A new bottling from Barbados is getting attention from people who follow aged spirits closely. On October 8, 2026, The Last Drop Distillers announced Release No. 43, a 22 Year Old Barbados Rum. It is the oldest rum Foursquare Distillery has ever released. It is also the first rum to carry the label’s “Signature Creation” title.
The rum was made by Richard Seale, the owner and distiller at Foursquare. Seale is a founding member of The Last Drop Assembly, a group of respected spirits makers who work with the brand. Release No. 43 combines more than two decades of aging with a long family tradition of rum-making.
What Makes Release No. 43 Different
The Last Drop has said from the start that it looks for spirits based on a balance of age, character and lasting liveliness. The category or the label on the front matters less. Each release has to stand on the quality of what is in the bottle. Sometimes that means a rare find in a forgotten cask. Other times it means something created by one of the makers in the Assembly.
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Release No. 43 falls into the second group. It is a rum Seale had in mind for years, and it marks a new chapter for the Assembly. The Assembly is a collective of leading spirits makers set up by The Last Drop to encourage teamwork and new ideas across the global spirits world.
Seale is a fourth-generation rum producer. He has helped make Foursquare a global benchmark for authentic Barbados rum and for quality that does not cut corners.
A Blend Planned Years Ago
The story of this rum goes back to 2004. Seale says he had the blend in mind for The Last Drop from the earliest days of his involvement with the Assembly. In his words:
“I had this 2004 blend in mind for The Last Drop from the earliest days of my involvement with The Last Drop Assembly. It was a rum we believed would reward time, moving through a second ex-bourbon cask before a final three years in very old Port pipes. By 2025, it had become something exceptional,” said Richard Seale, Owner & Distiller, Foursquare Distillery.
That one sentence lays out the aging path. The rum spent time in a second ex-bourbon cask. It then moved into very old Port pipes for its last three years. Pipes are large casks that were used to age Port wine, and the ones used here were very old.
Seale also explained what the project meant to him: “The Assembly is about bringing individual makers’ perspectives into The Last Drop, and for me that meant sharing a rum that reflects how we think about maturation at Foursquare: deliberately, patiently and with the cask always serving the spirit.”
The last part of that quote points to a clear way of thinking. The cask is there to support the rum, not to take it over. After this much time in wood, that balance is hard to hold.
The Distillery Behind the Rum
Foursquare Distillery sits on the historic Foursquare estate in St. Philip, Barbados. The site has centuries of history with sugar, molasses and rum-making. Not many distilleries can say that about their land.
Seale pairs old methods with modern technical care. One example is the classic double-retort pot still, which has been adapted to run under vacuum. The approach respects tradition and still makes room for new ideas, and it is a big part of why Foursquare has earned a name for quality.
Seale is also known as a leading voice for Caribbean rum around the world. Under his leadership Foursquare has earned numerous international honors. His own influence has helped shape how many people think about premium rum today.
What the Brand Says About It
Kizito Owusu-Sarfo, Brand Director of World Aged Spirits, spoke about why Seale was a natural fit for the project:
“Richard represents exactly what we hoped The Assembly would make possible: giving great spirits makers the freedom to create something singular, regardless of category,” says Kizito Owusu-Sarfo, Brand Director of World Aged Spirits. “Release No. 43 is a remarkable example of that - a rum shaped by Richard’s vision and unmistakably rooted in Barbados. For collectors, it is exactly what The Last Drop should represent: extraordinary liquid, true provenance and a story that could only come from the maker behind it.”
The words “true provenance” matter for collectors. They want to know where a spirit came from and who made it. In this case, the answer is clear: one distiller, one estate and one island.
How the Rum Looks, Smells and Tastes
The tasting notes from the release describe a rum of depth and energy. It is deep mahogany in color. The nose opens with layers of marzipan, fresh grapefruit zest, ripe plum and tropical guava. A hint of black liquorice sits on top.
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The palate is described as fresh and generous. It moves through dried mint and eucalyptus into ripe pineapple, tart redcurrant, treacle and baking spice. Dry tobacco leaf and clove carry through the finish.
The notes sum it up as a complex and lively rum whose maturity never comes at the expense of energy. That point is worth noting for anyone who has tried older spirits. Very old drinks can sometimes feel heavy or tired, and the makers say this one avoids that.
Strength, Size and Presentation
Release No. 43 is bottled at 106 proof, which is 53.0% ABV. It is limited to just 566 bottles worldwide. The bottles were filled by hand at Foursquare in St. Philip, Barbados, in April 2026.
Each 700ml bottle comes in a handcrafted wooden case. Every bottle is individually numbered and carries the signature of its creator, Richard Seale. A certificate of bottling comes with it to verify its authenticity.
The package also includes two extras. The first is a 50ml miniature, which lets a collector taste the rum before deciding when to open the full bottle. The second is a tasting book that tells the story of Release No. 43 and leaves space to record personal impressions.
Availability and Price
Release No. 43 will be released in limited quantities through Sazerac’s United States and global distributor networks. From October 2026, those networks will ship to retailers, bars and restaurants. The suggested retail price is $1,700, and local taxes and fees apply.
A limited supply will also be offered through Legacy de Forge, a global platform powered by Blockbar that deals in some of the world’s most sought-after bottles. Shipping restrictions apply. More details are available at the brand’s website, lastdropdistillers.com.
About The Last Drop Distillers
The Last Drop Distillers was founded in 2008 by two well-known figures in the spirits business, Tom Jago and James Espey. Between them they brought more than 80 years of experience to a simple mission: to find and share the world’s most remarkable aged spirits. Their guiding belief is that the liquid must always come first.
Since it began, the company has released 43 limited bottlings. They cover Scotch Whisky, Cognac, Bourbon, Rum, Japanese Whisky, Irish Whiskey, aged Ports and Pineau des Charentes. Each one is defined by rarity, provenance and, above all, the quality and character of the spirit.
At the center of that effort is The Assembly. It is a group of some of the world’s most respected Master Blenders, Distillers and other leading names. They bring decades of knowledge across many spirit categories. They help select, blend and refine The Last Drop’s releases, so each bottling reflects real craftsmanship and heritage.
In 2016, The Last Drop was acquired by The Sazerac Company, one of America’s oldest private, family-owned spirits producers.
About Sazerac
Sazerac has more than 400 years of history and is one of the largest distilled spirits companies in the world. The current family ownership is now in its fourth generation. The company says it works each day to bring fine spirits to people and communities around the world.
Its portfolio holds over 500 brands. These include Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac and Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, among many others.
Sazerac also looks after distilleries in several countries. Those include Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France, Paul John Distillery in Goa, India, and Lough Gill Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Other locations include New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney.
The Bigger Picture
Release No. 43 puts a spotlight on Barbados rum and on one of its best-known makers. It also shows how The Last Drop Assembly is meant to work, with a skilled distiller given room to shape something that fits his own approach. For Foursquare, it is a first. It is the oldest rum the distillery has ever released, and it follows a plan that Seale began thinking about many years ago.
