Hellfire Rum – February 2024

This month it is all about the Hellfire! Hellfire Bluff Distillery is a Tasmanian family-run farm-to-bottle producer recognised internationally for their own-grown potato vodka. In the last few years, they have been branching out and we’re stoked to be featuring their fourth Rum release bottled EXCLUSIVELY for the Tribe – The Hellfire Bluff Hellfire Rum RT01.  

Hellfire Rum RT01 is a molasses-based rum, with the base product trucked down from sunny QLD to the Apple Isle (Tassie grows a lot of great produce, but sugar cane just ain’t one of ‘em!). The water used in the ferment is the purest rainwater in the world ‘flown in’ straight from Antarctica and the Southern Pacific Ocean! It’s a column-distilled rum, coming out of spirit run at around 85%abv. Cool-Climate, sea side matured for 3 years in 100l ex-Apera and ex-Makers Mark Bourbon casks right on the SE corner of Tasmania. Bottled exclusively for the Rum Tribe at 43% (cut with that sweet, pure Tassie rainwater!).

Because it’s such a fantastic story, with such a fantastic end-product, we’re going to offer members a chance to taste their world renowned Vodka as well (the spirit that started it all for them). Why is it special you may ask? Well it’s one of only TWO distilleries in the Southern Hemisphere making vodka with potatoes, and one of a handful in the world.

Hellfire Rum

Tasmania isn’t the first place you think of when you think of rum – but it does make sense that some distilleries in the Apple Isle are starting to turn their attention to rum making. In the same way the Tasmanian climate emulates Scotland for ageing whisky (inspiring the ‘rebirth’ of the Australian whisky industry in the ‘90’s), a vast amount of rum is cold-aged in massive warehouses in Europe – which, obviously, Tasmanian climate can resemble too! We’re truly blessed with so many different aging climates enabling our country to turn out so many different and interesting rums!

Now whilst Tassie is probably best known for it’s whisky production, there is a growing stable of distillers down there who have turned their attention to other spirits – including rum. We’ve already tried (and loved… we sold out!) the Island Coast Rum from Tassie – and this month it’s Hellfire Bluff Distillery’s turn to slake the Rum Tribe’s thirst with their wonderful Hellfire Rum.

Hellfire Bluff distillery didn’t set out to make rum when it was first built back in 2015. In fact, it was built by the Daly family in order to diversify their potato farm business by using the 20% of potatoes that are rejected for sale simply because they ‘look funny’ (and subsequently passed off as cow fodder). They have set up one of the only 2 distilleries in the southern hemisphere making potato vodka. 

In 2020 when a certain virus shut down everything – the Daly’s used it as a chance to further diversify. Whilst a lot of distilleries went in the direction of producing alcohol for hand sanitizer – Hellfire decided to go with rum! Why rum? Well firstly the Daly family loves rum and secondly, at the time there was no one making rum in Tassie. It seemed like a no-brainer.

And last but certainly not least – these are not the standard 500ml Hellfire bottles- but just for the Rum Tribe, Hellfire have bottled for us in 700ml bottles. And in doing so we’ve completely cleaned them out of rum until at least after March!  The Rum Tribe is THIRSTY!

Hellfire Rum
Not just any vodka, only 1 of 2 Vodka’s made from potatoes in the Southern Hemisphere and one of a handful in the world.

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: A very ‘brown’ nose – not very fruity, but more chocolate, espresso coffee and salted caramel with dusty oak notes sprinkled liberally there. There’s definitely a sweet and salty seaside influence here.

Palate: Nice and easy on the sip with that 43% abv very well integrated. Dried fruit jumps out on the palate much more so than is noticeable in the nose. Sultanas, raisins and mixed peel, as well as a nice nutty-nougat note – all drizzled with vanillary custard

Finish:  Sweet espresso coffee with crisp dark chocolate takes a tumble with some salted-caramel, cola notes and just the merest hint of pepper at the back of the palate as it fades.

A seriously easy drinking – yet very interesting and complex rum that will be just as loved by those new to good rum as the ‘old hands’. It’s not a funk-forward rum, there’s way more nuts and dark coffee than there is funky over-ripe fruit. It’s all about those ‘bitter-sweet’ notes to me – the dark chocolate, espresso coffee and nuts – all with a very subtle salty backdrop that can only be attributed to the seaside aging. Lovely!

  • PRICE : $119

  • ABV : 43%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia (TAS)

  • No Added Sugar / No Added Colour

Hellfire Rum

FROM HELLFIRE BLUFF DISTILLERY

Hey Rum Tribe!

We are so excited that our little potato farm distillery has been chosen for this month’s release. The Hellfire team has great passion for our small batch rum releases, and we think Rum Tribe has our best release yet!

Fermented, distilled, matured and bottled on site at our distillery on the rugged and remote southeast coast of Tasmania. This special release was barrel aged for 3 years, starting maturation in a Bourbon cask and finishing in an Apera cask.

First impressions on the nose are charred oak & tobacco, with dessert-like sweetness of raisin & custard.

A golden palate reveals walnuts balanced with a praline sweetness, rounded out with a hint of bourbon.

The finish is subtle yet long, with light cedar and a gradual reveal of pecan nougat.

Our cellar door is always open on the southeast coast of Tasmania, We hope you can come say hello to us one day soon!

Thanks – Ruby & The Hellfire Team

ABOUT HELLFIRE BLUFF DISTILLERY

Perched above the rugged expanse of Hellfire Bluff on Tasmania’s southeastern coast lies Daly Farm, the birthplace of Hellfire Bluff Distillery. More than 30 years ago, the Daly family hand-planted their inaugural potato crop, a humble beginning that now sees them supplying potatoes to retailers across Tasmania. Unconventional as far as distillery origins go, their journey unfolded as they pursued a dream of crafting distinctive spirits and adding value to the potatoes cultivated on their farm.

The distillery’s inception marked the introduction of their premium Potato Vodka, a traditional-style spirit that stands out as one of the few in Australia crafted from potatoes. This unique creation earned them the title of Best Australian Varietal Vodka at the 2022 World Vodka Awards.

Fueling their passion for crafting top-tier spirits, Hellfire Bluff Distillery expanded its repertoire to include small-batch Tasmanian Gins, highly coveted Liqueurs, Ready-to-Drink offerings, and cool-climate Tasmanian Rum. Emphasizing quality ingredients, the entire product line utilizes pristine local Tasmanian rainwater harvested on the farm. Along their journey, Hellfire has garnered acclaim at esteemed national and global competitions, amassing over 40 medals, 17 of which are gold. Notably, their Summer Floral Gin secured the title of Australia’s Best Contemporary Gin at the 2021 World Gin Awards.

Dead Reckoning South Pacific – January 2024

Well welcome to 2024! Happy New Year Tribe and we are off and racing with a huge EXCLUSIVE AUSTRALIAN RELEASE to bring in the new year! The Dead Reckoning South Pacific

A ten-year-old, muscat cask, 100% tropically aged, single blended rum from the legendary South Pacific Distillery in Fiji…bring on the Dead Reckoning South Pacific!

The Dead Reckoning South Pacific – is a bit of a dichotomy.  The first impression is of one of a HUGE rum that absolutely CHARGES out of the bottle and rams into your olfactory system as you open it for the first time. It’s just such a, well, BIG smell it’s almost a little disconcerting imagining how it’s going to hit the palate…and yet when you do take your first sip, what strikes you is just how immensely well behaved this Fabulous Fijian is!      

Dead Reckoning South Pacific

Sometimes a rum has a story that defies belief. Sometimes a rum is ‘just right’ when an indy bottler finds it. Sometimes it needs nothing more – just a qualified eye in the right place at the right time… and a little bit of luck of course. This is the story of such a rum. Distilled in 1994 at South Pacific Distillery – a blend of both [‘double thumper’] pot and column still rum. It was tropically aged in Fiji in Australian Muscat Casks (from Charles Sturt Winery in Wagga Wagga to be precise!) for 10 years. In 2004, these casks were married into a single stainless steel tank. The tank was then shipped to an Amsterdam rum warehouse where it was promptly forgotten about. 

