Karukera L‘Expression 2008

Karukera L'Expression 2008 is an eight year Guadeloupe agricole from Karukera, a Basse-Terre estate relaunched in 2002 and known for single cane Canne Bleue bottlings. This release sits at cask strength and shows the darker, wood led side of aged cane juice rum.

Distilled from fresh pressed cane juice on a creole column run low for vegetal character, then matured eight years in ex bourbon oak under tropical heat, it builds depth quickly. The nose offers wood, sugarcane, chocolate and vanilla, the palate woody and spicy with herbs and butterscotch, and the finish stays woody, herbal, spicy and tobacco tinged. At 48.1 percent it is flavourful without being aggressive, the roasted wood and cocoa outweighing the grassy snap, a smart next step for drinkers moving from fresh agricole toward more mature, oak driven cane juice rum.