. But it doesn't have to be. Just Foursquare. 8,4
Review by Tim
This rum leans weakly on the caramel/fruit side, but more strongly on wood, spice, bitter chocolate and leather. On the nose, besides orange, another distinct fruit is present, could be apple. Only on the finish does some caramel and sweet fruit come through for me, which is why the Touchstone is too unbalanced for me up to that point to rate it towards 9/10. Nevertheless, high quality!
Review by Jakob
Typical Foursquare aromas meet herbal tobacco and chocolate notes. Overall, I miss a bit of the final finesse, and the pronounced green aromas don’t really excite me subjectively. But quality-wise there’s nothing to complain about, the alcohol is pleasantly integrated in my opinion and creates good drinkability.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#4299 14.10.2023 sitting at home raxing after a tough training yesterday and a trip across the border for our monthly shopping today. Another nice release but I think the prices have gone spiralling and I suspect many out there buy a lot to sell online afterwards. Nicely balanced almost subtle release. Fruity and fresh. The palate is also fruity with a nice floral touch. The finish is medium to long and fruity. Draws really nice curtains in the glass. The empty glass has a light smoky note and faint chocolate.
Review by Timo Groeger
Store visit Rhum Attitude Brussels May 2025. Taken along as a sample. A really solid Foursquare. The nose is predominantly spicy and woody, with a hint of leather. On the palate, in addition to wood and spices, there is also some cognac and bourbon.
Review by Basti
In direct comparison with the Isonomy, the nose is much more restrained and one-dimensional. Coconut, vanilla, spices and wood are discreetly present. The palate is more on the woody and spicy side, even slightly bitter with some leather.
Review by F.L.O.
Foursquare as always :-) Down-to-earth, spicy, well-integrated alcohol. Price-performance is also okay. Addendum: with an ECC bottling >50%, you usually can't go wrong. Applies to this one too. No change to the rating.
Review by ilRummista
An excellent ECS. Very interesting nose, fruity and deep. On the palate, it can be very decisive but also delicate. The aging in ex-cognac barrels has softened it just enough. One of my favorite ECS among the latest releases!
Review by abaker-rum
You start with a caramel, vanilla, fruity, and leather nose. The taste is immediately peppery, with wood, spice, and caramel. The finish is long with the continuation of the pepper, spice and caramel.
Review by Righrum
Edit June 24: at the end of the bottle, I raised the overall score because it has revealed as a great sipper and one of the best ECS I've tried. Anyway, undeniably Sassafras is still better as a FS with cognac finish. Excellent finish, and the glass the day after is fantastic. On the other hand, nose is a bit too "standard" and the cognac finish increases the perception of alcohol while not adding as much as I expected having tied sassafras, which is definitely better. A good foursquare indeed, it might deserve an higher overall score, but the comparison with other foursquare made me keep my score a bit lower.
Review by Alex1981
Rather unspectacular, weak nose and quite sharp on the palate. Probably should have stayed in the barrel longer... Compared to other ECS at the lower end of the scale and little typical FS character. //update: I stick to the points, I don't like the too strong barrel influence here.
Review by Steffmaus🇩🇰
Waited for some time to try this. I find it to have long legs on the glass, and a nose of chocolate and dried fruits. I'm getting deep notes of berries, vanilla, dark chocolate, and hints of spicyness
Review by Beau de Vries
Honestly for me one of the most dissapointing Foursquare's so far. This was better 🤣
Review by Fuwi
Massive nose, pleasantly deep aromas. In the mouth first sweetness, until quite broad, spicy flavors spread. Pleasantly heavy, sufficiently complex and wonderfully soft notes, the 61% ABV are mMn great integrated. No highlight for the birth of the firstborn, but also no daily, already a distillate for beautiful moments that can be enhanced with a good pleasure. Have the FS2009 just tested against it and that comes much more one-dimensional and flat. Great rum the Touchstone! But I also drive totally on such finishes off...
Review by TheRhumhoe
A Foursquare that ranks among the driest in the range. The Bajan candy comes through on the nose with sweet spices (nutmeg, vanilla, clove, pepper), toasted oak, leather and traditional coconut, but it's the orange that really comes through on the nose. A very conventional olfactory profile. On the palate, the rum's power comes through with strong notes of orange and zest, while nougatine, caramel, vanilla and honey add roundness. There are also influences from the cognac cask that linger on the palate with that dried fruit marker. The alcohol is not badly integrated, but could have been worked on more. The finish is of good quality, still with that Cognac influence that dries out the palate with dried fruit (grape), tobacco, spicy, toasted oak and earthy notes. A profile that's a little peppier than other releases, but a little unbalanced and not quite on a par with Barbados.