Forgotten about, that is, until in 2022 (a full 18 years later!) when a certain Justin Boseley was snooping around the dusty back corners of said warehouse sniffing out unusual rums (he’s like a bloody truffle-pig in a bond-store, people!). I like to imagine he climbed over a few racks of barrels, before pulling back a dusty tarp to reveal this mysterious stainless vessel. I also like to imagine the smile that formed when he cracked the lid and first smelled the precious cargo it held.

Normally, at this point Justin would put the tank on a boat, sail it to Adelaide where he would finish it in a cask or casks he felt would improve the flavour in the dry Adelaide heat. For example, last time we offered a South Pacific Distillery Dead Reckoning (the 21 year old Mutiny South Pacific, back in 2021) Justin had finished it in Cream Apera Casks in Adelaide for 12 months.  This time though – for the first time – Justin had found a rum that was absolutely ready to rock and roll just as it was. So he bottled it onsite in Amsterdam and then sent it to Europe and the USA as part of his first onslaught into these huge markets.

Now we’re big fans and good friends of the Dead Reckoning brand – and it’s this ongoing friendship that has allowed us to received an allocation of an otherwise Europe-USA only release (there is only 1240 bottles worldwide). For the Dead Reckoning collectors – note the foil-sealed cork on this rather than the wax seal screw-top used on the Australian-bottled releases!

Dead Reckoning South Pacific
The only rum EVER to come out of NSW powerhouse distillery Corowa!

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: So much going on here – and every time you go back you get something new! Gingerbread a-plenty at first, but then sultanas, bananas and pawpaw – all mashed up rather than funkily over-ripe. There’s candied peel there too… and cloves… and biscuit spices… and then…

Palate: Lovely sweet and lusciously tropical. Just the merest smidge of heat at first but the succulent sweetness quickly extinguishes any fire. Huge, voluptuous and syrupy fruit notes coat the palate like render as vanilla-ey custard notes dollop on for the ride.      

Finish: The finish backs up the nose and palate admirably – there’s no disappointing ‘fizzle out’ on this back end. Thunderous barrels of chewy dried dates, liquorice, black coffee and toffee roll on and on, bumping over funky fruit notes and more of that [delicious IMHOP] ginger nut bickie spice. Flavour-wise this is a mammoth rum – so much to be lip-smacked and tooth-sucked out of this offering from Dead Reckoning. It’s truly a gentle giant though – it gives a warm yet considerate hug, it’s affable and it’s easily approachable by both rum newbie AND total-rum-geek.

Seriously – I feel a bit of cheat with these tasting notes. There are new flavours to be found pretty much every sip – let alone if you leave it and come back 10 minutes later – LET ALONE TOMORROW!!  Whilst you could mix this with a ginger beer or ginger ale quite easily – frankly, it’s just waaay to good to adulterate with anything other than some ice (it’s bloody hot this time of year, after all!).

  • PRICE : $129

  • ABV : 47%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Fiji

  • No Added Sugar / No Added Colour

Dead Reckoning South Pacific

FROM DEAD RECKONING

After sampling this rum that was purely aged in the Sth Pacific I knew I had to have it . Initially destined for release in Europe & the US, it was decided the Rum Tribe had to have a slice of the pie as well . 

I first bottled this in Amsterdam, then shipped it back to Australia. It’s time spent in a Muscat cask rounds off this once untamed rum perfectly. It still has hints of the rawness that’s always attracted me to South Pacific rum, but its 10 years in a Muscat cask had added layers of flavour profile & a subtle dipping experience. First distilled in 1994, barrel aged 10years in Fiji, then 18 additional years in a stainless steel holding tank have married the flavour chain together perfectly. 

Nosed it has a herbal quality, similar to St Lucian rum. Pine Cones, some Pot Pourri and a touch of eucalyptus. Further nosing reveals some molasses, toffee and sweet vanilla. Time in the glass gives more time for the aromas to reveal themselves. Slightly menthol notes appear alongside some light tar and cigarette smoke.

It’s a complex nose. It’s a rum which is really worth sitting with and nosing. You will get a lot out of it this way and it will also improve your sipping experience. It is both light and soft, yet quite menacing at the same time.

On the sip it is quite spicy with a fair amount of barrel influence. It’s oaky but the spice from the oak isn’t overly woody. You get a good hit of sweet vanilla. The herbal nature of the rum comes out more with each sip – the pine cones and eucalyptus that was on the nose is very evident. I’m also getting a carbolic/soapy element.

On the mid palate the rum evolves further. A sooty/tarriness comes through. I think if you experienced a Fijian rum – for the first time you could well think it was a blend. It has elements of St Lucian rum, heavy Caroni and most definitely funky Jamaican notes.

The initial sip and mid palate carry a fruitiness as well, which works nicely with the more herbal notes. It keeps the more aggressive elements of this rum at bay. It keeps the balance nicely.

ABOUT DEAD RECKONING

Justin, has immersed himself in rum for the past 20 years; a journey starting as a deck scrubbing lad with a thirst for Rum and adventure culminated in him becoming a Chief Officer; driving billionaire’s mega yachts around the world. This life of salty seadog adventure took him to Rum’s heartland, the Caribbean islands for 6 months a year, every year.

When he wasn’t at the helm of a yacht he could be found hanging off a bar or at a distillery sampling the best the Caribbean rum scene had to offer. Upon ending his days at sea there was only one thing he knew better that navigating around the world’s oceans- that was Rum. For 10 years Justin has scoured the globe discovering & importing the world’s best rums into Australia.

Dead Reckoning is Australia’s first independent rum bottler. We know there’s more in the works from Dead Reckoning and we can’t wait to try more and more of these fabulous independent bottling from a true rum legend.

ABOUT SOUTH PACIFIC DISTILLING

The South Pacific Distillery is known as the quite achiever, often producing rums under a cloak of secrecy, supplying independent bottlers with mind blowing rums. Their distillery is named ‘South Pacific Distillery’ and they use column stills and a John Dore pot still / double retort (double thumper) configuration. This still configuration is much better explained by others than myself. And HERE is a very good explanation of the ‘double thumper’.

Other very well-known rum distilleries such as St Lucia distillers, Foursquare, Hampden & Worthy Park use the same or a very similar system.

A closed fermentation process using molasses (closed so that birds don’t fall into the ferment) for 70 to 100 hours produces what can only be described as an element of funk. Dunder is not used; controlled yeast is the activator in their ferment.

High Grade Sugar cane and subsequently molasses is in no shortage on the islands of the South pacific, ideal for quality rum production.

After the ferment is run through the still the “rum” is normally stored in Ex Bourbon barrels in its high temp and humidity environment. The colour of this rum is evident that its “tropical ageing” is a rewarding and tumultuous partner, providing a full bodied and funky rum.

Firkin Rum First Edition Single Cask – December 2023

The World First Release of the very FIRST Firkin RUM!

Now Firkin are absolute LEGENDS in the spirits industry with their Head Honcho, Mike Collings having over 50 years of high-end spirit credentials up his proverbial (he’s the guy that invented Johnny Walker Blue and Green among other accomplishments).

This is a single cask bottling of single blended Caribbean rum (rum made from both column and pot still at the one distillery). Molasses-based, distilled at Angostura Distillers in Trinidad & Tobago. Now this is sold as a NAS (No Age Statement) rum, but I’m reliably informed that it was tropically matured for around 6 years in Trinidad then transferred to Mikes custom, hybrid, ex-Speyside whisky cask in Scotland to finish for 18 months. Bottled at 43%abv, the result is a wonderfully rich and fruity rum that is eminently sippable neat and perfectly at home paired with your favourite mixer around the pool.

It’s not often we get to launch a new international Rum Brand onto the world stage and as you can imagine – when we do we’re pretty bloody excited! What’s more exciting is that this rum has come from an absolute legend of the spirits industry. I’m proud to consider Mike a friend and we’ve featured a few of the releases of his indy bottling brand ‘The Firkin Whisky Co’  in our ‘other club’ (SMWC).

