Karukera L’Empyrium #4 (Cheney de Caucasien) 2018

An L'Empyrium bottling from Karukera, the Guadeloupe estate relaunched in 2002 and known for its single-cane releases. This is a vintage 2018 aged seven years, distilled from fresh-pressed cane juice and matured in ex-bourbon oak, bottled unsweetened at 47.5%. Guadeloupe sits under IGP rather than the Martinique AOC, but this is genuine cane-juice rum.

Tropical ageing has pushed it toward a woody, savoury profile while keeping an agricole freshness. The nose is woody with fruit, a fresh lift and a note of anise, and the palate turns woody and roasted with dried fruit over a fresh core. The finish stays woody, roasted, dry and anise-tinged. It is well rounded with appealing peppery notes and a warm palate, fruity with nice spice and an easy, pleasant balance of roundness, light wood and a medium finish. Honest and unsweetened, it is an approachable, spice-and-wood aged agricole that drinks comfortably neat.