Karu Outcask

Nose: Dark sugars, apricot, stewed peach, tropical fruit juice, and almond. Over time, a sweet demerara sugar aroma emerges. Palate: The initial taste is nutty and sweet, yet not heavy, with a vibrant green apple-skin agricole note that intensifies. This imparts a dry quality, balanced by tropical fruit and dark honey, while the grassy agricole character remains prominent. The texture becomes creamier as it progresses. Finish: Medium to short. Flavors of grass, citrus, sultanas, and brioche. Karu is a new distillery situated in the Blue Mountains' foothills, west of Sydney. They initially produced outstanding gin before releasing their aged rum. Karu Outcask is made from molasses, fermented for 14 days, distilled in a 600-liter pot still, and aged in ex-whisky barrels for 2-4 years. Production employs a solera-inspired method where selected aged barrels are blended into marrying tuns. Half of the resulting batch is then moved to a flocking vat and diluted with rainwater, while the marrying tuns are topped up. This process ensures complexity and consistency. The rum is not chill-filtered and may exhibit cloudiness when diluted, which is always a positive sign. This is a quality rum and a fine example of the modern Australian rum style. While most Australian rum is molasses-based, there's a common agricole character in contemporary productions (unlike older brands like Bundaberg and Beenleigh). I initially considered rating this 4 stars, but upon reviewing my tasting notes, that would place it on par with Doorly’s 12 year old, which I didn't feel was entirely accurate. Therefore, I'm giving it 3.75 stars, aligning it with Worthy Park Single Estate and Penny Blue, which seems appropriate. PS- My bottle was from batch number 2; the label has since been updated. Additionally, I made an error in the listing: this rum is 46% ABV, not 45%. “Good”: 84/100 (3.75 stars)