This Christmas, we are incredibly proud to be able to introduce to the world, the very first Firkin Rum.

Firkin Rum First Edition

Mike Collings’ work with international alcohol giant Diageo has seen him involved with some of the worlds largest brands. Even the most ardent rum ‘fanboi’ (or goil!) has heard of Johnny Walker Blue Label – perhaps the worlds most instantly recognisable top-shelf scotch whisky – hell, the most recognisable top-shelf spirit, really. Well… Mike Collings is the man behind JW Blue. It’s his baby. His work in Scotch whisky is both iconic and award winning.  But that’s not to say scotch whisky is his only trick.  Mike was helping supply the Royal Navy with rum in the early eighties working for ‘Saccone & Speed’ – a company that had it’s start supplying Admiral Nelson’s ships with rum at Gibraltar! In fact, Mike’s first sales job (way back in 1973) was selling Navy Neaters Cask Strength Rum to the RN at Portsmouth. Mike has also distributed Cockspur and Pussers Rum in the UK – so he knows his rum too.

For the last few years, Mike has lived in Adelaide, travelling frequently to source for, and promote his Firkin Whisky Co. label. Essentially, the Firkin Whisky Co independently bottles Scottish whisky after finishing it in their own bespoke hybrid casks made of alternating American first-fill Bourbon staves and new French Limousin oak staves with a custom char, seasoned with a variety of fortified wines. 

Now, on the other side of the planet, in Scotland, there is a gentleman called Jim Ashley who (like our good mate Justin Boseley) independently bottles rum, under the Outlaw Rum Brand. Now Jim buys rum from Trinidad &Tobago and finishes it in casks that have previously held single malt whisky from the Speyside region in Scotland. TLDR – he independently bottles whisky-cask finished rum.

I think you can see where this is going!

Well Mike and Jim met, got talking and … what you see here is the grand result of Jim finishing his rum in one of Mike’s ex-Speyside whisky maturing, hybrid casks. And et voilà  – the Firkin Rum First Edition Single Cask was born!

Firkin Rum First Edition
LIQUID CHRISTMAS CAKE! The Christmas Rum Cask is a nearly 6-year-old, pure single rum from Western Australia’s beautiful Margaret River region.

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose:  Liquorice, cloves and brand new leather all drizzled in melted butter.

Palate: Thick and satisfying mouthfeel with very little pepper. Spiced fruity mince, marzipan, ginger nut bikkies, allspice, vanilla and some candied citrus peel with more of that butteryness to boot!

Finish: Lovely, long and luscious. Rolling sweet waves of caramel, aniseed and biscuit spices – yet exits curiously crisply with a nice mild astringency in the jowls!

An absolutely firkin brilliant First Edition rum from Messrs. Collings and Ashley. Lots of big fruity Speyside whisky notes bumping up against traditional creamy-Caribbean-caramels and liquorice-y rum qualities. At 43% it’s perfect for sipping over ice on a stinking December day, and totes killer with your favourite mixer.

  • PRICE : $139

  • ABV : 43%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Trinidad & Tobago / Scotland

  • No Added Sugar / No Added Colour

Firkin Rum First Edition

FROM FIRKIN WHISKY CO. / OUTLAW RUM

Serendipity is a beautiful thing.

A chance encounter between Jim Ashley the fabulous founder of Outlaw Rum and Firkin’s Mike Collings has produced something extraordinary.

Outlaw Rum imports a premium blend rum from the world famous Angostura Distillery in Trinidad & Tobago and matures them in a selection of malt whisky casks from Scotland’s premier distilleries.

This alchemy occurs at this converted barn in the north of Scotland. Coincidentally, Firkin’s famous custom casks are coopered from first fill bourbon and new French oak just a few miles down the road.

Why it’s just neighbourly to have these two pioneers collaborate. Jim’s special Rum in Mike’s innovative casks, having recently held the pride of Speyside, has produced something truly unique.

The first release lets the Firkin flavours flow through the exceptional Rum to produce something very Firkins special indeed.

Nose: Sweet and subtle wafts of caramel and vanilla lead into toffee, which sails into hints of oak and a turn of sherry to bring us home.

Taste: Like a lover’s kiss the senses align, as caramel, vanilla and toffee remain. Bountiful citrus with succulent satsuma wash through as a uniquely Scottish/Caribbean experience provides buttery coconut and joyful raisin and baked spice finish.

This is our first limited edition of some very special releases, which reflect our passion for taking the very best and adding our own nuances and depth of flavour combining the best of Scotland and Trinidad & Tobago.

Nothing added or taken away. Our rigorous standards require that no sugar, caramel or flavouring of any kind is added. We also think gravity is still the best form of clarification and would never use chill filtration.

Cheers

Mike Collings                                   Jim Ashley
Founder Firkin Whisky Co             Founder Outlaw Rum Co

ABOUT FIRKIN WHISKY CO.

For those unaware, Mike Collings is a giant in the high-end spirits industry. During his time with Diageo (world largest spirits business) he was the mind behind the famous Johnny Walker Blue plus a plethora of whiskies that are almost ubiquitous in any bottle shop around the world. In other words, Mike has been crafting ‘household name’ whiskies for the worlds largest brands for over 50 years.

Mike Collings could have retired with an incredible track record in whisky. He had created Johnnie Walker Blue & Green Labels, The Classic Malts, Rare Malts, Distillers Edition, Flora & Fauna series, Cardhu and Royal Lochnagar. That’s pretty Firkin good as far as CVs go.

Mike’s now been working in the highest-end of alcohol for 50 years. You couldn’t blame him for packing it in and putting his feet up. That would have been the sensible thing to do. But Mike is many things. Sensible isn’t one of them. Mike stirs the pot. He thinks about things differently and always asks: ‘what if …’?

ABOUT ANGOSTURA

Angostura is one of the leading manufacturing companies in the Caribbean that produces a superb collection of rum brands as well as it’s ubiquitous-in-any-bar-anywhere-in-the-world bitters range.

Along with being a Royal Warrant holder to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for their Angostura aromatic bitters, they have successfully marketed their iconic bitters globally and have a geographic reach into 170 markets. The recipe for Angostura aromatic bitters has not been changed since the first bottle was introduced to the world in 1824.

Many of their brands have been bringing joy for generations in Trinidad and Tobago, their core rum market. Meanwhile, their premium rums have been causing a stir at countless international competitions over the past decade. In the last year alone, the Angostura rum range has been rewarded with over 25 prestigious accolades internationally.

Firkin Rum First Edition

Requiem SS Admella – November 2023

Four words to excite any rum lover – ‘Tin Shed Distilling Requiem’! If you like your rums to have character and flavour, without what is often referred to as a high ester flavour profile, then the Requiem SS Admella from Tin Shed Distilling is the rum for you. 

A FIRST RELEASE Aussie Rum from one of Australia’s finest distillers! This is truly the thinking man’s ‘Big Aussie Rum’.

The Requiem SS Admella is made from molasses wash, twice-distilled in Tin Shed’s copper pot stills before being aged for 5 years in an ex-Shiraz Whisky cask, then finished in a reworked, re-charred ex-port cask and bottled at an easy drinking 44% ABV. The result is a big, ‘traditional’ Aussie rum full of cola, caramel, cloves and aniseed. It’s big and blustery, round and robust  – but also gentle and well balanced – and all without the big ABV usually associated with this sort of mouthfeel. Nothing challenging or alien here – but flavour for miles.

Tin Shed Distilling has been producing incredible pot stilled spirits since 2010. The Rum Tribe raved about the Requiem SS Songvaar that we released to the Tribe in 2021. Vic and Ian (the blokes behind the name) have been distilling for even longer than that. They are no strangers to medals and awards – and are so prolific I wonder if the move to the new digs isn’t just an excuse to build a bigger ‘pool room’ to fit them all.

