Karukera L’Intense 2018

Karukera is a Guadeloupe distillery working under the IGP rather than the Martinique AOC, and L'Intense is its high-strength white, a 2018 release. Distilled from fresh-pressed sugar cane juice with no added sugar and bottled at cask strength, 59.9%, it lives up to its name.

The profile is dry and vivid, with fresh grass, lemon, vanilla and sugarcane on the nose giving way to a vegetal, citrus-led palate with a peppery bite. The finish runs dry, minty, salty and spiced. The high proof concentrates the cane juice character rather than masking it, and a careful drop of water opens it up. This is a blanc built for impact, equally at home neat for experienced palates, in a powerful Ti' Punch or in a Daiquiri where its fresh cane and citrus carry the drink. A natural pick for drinkers who already enjoy punchy agricole.