Holmes Cay Australia Beenleigh 2012

A Single Cask Nation bottling of Beenleigh Rum is largely what introduced me to rum. It's an intensely funky, dunder-heavy spirit I haven't yet opened and reviewed. This particular expression doesn't quite reach that pinnacle, but it does possess much of that Australian charm. A strong aroma of Sharpie marker always signals I'm in for a treat, and these high-proof Beenleighs share that trait with aged rums from Guyana. So, when I mention ester-filled funk, think of that rather than Jamaica. Following that, I detect a pleasant burst of fruit, succeeded by barbecue notes that I specifically associate with this distillery. It handles dilution well and, in my view, requires a generous splash and some time in the bottle to truly open up. I was initially underwhelmed by this bottle before taking those preparatory steps, but once I learned the proper way to enjoy it, it vanished quickly.