Requiem SS Admella

They have always prided themselves as being completely hands-on artisanal pot-distillers (rum, whisky and vodka) and this will continue in the new location. It’s just going to be a whole lot more pleasant for us – the public – to sit and enjoy the fruits of their labour where it’s made, at the new place.

By definition a Requiem is a final mass, a prayer for the dead, a final tribute. Each expression of Requiem is a tribute to a ship, wrecked or lost at sea and to the seafarers who sailed in those ships.

The Requiem SS Admella was an Iron-hulled, single propped trader of 60m length and a displacement of 395 tons, built in 1857. She was named from the route of her trading between Adelaide, Melbourne and Launceston (Ad-Mel-La). At approximately 5.00 am on Saturday the 6th of August the ship hit – what turned out to be – Carpenter’s Reef, whilst on its way to Melbourne.  Although less than a mile to the shore it was 6 days before the survivors were able to be rescued from the wreck. Of 107 passengers and crew, sadly, only 24 survived.  A full account of the wreck of the Admella can be found at the Campbelltown City Council website.

Requiem SS Admella
A LIMITED EDITION Dead Reckoning Rum celebrating the legendary ‘Operation Jaywick’ with half the proceeds going to the Commando Welfare Trust

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Lots of big burnt caramel notes, post-mix cola syrup (if you’ve ever dropped a bag of that you’ll know), cloves and sweet banana lollies plus – yep there it is – that ‘Tin Shed Distillery new-belt leather note’.

Palate: Sweet and rich and chewy on the palate. It’s not subtle – but it’s not harsh either. It’s just… BIG.  Big, sweet, flavour but little burn. The cola syrup comes through again, but also there’s boiled ‘humbug’ lollies (aniseed), hot ginger and soothing honey here.

Finish: Wow – I get a real ‘honey jumble deconstructed’ in the finish. There’s honey, ginger, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon all swirling around a delicate dryness in the finale – from the port cask I suspect. 

The Requiem SS Admella is truly the thinking man’s ‘Big Aussie Rum’. I think this really takes those quintessentially Australian rum flavours – the molasses, the cola and the leather notes, with a sweet palate and dryish finish and ads about 25PSI of turbo boost. That Tin Shed get such big and round flavour and such exquisite mouthfeel out of 44%ABV is pure alchemy. 

  • PRICE : $119

  • ABV : 44%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia (SA)

  • No Added Sugar / No Added Colour

Requiem SS Admella

FROM TIN SHED DISTILLING

If you like your rums to have some character and flavour, without what is often referred to as a high ester flavour profile, then Requiem SS Admella is the rum for you.  Lots of Dutch liquorice and molasses notes, even cola, but only the merest hint of funk and even then you have to hunt it down. Requiem SS Admella is a rum for those with a palate that is discerning, and always wanting more.  If this rum were a car, it would be an open top sports car rather than a limousine, with a turbo charged V8 under the hood!

Dutch liquorice, Cola nuts, Molasses, Treacle, Marzipan, Glacé cherry, Salty finish with salted caramel

Wanting more…Heavy sipping rum, yum

ABOUT TIN SHED DISTILLING

Tin Shed Distillery was established in 2010 by Ian Schmidt and long time drinking buddy Vic Orlow. Ian is a straight talker with little time for fake extravagances – and his distillery certainly reflects this attitude. From the unassuming front door, through to the utilitarian stacks and rows of ageing whisky, to the small stills – this is grassroots craft distilling at it’s finest!

There’s no ‘Visitors Centre’ here (although Ian welcomes visitors by appointment) – the distillery is the visitors centre. What you get is plain and simple – almost spartan. A distillery, bond store, bottling plant and office all under one roof. It’s all about the spirits at Tin Shed Distilling.

***STOP PRESS! ***

As we said – all this is about to change. Tin Shed is about to move (date close but uncertain at time this was penned) to bigger, and much more salubrious location – complete with cellar door and bar! I’m told there’s even going to be FOOD! .

***STOP PRESS! ***

What Tin Shed Distilling lacks in size, flashyness or ‘pomp’ it certainly makes up for in the quality of it’s products. Ian and Vic’s philosophy is ‘only bottle what we like to drink’ – and the results of this attitude were apparent from day one. The very first batch of their Iniquity Single Malt Whisky made the Whisky Bible’s ‘Liquid Gold’ list in 2015 with a score of 94 –described as “a gorgeous experience”. Subsequent whisky bottling have won many accolades and now it’s Tin Shed’s rums turn in the spotlight!

Whilst awards are great, with a distillery as small as Tin Shed, they don’t drive sales. As Ian puts it – “by the time the results are out, we’ve sold all of the spirit we entered”. What’s more important to the boys at Iniquity is feedback from ‘the Den’ (Tin Shed’s members club) and the drinking public at whisky shows. Love this rum – then join Iniquity’s ‘the Den’ and stay up to date with all new Iniquity releases and everything that’s happening at Tin Shed Distilling.

Killik Virgin American Oak – October 2023

With October being an ‘ode to funk’…our favourite Australian (actually Victorian) hogo heads have delivered an EXCLUSIVE KILLIK/ RUM TRIBE collaboration – The Killik Virgin American Oak!

This is the very first Virgin Oak maturation Killik have done – and I’m here to tell you, it won’t be their last! It’s bloody brilliant! This is molasses based rum – the wash was seeded with proprietary yeast prior to having wild yeast [via dunder] added. It was distilled in a copper pot still, and then laid to rest in a virgin American oak cask for 2.5 years before being bottled at 48% exclusively for the Rum Tribe. 

Now, Killik do it a bit different to most Australian rums. For a start they embrace the characteristic known as ‘hogo’ or ‘funk’ in their rums. This is a flavour profile mostly unexplored by Aussie distillers but huge in the Caribbean – Jamaica particularly being seen as the ‘spiritual home of hogo’.  But some Aussies, like Killik (and Nil Desperandum is another) are notable for actively pursuing this quality with the use of dunder and muck in their fermentation. 

Killik’s raw spirit alone is world class – in fact the Killik ‘Silver’ as it’s known, has been winning medals all over – culmination in a gold medal and Best in Class at World Spirits Awards earlier this year. Killik have proven themselves to be world-class producers of hi-ester rum and we are absolutely bloody stoked to be part of another ‘first’ for Killik – a virgin oak maturation.

Killik Virgin Oak American

But what is this ‘hogo’ that we speak of? Well, originally a Jamaican style, hogo is an easily identifiable – yet hard to describe – flavour which is the result of wild yeast fermentation. It is commonly characterized by its potent, funky nose and taste. In fact hogo is also known as ‘funk’ in some places. It can be very difficult to define and can vary wildly. In the case of Killik, it is often very fruity with strong aromas of tropical fruit, over-ripe banana, strawberry, and a distinct milkiness.

The key to hogo, or funk, is the use of wild yeasts in the fermentation stage of production. And the source of those wild yeasts is what’s known as ‘dunder and muck’. Those with a delicate constitution may wish to look away now, because as the names suggest, dunder and muck isn’t the loveliest stuff in the world. Dunder is what’s left over in a rum still once the spirit has been distilled out of the wash.  It’s essentially dead yeast, water and whatever caramelised, boiled out, leftover gunk they can scrape out of the still after a run. The dunder is then chucked in a ‘dunder pit’ which could [traditionally] be a big hole in the ground (an actual ‘pit of dunder’ as it were). These days most dunder pits are contained in some sort of large plastic container such as IBC’s. Killik’s dunder pit is an old dairy vat (Pictured).

The dunder is ‘fed’ carbohydrates in the form of, well, whatever fruit etc is lying around the distillery or surrounding farms. This added sugar allows a secondary fermentation to begin by any wild yeast that happen to land in the pit. By this stage the ‘dunder pit’ is a foul looking, cow-shit reeking, bubbling vat of the nastiest looking sludge you can imagine. This wonderfully vile concoction of wild yeasts, and the flavour molecules they excrete (along with CO2 and alcohol) is what ‘seeds’ the next rum mash and is known as ‘muck’.