Review by FischeJ
Schöner Foursquare. Nase mit Karamell, Holz, bisschen Alkoholstich, welcher aber nach etwas Ruhezeit verfliegt, und Gewürzen (Piment und Muskat). Im Mund wieder Gewürze, Holz, Kakao und Karamell. Anklang von Orange und Vanille. Recht kurzer Abgang mit Holz, dunkle Schokolade und etwas Würze. Alles recht harmonisch, allerdings auch nicht mehr super spannend aus meiner Sicht. Trotzdem sehr lecker und ziemlich süffig.
Review by alex
Comme d’habitude chez foursquare, bcp de similitudes entre leurs différents jus ! Fidèle à eux même, donc pas de grosse surprise C’est très bien fait sinon. On prend du plaisir même si la trame est souvent la même.
Review by Piotr Ignasiak
Had this side by side with Sassafras, which was much more elegant. Quite peppery and less subtle.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
Big Foursquare tasting, part II (30.09.2026)
Review by Mirco
Rum Club Switzerland Tasting Set. Thanks Denis for organizing. Foursquare with lots of classic Barbados aromas. On the nose vanilla, caramel, a bit of coconut and oak wood, plus a fine spiciness. On the palate dry and strong with lots of wood, spices and dark sweetness. Feels round and well balanced, with plenty of depth.
Review by Michael Ihmels 🇩🇪
A very nice Foursquare. Smells very fresh of orange and chocolate, taste reminds me a bit of refreshing sticks. But very tasty and not artificial. Also caramel to mention.
Review by Nils123
Without water, for me personally, it's just sharp. With a bit of water, muuuuch more pleasant and very drinkable.
Review by w00tAN
Rather reserved on the nose, then it goes spicy and especially bitter. A bit uneven overall. It's a good FS but nothing that blows me away, so it won't end up on my shelf.
Review by Maxime Clr 🇫🇷
Here, we're moving away from the usual Foursquare markers (coconut vanilla) to go for something a little different but very gourmand on chocolate, orange and nutmeg. Beautiful bottle.
Review by Rum Runner Labs - Will
A lot of brown sugar on the nose for an ECS—but brown sugar with fire power. For me the palate is much more complex, bringing allspice, oak, vanilla, a hint of non-specific citrus, a suggestion of pacificst brine. Sustained and pleasant baking spices finish.
Review by Rhum Mirror 🇧🇪
🔥 To start the week well, here is the latest Bottle Kill! 🔥 🥃 Foursquare Touchstone 2008 – 61 % 22nd opus of the highly acclaimed Exceptional Cask Series, and only the second Foursquare aged in ex-cognac casks (after Dominus). We stick to the house fundamentals: ➡️ molasses rum ➡️ blend of pot still & column still ➡️ 14 years of tropical aging in Barbados ➡️ bottled at a solid 61 % 🔍 The blend • One part comes from the Camus Caribbean Expedition, a unique collaboration between Camus and Foursquare: Camus cognac casks travel to Barbados, age under tropical climate, then receive a 12-year-old ex-bourbon rum for 2 additional years of maturation. • The other component is a 14-year-old rum, aged 5 years in ex-bourbon, then 9 years in ex-cognac. 👃 Nose No doubt, this is definitely Foursquare: wood, light coconut, tropical fruits, vanilla and caramel. A classic but very promising nose, fruity and concentrated — hard to resist the call of the glass. 👅 Palate The alcohol is perfectly integrated. The fruit expresses itself with spices, chocolate notes, and an obvious cognac imprint. Complex, indulgent, enriched with tobacco and caramel. A real candy. 🔚 Finish Medium length, on a spicy and caramelized register. 👉 A very successful bottling, which once again confirms Foursquare's know-how.
Review by Claes Nilsson
Little alcohol in the nose and a broad sweetness, fruityness from grapes shines through. Warm, fruity taste lifted by cognac barrels and a little spice. One of the best rums I had so farsince got hooked!
Review by ThatCubanRumGuy
Excellent rum from foursquare. I have a couple sitting on my shelf just incase. Nose: Definitely getting a fruity smell like dried apricots and maybe some coconut Palate:
Review by Schnubbii
Heute also endlich mal den neuen Touchstone im Glas. In der Nase merkt man sofort, dass man einen Foursquare im Glas hat. Geschmacklich ist er dann doch eine Überraschung für mich. Ich hatte keine großen Erwartungen, angesichts hoher Preise und nachdem er in der einen oder anderen Rezension als eher schwächerer Vertreter bezeichnet wurde. Aber für mich persönlich passen das Foursquare-Profil und der Cognac-Einfluss hier ganz hervorragend zusammen. Eine leichte, aber schöne Traubenfruchtigkeit, die im Abgang leicht in Fruchtbrause übergeht. Schönes Teil! Auch wenn er für mich nicht ganz an die reinen Bourbonfass-Reifungen herankommt.
