Karu Outcask Maple Cask

Description

Right…Australian Rum + Australian Whiskey + Canadian Maple Syrup???

Our mates (and fellow Rum Tribers) at Karu Distillery are at it again – and by ‘it’ I mean finishing their fantastic Outcask Rum in a ‘Specialty Cask’ and bottling it with a good bump in ABV.

We are very excited for the 2nd Outcask Specialty Cask Release from the Award Winning Karu Distillery – The Karu Outcask Maple Cask!

The Karu Specialty Cask ‘Maple Cask’ started its life as a 2 year old Outcask rum aged in in an Australian whiskey casks from Whipper Snapper Distillery. Just after its second birthday, it was transferred to a first fill Canadian Maple Syrup cask (yep, that’s right a MAPLE SYRUP CASK!!!) and put back in the barrel racks at Karu for further 15 months to soak in all that fantastic maple syrup goodness. Finally, it was disgorged and slowly cut down and rested with pure Blue Mountains rain water before being bottled at 50%abv.

 

If you haven’t heard of Karu Distilling yet – well, you must be a new member! Nick and Ally – husband and wife team and Rum Tribe members – have been distilling spirits on the edge of the Hawksbury in the ‘Devil’s Wilderness’ for nearly 7 years now. Their Outcask Rum, their Gins and their Vodkas have all seen medals bestowed on them by the bucketload in both national and international competitions. We joke about it a lot – but Nick and Ally seriously DO need a bigger poolroom for the medals they’ve won in the last 18months alone!

Earlier this year, we were proud to help launch the Karu ‘Specialty Cask’ Range with our very special ‘Rumbledore’ – Karu Outcask rum finished for 12 months in an ex-Grand Marnier cask … and it was utterly sensational! This month, our Members Extra is the second of their Specialty Cask Series – the Karu Specialty Cask Rum – Maple Cask.

 

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Is it even possible for something to smell ‘gooey’ – because I swear this does! Such a sweet and succulent nose with massive fruit salad and creamy vanilla notes but there’s just a touch of funk there too. Nosing my second sip I’m also getting nice tart pineapple notes as well.

Palate: Well, it seems that the nose was certainly NOT overselling the lusciousness of this rum. The mouthfeel is sensational – so satisfyingly viscous. More fruit salad, but now biscuit spices as well. There’s a bit of a caramelised (or dried?) citrus thing going on there as well which gives it a certain crispness.

Finish: The finish is mostly sweet – but there’s a not-unpleasant bitter backbone to it as it fades. More of those fruits, but a little medicinal note there too and crisp high-cocoa dark chocolate becomes apparent. Just a tiny ‘fruit tingle’ of pepper on the sides of the tongue as it leaves.

I love Karu’s Outcask rum. As a mixing rum it’s absolutely second to none. But these ‘Specialty Casks’ seem to add that little bit of ‘oomph’ that turns the Outcask into the ‘strait-up superb sipper’ that both the ‘Rumbledore’ Grand Marnier Cask, and now this, the Maple Cask are.

 

From Karu Distillery

Outcask Maple Finish Specialty Cask is our love letter to one of our most favourites places on Earth…Canada! The land of poutine, Beaver Tails Pastry, Caesars, some of the nicest people ever and of course Maple Syrup!

Back in 2018 we had returned from Canada just moments before starting Karu Distillery, we knew at some point we wanted to incorporate our trip into what we do with spirits, so when a list of available barrels came across my desk and “maple syrup barrels” were on it, I had to have them.

When we filled the barrels they were still oozing with maple syrup, which tasted mighty fine with a mild bourbon influence having held bourbon prior to the sticky goodness, selfishly we ate most of it on our breakfasts.

We decanted matured Outcask Wild Rum and filled the Maple Syrup barrels for an additional 15 months. We hope you enjoy this specialty cask finish as much as we do!

Tasting Notes:

Smokey vanilla on the nose with mild green apple skin and crystalized caramel.

Dry on the palate with an extra hint of bourbon influence peeking through. Warm spice notes and a mild hint of sweetness.

About Karu Distillery

Launched in 2018 Karu Distillery by husband and wife team Nick and Ally, the focus has always been to create quality spirits that highlight the science and art of the distillation process.

Based in the Devils Wilderness NSW the range has grown to include Affinity a contemporary Australian gin, Lightning a navy strength gin, Morita a chipotle vodka and, of course, Outcask – their delicious golden rum.

Karu is fast becoming one of Australia’s most awarded distilleries, in 2021 Lightning gin took out the Trophy for best contemporary gin at the International Wines & Spirits Competition.