Use of dunder and muck in rum production originated in Jamaica around the same time as the slaves discovered making rum. It makes sense as it provided an inexhaustible supply of an otherwise hard to come by (in those times) resource – yeast! With the commercialisation and industrialisation of rum production in the subsequent years, reliability, repeatability and yield of the fermentation process became essential. Thus the uptake of commercial and proprietary yeasts saw the use of wild yeasts dwindle – and so muck and dunder began to be a fond memory with only a handful of distilleries interested.  Luckily, there has been a ‘rediscovery’ of dunder and muck use in rum distilling, and Killik have pioneered its use in Australia.

The Killik Virgin American Oak is the very first Virgin Oak maturation Killik have done – and I’m here to tell you, it won’t be their last! This is molassas based rum – the wash was seeded with a proprietary yeast prior to having wild yeast [via dunder] added. It was distilled in a copper pot still, and then laid to rest in a virgin American oak cask for 2 ½ years before being bottled at 48% exclusively for the Rum Tribe. 

Last month we worked with Dead Reckoning to get the price as far down as possible – and this month Killik have stepped up to help us do same. We’ve both trimmed as much fat as possible to get this rum out to the tribe for the best price we could without selling our children. I’m not gonna lie – we’ve even re-used the Killik gold labels with just a sticker added in order to keep costs as low as possible!

And we’ve done it again – a 700ml bottle of hand made, single cask, pure single rum for $125. I dare you to find better!

Killik Virgin Oak American
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Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: all sorts of things you wonder if you should be smelling. Strait away there’s sour milk – but swirl that glass and so many more notes are released. There’s grape bubblegum. There’s Curry powder. Tart apple. Model Airplane glue. There’s all sort of weird and almost-recognisable odours wafting there.  I’m betting the sweets of your youth will determine what you get out of the nose here.

Palate: Almost as soon it hits your palate, all those ‘weird’ smells in the nose seem to align and make perfect sense now as they morph into stewed apple. In fact, apple strudel with sultanas and vanilla… wait for the cream! Ahh there it is! But then more fruit takes over and the fruit salad paradigm swings in for a twirl.  That delightful creamyness remains though. This morphs and swirls and shape-shifts and dances across the palate.

Finish: It’s a bit of a sweet and sour finish on this one. Really sweet notes such as plumbs and more chewing gum notes, but there’s also a sort of sour worms sweet/sour thing too.

The Killik Virgin American Oak is a hugely complex and utterly discussable rum from one of my favourite distilleries. If you’re new to hi-ester rum  – you really need to look at them a bit like stinky cheese.  The smell (nose) is confronting – but makes perfect sense once you bite into it!

Kudos Cal and Sam – you’ve kicked it outta the park again!

A 61%ABV, 8 year old Jamaican PURE SINGLE RUM in a 750ml bottle that is on our shores for the FIRST TIME

  • PRICE : $125

  • ABV : 48%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia (Vic)

  • No Added Sugar / No Added Colour

Killik Virgin Oak American

FROM KILLIK

Hey Tribe! We’re thrilled to introduce our newest gem from Killik’s vault – The Killik Virgin American Oak. This rum is a true testament to the prowess of pot still distillation, boasting high ester levels that showcase a symphony of fruity characteristics.

While many rums may hint at tropical notes, ours uniquely shines with pronounced cantaloupe undertones, blending seamlessly with flavors of ripe bananas, passion fruit, and a touch of guava. These vibrant ester-driven flavors find a harmonious balance with the rich and robust influences of our custom-coopered virgin American oak barrels. Virgin oak, fresh and untainted by previous spirits, imparts luscious notes of intense vanilla, caramel, and toasty aromatics. The final product?

The Killik Virgin American Oak is rum that’s both bold in its fruity essence yet grounded with rich American Oak. We can not wait for you to delve into its multifaceted flavours and aromas and share your insights!

Tasting Notes:

Right off the bat, you’ll notice a distinct ethyl acetate presence, though not as pronounced as in Jamaican pot rums. As that initial wave subsides, a moderately strong fruitiness emerges, with a standout melon note and lots of stone fruit, a departure from our usual KILLIK profiles where pineapple often dominates. The influence of the American oak is unmistakable – you get a robust roasted quality paired with a generous helping of vanilla. It’s clear this one matured in a virgin oak barrel, and even though it’s only 2.5 years old, its flavor profile suggests a more mature spirit.

ABOUT KILLIK

Born in Belgrave, Victoria, Killik Handcrafted Rum is a family run distillery that aims to fill the void of great Australian rum. Their aim is to create products that were not only top tier in quality, but are also the most unique Australian rum you can find.

“HIGH ESTER IS THE DIRECTION THE RUM WORLD IS MOVING “
Callan Pratt – Partner, Killik Handcrafted Rum

Our rum utilizes a wild fermentation which leads to a high ester content referred to as “hogo” in the rum scene. Killik Handcrafted Rum is the first Australian dedicated rum distillery committed to this traditional Jamaican style of rum production.

The Killik lineup is perfect for creating classic cocktails or enjoyed neat.

Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Jamaica – September 2023

DEAD RECKONING IS BACK! This time with a FUNKY but MELLOW blend of three low-ester Jamaican rums (Hampden, Worthy Park and New Yarmouth) born, bred and married in the tropics and honeymooned in the dry heat of Adelaide. It’s time to man battle stations as we launch the Dead Reckoning Port Broadside!

The Dead Reckoning Port Broadside is a single cask blend of three incredible Jamaican distilleries. Hampden, Worthy Park and New Yarmouth – two pot stills and a column still respectively. 3 years tropically aged in bourbon casks in Jamaica and then whisked off to Adelaide to be dry aged in a Seppeltsfield Tawny Cask that has held port continuously for 120 years (this cask is almost GOOEY it’s got so much port infused into it!).

Just like the amazing price of $125 – Justin has specifically blended this Jamaican rum to exhibit the funk that Jamaican rum is famous for – but do it in an extremely accessible way. He’s done this by blending 3 Jamaican low ester ‘marques’. In Jamaica, a marquee is given special initials and indicates different ‘types’ of rums made by a distillery. Much like a bakery bakes different types of bread, the distilleries make different marques of rum – each one with a characteristic Ester level. The marque classification system of Jamaica is a bit of a ‘rum geek’ thing – if you’d like to know more – check out this article at the Cocktail Wonk.

The marques used in this rum are stated on the label – all of them amongst the lowest ester marque of their distillery. What this means is that whilst this is definitely an ester-forward rum (it is Jamaican, after all!), this is not overstated or over-the-top hogo.

For the non sailors out there a Broadside is a firing of all the guns from one side of a warship.

Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Jamaica

NOW we here at Rum Tribe HQ as well as Dead Reckoning know how tough everyone is doing it at present. Mortgages, fuel, electricity prices through the roof – and to sink the boot in even more – the excise on spirits like rum (and whisky etc) has just passed $100 per litre of alcohol.  So if you have a 1-litre bottle, with a spirit at 50%ABV – you will be paying more than $50 in Australian excise before you even start paying for the product itself. The third-highest spirits excise in the world. And it increases twice a year. That’s right – Twice. Every. Year.

So this month, Dead Reckoning and the Rum Tribe have gotten together with the express purpose of getting AWESOME rum to the people with as little hit to the wallet as possible.  Both of us have taken a bit of a beating to get this absolutely incredible 4 and a half year old Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Jamaican to the Tribe for a pre-2020 price.

And why are we doing this? Well, in all honesty, we’re hoping if we do an attractive enough price, you’ll buy two bottles if you can! And then everyone is a winner!

No added sugar. No added colour. Non-chill Filtered. Bottled at 50%ABV so the taxman gets his fair share, don’t you worry!

Going forward – this is the first expression of the Dead Reckoning Port Broadside line from Dead Reckoning. Look out for more single country of origin, blended single casks, tropical/dry aged combo rums finished in Tawny casks in Adelaide to come down the track.

Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Jamaica
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Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this really evolves over time. There’s waves of mashed banana, juicy fruit chewing gum, creaming soda and a sultana-laden bread and butter (or is it rice?) pudding and custard!

Palate: Masses of firepower with a rich and syrupy mouthfeel yet there’s also a crisp and dry backbone that makes itself known with just a touch of astringency that balances out the sweetness. [The column still component plus the tawny barrel at work there I’m sure!] Masses of fruit salad, lots of sweet and fragrant spices and stewed fruit to boot!

Finish: Lovely, Long and Utterly divine. Burnt liquorice, sarsaparilla-spider, caramel and sweet banana custard.

Another amazing release from the master of the dry-aged finish. Sweet and slightly funky on the nose, but takes a port tack to the dry side on the palate before rolling back to round sweetness in the finish. Mellow and funky like a groovy summer breeze, carrying the rhythm of a laid-back Funkadelic tune. Complex as quadratics, but easy as 1, 2, 3.

THE CRAZIEST INFUSED NEUTRAL CANE SPIRIT!

  • PRICE : $125

  • ABV : 50%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Jamaica/Australia

  • No Added Sugar / No Added Colour

Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Jamaica

FROM DEAD RECKONING

I’ve always been a funky rum junkie. Jamaican rum is synonymous with funk , dunder & ester. While some Australian distilleries are now adopting Jamaican methods of dunder & longer fermentation, the Jamaicans have been treading this well-worn path for centuries. 

When I was fortunate enough to find a Seppeltsfield tawny “port” cask from the 1800’s I knew exactly what to age it. The search for a Jamaican rum that had the right flavour profile started. Not happy with just 1 distillery, I ended up using a Hampden / Worthy Park / New Yarmouth Plummer blend. 2 pot & 1 column still. 

The use of 3 Jamaican rums has given this release layer upon layer of of flavour profiles. Finished in a tawny cask was the icing on the cake, it married the funk , flavour & low ester together. The goal was to create a multidimensional rum that would educate the consumer, leading them down the Jamaican rum rabbit hole.

The port broadside series is a collection of rums aged in tawny (port) casks. 

For the non sailors out there a Broadside is a firing of all the guns from one side of a warship.

With the current situation of inflation, interest rates & living costs. The decision to release DR Jamaica at its bare bones cost was made in the hope of getting good rum into people’s glasses at a great price. 

Flavour Profile: Banana Cake, dates, sultanas, dark roasted coffee & passionfruit

ABOUT DEAD RECKONING

Justin, has immersed himself in rum for the past 20 years; a journey starting as a deck scrubbing lad with a thirst for Rum and adventure culminated in him becoming a Chief Officer; driving billionaire’s mega yachts around the world. This life of salty seadog adventure took him to Rum’s heartland, the Caribbean islands for 6 months a year, every year.

When he wasn’t at the helm of a yacht he could be found hanging off a bar or at a distillery sampling the best the Caribbean rum scene had to offer. Upon ending his days at sea there was only one thing he knew better that navigating around the world’s oceans- that was Rum. For 10 years Justin has scoured the globe discovering & importing the world’s best rums into Australia.

Having an intimate knowledge of the Australian market, Justin identified space for unique, rare blends. Enter Dead Reckoning Rum. An Australian Independent label specialising in master-mixed rum blends, single casks and some rare, forgotten ‘barn-finds’ of the Rum world. Justin has his sights set on truly unique and memorable releases by his label.

ABOUT HAMDEN ESTATE

Hampden Estate, nestled within the scenic landscapes of Jamaica’s Trelawny Parish, stands as a venerable institution in the world of rum production. With roots tracing back to the 18th century, this historic distillery has earned its reputation for crafting rums that exude a distinct and captivating character. Embracing the art of traditional pot still distillation, Hampden is a purveyor of “Pure Single Rum,” a distinction denoting the exclusive use of pot stills and a single distillery source. This approach results in rums that are renowned for their intense and complex flavours, a testament to the high ester content characteristic of Hampden’s spirits. The distillery’s dedication to both molasses-based and sugarcane juice rums further enriches the spectrum of taste profiles, appealing to enthusiasts seeking the perfect balance of fruity notes and robust depth.

ABOUT WORTHY PARK

Worthy Park Estate is a historic Jamaican sugar estate and distillery located in St. Catherine, Jamaica. It has a long history dating back to the 17th century and is known for its production of sugarcane and rum. Worthy Park is one of the few distilleries in Jamaica that produces both molasses-based and estate-grown sugarcane rums. Their rums showcase Jamaican rum characteristics, including bold flavours, tropical fruit notes, and a rich, full-bodied profile. The distillery uses traditional pot stills for distillation, contributing to the unique character of their rums.

ABOUT NEW YARMOUTH

The New Yarmouth distillery, deeply rooted in Jamaica’s history since the 18th century, is a significant player in the rum industry. It proudly stands as the birthplace of – among others – Wray & Nephew rum, renowned as the best-selling brand in Jamaica. New Yarmouth is a part of the Appleton Estate.  New Yarmouth operates both pot and column stills.

Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish – August 2023

AN EXCLUSIVE COLLABORATION WITH BRIX DISTILLERS! Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish.

A proud collaboration with non-other than Sydney’s Urban Rum Distillery – Brix. A Double-IPA Cask finished, 58.5%ABV MONSTER of a rum EXCLUSIVE to the Rum Tribe (it’s even got our logo on it!).

The Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish has been created from Bundaberg Molasses fermented with Champagne and Caribbean rum yeasts. Batch distilled in Brix’s hybrid copper pot still and then matured for more than 3 years in an Aussie Red Wine cask – then finished for a couple of months in a double IPA barrel.

All in all, three years and 11 months in the wood before being bottled at the cask strength of 58.5%ABV. If you’re wondering – a double IPA beer is a beer with an increased amount of hops and malt, this generally results in a bitter, but more caramel flavoured beer.

Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish

Surprisingly, until Brix came along in 2018, Sydney did not have it’s ‘own’ rum distillery. Which is kind of astonishing as historically, Sydney and rum have gone hand-in-hand since 1788! A focus on quality and efficiency of production has allowed Brix to grow sales at 60% per year as well as set down ageing stock. This, in turn, has allowed them in 5 (short) years to not only have a core range of 3 high-end spirits (a dark rum, a spiced rum and white cane spirit) – but enough stock to plan, develop and offer special releases such as this Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish.

Brix Select Cask Series are a series of single release small batch rums, created using locally grown ingredients, an Australian built copper still & unique oak barrels, previously used for local beer, wine & spirits. These rums have been selected specifically for their story, their flavour profile & their quality, allowing you to discover a new world of Australian Rum.

Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish

Our Tasting Notes:

NB: Remember this is cask strength so I’ve put a few drops of water in mine!

Nose: Sweet, warm banana custard, cherries, sultanas

Palate: Begins oily and sweet with lovely malty notes but quickly changes tack and turns dry and crisp with equally delicious green apple, blackberry and sherbet notes

Finish: Dry and slightly astringent notes take this one out – espresso coffee, Dutch liquorice, dark chocolate and marmalade.

The Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish is a complex yet easy to drink, sweet yet bitter, crisp and clean yet also oily at times yet all the while utterly delicious rum. I’m still pinching myself that there’s a Rum Tribe logo on this bottle. It’s big, yet gentle…it’s sweet, it’s dry, it’s rich and… did I say it’s BIG?

FOURSQUARE + HOLMES CAY = 11 YEAR OLD, SINGLE CASK, CASK STRENGTH GIANT OF A RUM!

  • PRICE : $159

  • ABV : 58.5%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia (NSW)

  • No Added Sugar / No Added Colour

Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish

FROM BRIX

“With a mission to Reinvent Australian Rum & uncover new and varied rum styles, Brix has crafted this release, in collaboration with the team at The Rum Tribe, as a unique expression exclusively for their members. Brix Rums focus on flavour, using locally sourced ingredients, our Australian built copper still & unique barrels, each with a different story to tell.