Review by Jacques etdom
Foursquare nose, but quite discreet, quite elegant. On the palate coconut, spices and wood. Almost a light and fine side, maybe the contribution of the cognac cask. The Foursquare markers are not exuberant. A slight bitterness as well. It's good, but not the best of the series.
Review by David A
The attack is dry and astringent, with a quite marked alcoholic presence. The balance is searching: the structure is straight, but the alcohol struggles to blend, even after aeration. The palate evolves however after pairing with a dark chocolate with cocoa nibs: the fat of the chocolate softens the dryness, and brings out a beautiful persistence of orange zest, accompanied by bitter cocoa, dry wood and nuts. The finish is long, dry, slightly peppery, marked by a noble bitterness. A technically accomplished rum, with a well-drawn aromatic architecture, but which remains emotionally distant. The alcohol is too present on the palate to allow a total sensory immersion. The Touchstone seduces by its coherence and dry intensity, but does not offer the roundness or enchantment that other expressions of Foursquare can provide.
Review by Yves Remord
A good rum like Foursquare knows how to make. The cognac is clearly identifiable. The aromatic and alcoholic power are well controlled. The finish is pleasant and warm. The only small flaw is that the palate is unfortunately a little tight. I would have liked something fuller and more open on the palate. Very good rum 🤘
Review by Peter Sjoroos
Well... I'm a sucker for the foursquare ECS series, and this is another good one!! Oak barrel , tropical fruits, orange peel plus some spices and leather on the nose. Tasting it I'm finding it quite complex with the same things as smelled, with addition of cocoa, black pepper and maybe a hint of something floral.
Review by Jus Liens
Another successful Foursquare. Complex, indulgent, warm. Not bad at all, I place it between the "convocation" and the "mandamus." A slightly bitter finish, a bit licorice, or "flamby" caramel. It's very well made. There are many things I like about Foursquare, and I'd love to have a bottle from them at home. But I've tasted 4 so far and still haven't had a strong enough crush to spend >100 euros on it. In other words, it's very good, but it's far from the emotions that clairin le rocher, rivière du mat xo, rum fire, some savanna creol, etc. provoke in me. Which I often rate a bit lower though!
Review by Serge
For me, not so the bringer. Lots of tannins and bitterness on the palate and overall not very harmonious. For me one of the weaker ECS
Review by Vojta
Woody, spicy, peppery Little fruity Alcohol is well integrated Long finish full of wood, dark chocolate and peppery tingling
Review by Solidfunk
Initial smell of bourbon, cognac. Dried fruit and toasted coconut. Pours deep golden. More oak in the mouth. Some burnt rubber but light. Light pepper on the finish. Not much citrus fruit in this one, which I love in some of their best. Thanks to Yaro for a taste of this one.
Review by TShute
A flavor bomb from Mr. Seale. Delightful aroma and finish.
Review by Louis Schiller
A very nice and complex rum with a lot to offer
Review by Michael Janek
smells very delicate, a bit nutty, but otherwise almost not at all, but the empty glass smells very intense flavor at first gentle, a bit honeyed, then the strength of 61% appears, then it eases off and a long gentle taste remains
Review by RumRhush
This touchstone touched me right in the heart! Reconciliation with the Foursquare that I found well made but boring. I must say I find much less of the coconut side that tends to disgust me. It has a salted caramel side that I like a lot, I could drink it every night, it's easy without falling into simplicity! The downside is this finish which is a bit short and not very complex! But a beautiful rum
Review by Pavel Ungr, RumRock
Vintage 2008. With 8.5 out of 10, it belongs to the better ones I've had in my glass.
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Expert reviews
3 critics scored it, averaging 8.2/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review ›I am probably being far more critical than maybe I should be.......this is still a very good rum! If you can get a bottle, buy a bottle. At this point in time I would say that about any ECS release. As a footnote though - don't ignore their standard XO,...
Expert review by The Secret Rum Bar
Read full review ›
Expert review by Rum nagykövet
Read full review ›
Community shelf
339 bottles logged by 237 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
10% opened, 15 emptied.
What does Foursquare ECS XXII Touchstone 2008 cost?
Community paid 98–150 €.
Current best price: 129.00 € – within the typical community range.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 123 €. Full price & collection history in RX+ ›
+10 additions in the last 3 months.
Additions per month over the last 12 months; dark bars: the last 3.
339 purchased · 151 tasted · 57 wishlist · as of
Details about Foursquare ECS XXII Touchstone 2008
A Pot & Column Still Rum from Barbados, distilled by Foursquare, at 61%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
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