Why Aussie rum is one to watch

There are really two sides to rum. On one hand, rum is the spirit of exotic Caribbean and South American countries – sun-soaked spots where lime-spiked cocktails like the Mojito and Daiquiri feel right at home. On the other hand, rum is heavy with Australiana – a great leveller adored by Aussies of every stripe, served every way from fancy classic cocktails to the humble rum and coke.

Here in Australia, rum is still headlined by homegrown icons like Bundaberg and Beenleigh, but our tastes are definitely changing – and so are our producers. With new craft distillers popping up around the country alongside our enduring heroes, we thought it was a good chance to take a closer look at what Australian rum is all about.

Australia has been a rum country right from the start of colonisation. The first Europeans were clear that rum was non-negotiable luggage, with OG NSW Governor Arthur Phillip asking for four years’ worth of rum as part of the First Fleet’s cargo (for context, he only asked for two years of food). Rum in early Australia was the drink of choice, a currency and a big part of Australia’s first and only military coup, 1808’s Rum Rebellion. But luckily, it’s only been good news for rum since then.

As a spirit made from fermented and distilled sugarcane juice or molasses, it makes sense that rum was invented in the sugar-friendly Caribbean. As Europeans spread across Australia, taking their unquenchable rum lust with them, it became apparent that Queensland, too, was a good spot for growing sugarcane. By the late 1800s, Australian distilleries like Bundaberg (founded 1888) and Beenleigh (1884) were pumping out the good stuff. That, though, is just the start.

Australia’s recent craft distilling movement definitely hasn’t ignored rum. Alongside our world-class gin and whisky, Australian distilleries are showing off a fondness for rums of all types, from the rich-and-dark Caribbean styles to spiced rum, cocktail-friendly white rums and classic Aussie-style gold rum. 

These days, the rum landscape in Australia is a mix of those old stalwarts and crafty up-and-comers. If you’re looking to try our local rum, here are some distilleries to keep top of mind.

• Beenleigh: Not only is Beenleigh the oldest rum distillery in Australia (being founded in 1884), it’s also our oldest operating distillery in general. The Beenleigh style owes a lot to its old copper still (which is similar to the heritage stills used to make Demerara rum in Guyana) as well as local Queensland sugar and rainwater. The resulting rums like the Handcrafted Double Cask 5 Year Old are rich, full-bodied, a little sweet and full of toasty toffee and honey flavours. This is a good place to start for Aussie rum.

• Bundaberg: Surely no Australian drinks producer in any category is as iconic as Bundaberg is for rum. Slightly younger than Beenleigh (being founded in 1888), the rum they call ‘Bundy’ is another that flies the flag for Queensland’s unique sugarcane-growing conditions – and the distillery was apparently started as a way to use leftover local molasses. These days, Bundaberg UP Rum is the distillery’s flagship; a balanced, slightly-woody, mildly spicy gold rum with a touch of caramel sweetness.

• Illegal Tender Rum Co: Leading Australia’s new guard of craft rum distillers, Illegal Tender is named after the fact that early Aussies did, in fact, use rum as money until William Bligh made the whole thing illegal. Currency value aside, we’re fans of Illegal Tender’s modern take on the sugarcane spirit. Rums like the Distillers’ Cut use only dark brown cane sugar for that smooth richness, while the spirit is aged in a shiraz cask – a good way to declare a rum unmistakably Australian.

• Hoochery Distillery: Rum in Australia has been historically a Queensland thing, which is mostly owing to the fact that sugarcane just loves that tropical climate. As Hoochery Distillery founder Raymond ‘Spike’ Dessert III knows firsthand, though, the conditions in Western Australia’s Kimberley region are just as good for sugar, and WA now claims some of Australia’s best craft rum. Start with the distillery’s Ord River Rum, a two-year aged example that offers a balance of sweetness and richness.

• Brix: Whereas rum distilleries are historically centred around the sugarcane fields of the tropical north, recent craft distillers like Brix are bringing things into the cities – in this case, Sydney’s Surry Hills. Since 2017, rum-obsessed trio Damien Barrow, James Christopher and Sid Soin have been producing rum that is Australian at every turn, from using upcycled local barrels to exclusively Aussie-sourced ingredients. Start with the Australian Spiced Rum, featuring mango, roasted macadamia, native lemongrass and grapefruit peel.
  
  
• Husk: Husk is all about small-batch, ‘farm to bottle’ rum from Queensland’s unique Caldera Coast. With the region’s volcanic soil as a launching pad, the distillery sustainably grows, harvests, ages and bottles everything on-site. There are a bunch of rums to choose from, but Husk is flying the flag for a distinctly Australian style of spiced rum with the Bam Bam, infused with wattleseed, ginger and vanilla.

When it comes to Aussie rum, there’s clearly a lot going on. From 19th century legends to brand new distilleries, we’re blessed with a huge variety of rum styles and flavours to take in, which brings us to an important point: serving. Rum is a versatile spirit and there’s no shortage of ways to serve, but here is a quick guide to how we like to serve Australian rum.

Simple mixes

In Australian rum, there’s no bigger mixer than cola. Particularly for rums like Bundaberg OP, which are a little on the dryer side, it’s a good way to enhance the classic spicy and woody notes without going too heavy on the sweetness. A tip, though: go heavy on the ice and a little lighter on the cola so the rum still shines through.

For those spiced styles from Brix and Husk we mentioned above, consider basic mixers that let the botanicals shine. We’re talking dry ginger ale, of course, but soda water with a squeeze of lime is a great option that will let the spiced rum do all the talking.

Cocktails

While plenty of classic cocktails call for white rum (which you can find made by most of the distillers above), we’re big fans of the flavour boost provided by a darker, richer rum. We reckon slightly richer rums like Illegal Tenders’ Distillers’ Cut or Hoochery’s Ord River rum will have enough oomph to cut through in a Dark ‘n’ Stormy, but you could easily sub either in for whiskey in a Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep or any of your other favourites.

Straight/neat/on the rocks

When Aussie producers put so much time into crafting world-class rum, it’s worth appreciating the results without any distraction. Aged rum, like dark spirit cousins whisky, tequila and brandy, picks up flavours from time in the barrel, developing into something rich, complex and perfect for drinking straight.

For something like Beenleigh’s Double Cask or either option from Illegal Tender or Hoochery, we’d be serving it neat or on a large cube of ice. A big squeeze of lime wouldn’t go astray, either.