The Brix Select Cask Series Double IPA Finish has been matured for over three years in a single Australian red wine cask with a further two month finish in an Australian Double IPA cask. For this single cask release, I wanted to reflect the quality, innovation & passion that Brix team brings to everything we do, to allow the drinker to discover a new style of Australian Rum. This has been one of my favourite releases to date and I hope the Rum Tribe members enjoy.”

Shane Casey – Head Distiller

Distiller’s Tasting Notes: Pine, Szechuan pepper, tarragon, green cardamom, orange, tangerine, apricot, crème caramel, burnt custard, vanilla, malt, croissants, honey baked ham.

ABOUT BRIX

‍Brix was born out of a love for rum. Over time this love turned into passion for discovery, experimentation, appreciation & adventure. We discovered that rum in Australia was not being reflected in the right light.

So we have set out for change.

Rum is fun. Rum is rebellious. But it should be loved and adored in respect for the effort and craft that goes into its production. The Brix vision is to share our passion and adventures with Australia and the world. 

In 2017, we set out to find a site where we could establish an urban distillery that showcased the best that Australia has to offer. We found our home on Bourke Street, Surry Hills & we love it.

We challenged ourselves to source the best quality Australian molasses, fresh organic sugar cane, an Australian made copper still, the best quality native spices and Australian wine barrels from some of the best wine making regions of the world.

Our goal: To combine these amazing ingredients to create a unique Aussie rum. A rum that can be enjoyed in the bars of Australia and in our own backyards. We now produce a variety of unique rums and are in the process of barrel ageing many more styles and varieties to be released in the years to come.

Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum – July 2023

Get ready rum lovers for not ONE but TWO rums from the top of the world! A dual serving of superb Nepalese rums made with molasses from Nepalese sugar cane and pure water from Himalayan snowmelt. Please welcome the Khukri XXX and Spiced rum!

Never heard of Nepalese rum? Well, Nepal has a proud rum-making history going back more than half a century. We are proud to introduce Khukri Rum for the very FIRST TIME to Australia (and of course the Tribe!)

Both of these are amazing rums are all about Nepal. Made from all–Nepalese ingredients and even matured in native wood casks. Infused with Nepalese traditional caramel and Nepalese spices! And of course made with pure Nepalese water from the Himalayas.

It may come as a surprise (it certainly did to me) that Nepal has a sugar industry of it’s own. It’s true! – the Terai Belt in southern Nepal is flooded annually with fresh and rich soil deposited each year. The resulting rich soils produces sugar cane for a tiny three months every year! The Nepal sugar crop is so small and treasured by the Nepalese that strict measures are followed so each kilogram of sugar and molasses is accounted for!

Caramel is added to both the Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum. On chatting with Khukri last year, this is the traditional way rum has always been made in Nepal and it isn’t stopping anytime soon. They make no bones about it either, nor do they hide it. As it says on their website –  it’s traditional Nepalese caramel made in traditional wood fired clay furnaces. The caramel is used not only for colouring – but adds viscosity and a “richer visual and sensory experience”. The Spiced Rum is infused with 10 local (but secret!) herbs and spices.

The water used in the production of the Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum deserves a special mention too. It’s water from pure Himalayan snowmelt. Possibly, the purest water on the planet. And to top the whole ‘Nepalese Origin’ thing off, Khukri mature their rum in casks made from Shorea Robusta – a tree native to the region.

Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum

The Rum Tribe has never been scared to launch rums from around the world into the Australian market. We’ve proudly bought Vietnamese, El Salvadorian, Thai and even South African rums to Australia for the Tribe because, well, you’ve gotta try them all, right? And in the same spirit, we are stoked bring a Nepalese rum to the Aussie market for the first time! And not just one – but TWO fabulous bottles of rum for a price that will make you smile.

Make sure to pull these out with company because we can pretty much guarantee your mates will have NEVER had a rum from Nepal before!

Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum
Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum

Our Tasting Notes Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum:

Khukri XXX Rum

Nose: Quite a distinctive nose – earthy, yet sweet with banana, caramel and vanilla

Palate: Really thick and almost sticky mouthfeel but there’s a big banoffee pie with meringue on top vibe. It’s a sweet rum, no doubt about it.

Finish: Goes out with a warm glow (the closest that this comes to spicey) and more of those caramel notes with dark chocolate, coffee beans and fading vanilla.

Khukri Spiced Rum

I found it quite challenging to really review this straight up as, frankly, I don’t recognise many of the notes I get on the nose or palate. There is certainly clove there, but there is also some savoury – almost curry powder like notes – amongst it. Beguiling like Bhuja Mix.

On doing some research I found a Nepalese website that recommends – “Khukri Spice Rum is best enjoyed with Cola and a squeeze of lime, topped with lots of crushed ice and fresh mint leaf, making it an ideal invigorating drink-a perfect Summer Chiller”. So of course, I ducked out and grabbed and bruised some mint and yes, I can confirm that is a pretty good – and easy – way to drink this distinctive, Spiced Rum.

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A barrel aged rum cocktail based on the multi Award-Winning Karu Outcask Rum! The Karu Distilling Barrel Aged Old Fashioned!

  • PRICE : $159 (for both)

  • ABV : 42.8% (XXX and Spiced)

  • BOTTLE: 700ml x 2

  • REGION: Nepal

  • Added Caramel

Khukri XXX and Spiced Rum

FROM KHUKRI

Whether it is our humble traditions or our renowned bravery in battles and wars, Khukri has become an integral part of the Nepalese legacy.

The Khukri Rums are a celebration of our rich Nepalese heritage. Each bottle is passionately crafted using the finest hand-selected sugarcane that’s harvested and refined into a delicious classic blend.

Khukri XXX Rum: Khukri XXX Rum carries the character of a bold beginning. A unique proprietary process garners a rich and intense taste to the blend. In every sip, you will experience the history of humble traditions, expert connoisseurship, and handcrafted flavours that speak to you of the ice-capped mountains that it comes from.

Khukri Spiced Rum: Flavours from authentic Nepalese spices are masterfully blended with distils of rich molasses and fresh spring water from the Himalayas. It is then aged in regions exclusive Shorea Robusta casks at high altitudes resulting in a tasteful concoction of assorted spices enriched with dry fruits that ends with a sweet, smooth and long finish.

ABOUT KHUKRI

Khukuri is a type of knife, typically with 12-15 inch long blades, originating from Nepal. It is associated with the Gurkhas of Nepal and is regarded as a national emblem that has earned respect from all over the world.

From heritage and craftsmanship, to beauty, creativity and an uncompromising commitment to excellence, Khukri draws from and is inspired by the decisions, stories and people who have shaped it. Until the late 1950’s, Nepal had only been making liquor at home.  It was in 1959 when Nepal started distilling its very own rum for the first time.

We come from the kind of place where there is freshness in the air. Here, questions are asked and new ideas are formulated. The beauty of the Himalayas goes beyond postcards and dramatic movies.

Countless artists, authors, philosophers and musicians have found in these valleys a place where their vision can be fully manifested.

Karu Distilling Outcask Rum Batch 3 – June 2023

Karu Distilling Outcask Rum is from a family-run distillery who’s products – rum, gin and vodka – have won world acclaim over the last few years (and they only kicked off in 2018!) and they have been members and supporters of the Rum Tribe pretty much since we started.

Ally and Nick Ayres have been members and supporters of our little ‘rum fam’ since we kicked off the Tribe and we are stoked to finally be able to offer Karu Distilling Outcask Rum Batch #3 of their Silver Medal winning Outcask Rum as our Rum of the Month (and we’re also going to take this opportunity to announce a fantastic project we’re working on with them)!

Now Karu Distillery has been absolutely slaying the spirits world in the couple of years with medal after medal for their vodka, gin and rum. The Karu Distilling Outcask Rum scored Silver in San Francisco and the World Spirits Awards this year, and Silver in the inaugural Australian Rum Awards last year.

