Karu Affinity Gin

* Gin tasting, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, November 6th, 2018. Gin #4 Nose: Herbal and woody, like freshly broken green twigs. Sweet juniper, warm vanilla and a little citrus in the background. [The dry-glass aroma of a neat sample is almond and vanilla petals]. Palate: A sweet arrival of delicate juniper leads into a palate that is herbal with mild sherbet-lemon flavours and a touch of mint. The texture is supurb – very rich, rounded, creamy and warming and there is no alcohol burn at all. Finish: Medium. Sweet, herbal and woodsy with light lemon/mint in the aftertaste. The nose is delightfully fresh and herbal, but it’s soft and relaxed rather than bright or bracing. It’s also a little shy at first and it requires some nosing and familiarity to see into it. The same is true of the palate which is sweet but low-key and subtle. Karu is a young distillery located in the foothills of the NSW Blue Mountains near western Sydney. Nick & Ally, the owners and distillers, apparently took their time and did a lot of experimentation before bringing this product to market, and their patience has paid off because it’s a stunner. At the tasting this immediately followed the excellent Hernö gin and it compared very well, even having some characteristics such as woody notes and a velvety smooth palate texture in common. I bought a bottle so that speaks for itself. Recommended. “Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars)