Equiano Rum – May 2025
Behold the Equiano! A collaboration between two LEGENDS of the rum world (Richard Seal and Ian Burrell), rum from two LEGENDARY distilleries that combined have more medals than we can list.
Equiano Rum is a blend of molasses-based rums from the African island of Mauritius (Gray’s Distillery) and the Caribbean Barbados (Foursquare) rums. The African component is column distilled and aged for 10 years in French Limosin Oak and ex-cognac casks, and the Caribbean component is 8 years old and matured in ex-bourbon American oak. 100% tropical maturation, bottled in 700ml at 43%.
The Equiano brand is a collaboration between two legends of the rum-game. Richard Seale – Master distiller and blender from Foursquare – needs little introduction. Since 2016, Richard Seale has earned an impressive 11 ‘Rum Producer of the Year’ titles across two of the most prestigious spirits competitions in the world — the IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition) and the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) — firmly establishing himself and Foursquare as arguably the finest rum producers on the planet.
The second partner-in-crime in the Equiano story – Ian Burrell – is a renowned figure in the spirits industry, celebrated as the world’s only recognized Global Rum Ambassador. With over three decades of experience, he has dedicated his career to promoting rum worldwide. In 2007, he founded the UK RumFest, the world’s first international rum festival, which has inspired similar events globally, including in Miami, Berlin, Paris, and Hong Kong. Burrell’s passion for rum has led him to conduct masterclasses and seminars across all seven continents, including establishing a rum shack in Antarctica in 2013!
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lots of fruity notes – both slightly funky and stewed fruit aromas. There’s nice mix of French and American oak notes readily apparent – lovely notes of dry biscuit spices from the French and floral and vanilla from the American.
Palate: Rich mouthfeel with brief pepper burst (especially on very first neat sip) more of those lovely sweet spiced fruit flavours – but there’s a also granny-smith apple crispness there as well = not quite astringent, but just a pinch of tartness.
Finish: Takes a surprising, yet exciting, turn towards dryness in the finish. Tannin-ey – Oakey notes emerge, some pepper re-appears and there’s some liquorice, dark chocolate and coffee bean for good measure!
For me, this is a ‘with a good hunk of ice of a hot arvo’ rum. That slight dryness just works for this guy with a bit of condensation on the outside of the glass. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great neat (my notes are written on neat measures) – nice and complex with lots of good things to discovering every sip – but this is a great one to let a bit of ice melt in a good double nip and taste the progression. I think the RumChicks are going to love this in a Daquiri – I predict that slight dryness is going to work brilliantly up against the lime.
FROM EQUIANO
At The Equiano Rum Co. we’re redefining a four-century- old industry by creating unique blends of rum from around the world.
Equiano Original is a collaboration between two continents and two world renowned distilleries in Mauritius and Barbados: masterfully blended by Richard Seale at the Foursquare Distillery in Barbados.
Rich and deep flavours come from the barrels in which we tropically mature our liquid in.
Nose: Subtle warmth with rich notes of dried fruits combine with sweet toffee and caramel culminating with a suggestion of orange peel, vanilla and buttered wood.
Palate: Natural sweet notes expected of a well-aged rum from American white oak ex- Bourbon casks. A warm toffee and butterscotch mouth-fell, with chewy raisins and brown sugar flavours.
Finish: A medium to sweet ending with touches of oak, anise, sweet pepper with a hint of bitter orange peel.
Ian Burrell
ABOUT EQUIANO – THE MAN
In 1745, Olaudah Equiano was born. His life began in Africa, but before reaching his teens, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Growing as a boy into a man, his experiences shaped him. During his early years he voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean where he was enslaved for many years. Eventually he crossed the seas once more and landed in the United Kingdom. Tenacious and determined, he traded in rum on the side, selling a puncheon of rum at a time. In just a matter of years he managed to save forty pounds, paving his way to liberation. Equiano was free!
Equiano was a visionary, a freedom fighter, whose work changed history. As a writer and speaker, his powerful memoirs went on to inform the transatlantic slave trade act and impact the freedom of people all over the world. Freedom that many of us enjoy, but that many more are still fighting for, making his story as relevant to global conversation today as he was in the 1700’s.
With the bold statement of being the world’s first African and Caribbean rum, we knew our name needed to respect the journey, provenance and quality of our liquid, marrying the old with the new. We knew it had to mirror our own beliefs, creating positive change through the work that we do.
Between his values, journey and impact, we feel great pride and honour in his name adorning our bottle. Equiano’s values distill our beliefs perfectly and that is why we’re giving 5% of company profits and £2/$2 of every bottle purchased here to ground-level freedom and equality projects annually, and celebrating a man who we all aspire to be more like.
We are hoping we can do our bit for Equiano’s legacy, please see how we are making a difference, by supporting ‘Freedom of Spirit’ through the Equiano Rum Co Foundation grant. Click here to go to our press release.