Karu are proud producers of (amongst other spirits) pure single rum, and as such the Outcask Rum contains absolutely no added sugar or colour and is proudly non-chill filtered. Their molasses based spirit is matured in Whipper Snapper Bourbon casks (from WA) in their ‘Devils Wilderness’ distillery and bond-store. Located in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, the maturation gets its share of stinking hot summer days and freezing cold alpine winter weather as well. Outcask Rum is made from a marriage of barrels around 3 years old and is bottled at 46%ABV.

Karu Distilling Outcask Rum

I guess there’s only one thing we here at Rum Tribe HQ like better than selling rum – and that is selling the rum of a family we’re proud to not only call friends, but members as well!

Now Outcask Rum is part of Karu’s ‘Core Range’ and each batch of Outcask is thus blended from different casks for consistency of product. However, Karu is not shy to do a little experimenting with interesting single cask maturation and finishing. And to this end we’d like to announce a very exciting collaboration with Karu that will come to fruition sometime early in 2024. This very special project will see a cask of Karu Rum finished for around twelve months in a… <drumroll please> … first fill ex-Grand Marnier cask!!.

This is one of the nicest and most delicious casks whose bunghole I’ve had the good fortune to stick my nose into!

Karu Distilling Outcask Rum

Karu Distilling Outcask Rum Tasting Notes:

Nose: Big fruit salad and caramel sauce notes with a little sweet licorice there too.

Palate: Bold and sweet, slightly overripe tropical fruit notes with more aniseed notes, beautiful vanilla and citrus-sy waves all wrapped up in a buttery, crème brûlée oodie.  

Finish: Finish for miles here – sultanas and fruit mince, some mixed peel and more caramel, coffee and dark chocolate with a lovely pinch of white pepper to tingle the tongue as it departs.

This rum is no shrinking violet – big bold and fruity all night long, and at 46%abv it’s got enough ‘oomph’ to really impress neat or over ice, and will standout in your favourite mixer too. As a lifetime boatie from Brissy, I can definitely recommend this rum in a ‘Moreton Bay Mud’ (rum, milk and ice – easy on the milk and ice!!)

Boutique-y is BACK! This absolutely fantastic 18-year-old, LIMITED RELEASE,  pure single rum is EXCLUSIVE to the Tribe!

  • PRICE : $119

  • ABV : 46%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia (NSW)

  • NO Added Sugar / NO Added Colour

Karu Distilling Outcask Rum

FROM KARU DISTILLING

Outcask is the first rum to enter our core range of products.

It follows simplistic traditional methods of production meaning it’s a pure molasses rum, fermented for two weeks, pot distilled and matured at our distillery in NSW.

Having been self-taught in rum production, I felt it was appropriate to start at the beginning and explore the traditional pot distillation method first. By doing this I found a lot of thick and chewy flavours such as vanilla and caramel whilst the aromatics carried more fruiter notes, together you got a big rum with a lot to offer.

The absolute main goal with this rum was something you can have fun with, what we didn’t want something that was limited to just having neat. Outcask Rum is great solo, however, it is scrumptious in cocktails like Pina Coladas, Jungle Birds and Rum Old Fashions. It was fun to make this rum and we want the consumption of it to be the same.

“Plenty of flavour with creamy vanilla and pineapple on the palate, a touch of coconut and freshness from orchard fruits and a swirl of golden sweetness”

ABOUT KARU DISTILLING

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 Outcask a 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.

Karu Rum Tribe RUMBLEDORE
Karu Distilling Outcask Rum

Holmes Cay Heritage Blend – Esotico Edition – May 2023

With a specialist mix of rums from Barbados, Venezuela and Martinique…we are proud to bring the Holmes Cay Heritage Blend Esotico Edition exclusively to the Tribe in 750ml of rum goodness!

The Holmes Cay Heritage Blend Esotico Edition is a collaboration between Holmes Cay and Daniele Pola (Head honcho of Miami’s famous Esotico Rum Bar). It is blended to be delightful in a daiquiri, make a mighty mojito, and be super straight up.  

The Heritage Blend Esotico Edition is a rum that pays homage to all the traditional rum styles and techniques in the Caribbean and thus is made of 3 components.

The first is a molasses based pot and column still blend from Barbados (known as the ‘English Style’). The second component is Venezuelan Ron – molasses based, and column distilled (known as the ‘Spanish Style’) And the third in this rummy trinity is a column distilled sugar cane juice Agricole rhum from Martinique representing the ‘French Style’.  On paper, what one would hope to get from such a blend is a rum with a bit of funk, but also some sweet, grassy, herbaceous notes (from the cane-juice based), with the clean crisp mouthfeel of a column distilled molasses rum. And on tasting it – that’s exactly what you get!

Holmes Cay Heritage Blend

Now, we here at the Rum Tribe are no strangers to independent bottlings of fine rums. For example, our good friend Justin Boseley and his Dead Reckoning brand have brought some amazing rums to us that otherwise wouldn’t have existed.  In the same way Justin picks and chooses rums from all over the world for his Dead Reckoning brand, so does Eric from Holmes Cay. And just as Justin believes in using NO additives in his rum, so does Eric and Holmes Cay. No colour, No sugar and non chill-filtered.  You can see why we love this rum!

Holmes Cay Heritage Blend

Holmes Cay Heritage Blend Tasting Notes:

Nose: Funky fruit salad with a side of floral frangipani(?) garnished with an herbaceous, grassy grassy note.

Palate: Super creamy banana custard at first, then it dries out and turns on a more candied rind quality.

Finish: More citrusy notes and a slight aniseed leaning at the back end of this short crisp finish.

This is a rum that has been designed to sip neat, slide nicely over ice or slap into your favourite cocktail or tiki drink with negative perspiration! It plays nice anyway you like it.  And you’re gonna like it, I promise. There’s just nothing not to like in this easy drinking rum/rhum/ron combo!

**STOP PRESS! Killik WIN Multiple Medals At World Rum Awards **

  • PRICE : $139

  • ABV : 43%

  • BOTTLE: 750ml

  • REGION: Barbados, Venezuela and Martinique

  • NO Added Sugar / NO Added Colour

Holmes Cay Heritage Blend

FROM HOLMES CAY

The limited edition Heritage Blend is Holmes Cay founder Eric Kaye’s tribute to the three rum traditions that arose in the Caribbean basin. The Esotico edition’s label design is a collaboration with Esotico’s Daniele Dalla Pola. The design is an homage to vintage travel posters, and to the thrill of travel – The novel, the beautiful and the delicious are always waiting to be discovered.

Bottled at 43% alcohol by volume, the Heritage Blend shows up gracefully in classic and tiki cocktails and is a great sipper on its own.

The components of the blend were chosen to celebrate the diversity and versatility of rum, incorporating the three styles of rum, rhum and ron.

Barbados Rum Molasses-based Pot / column still blend Venezuela Ron Molasses-based Column still Martinique Rhum Cane juice-based Column still

In the Heritage Blend, aged pot and column distillates from molasses and cane juice sources create the unique flavours. No sugar, no colour and no other flavours are added in the making of this rum. 

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla custard, dried fruit and citrus notes on the palate, with a finish of oak and baking spice.

ABOUT HOLMES CAY

Holmes Cay (pronounced ‘key’) Rum curates a continuously evolving collection of the best small-batch, limited-edition rums from all over the world. Single Cask selections are aged in cask, while Single Origin editions are younger single expressions or blends.

Founder Eric Kaye — a lover and collector of rum as well as a lifelong entrepreneur — started with a clear vision of the spirit’s wide open potential. His purpose for Holmes Cay is to give spirits lovers access to great rums that they can learn about, collect and savour.

In the US, the rum category is still largely defined by dated references, tropical themes, and limiting cocktail programs. The opportunity to lead authentic elevation of the category nevertheless exists. Rum is not only about pitchers of pina coladas or Tiki Tuesdays, because like any expertly made spirit, the right rum can be savoured and explored with great pleasure.

Holmes Cay was founded to help spirits lovers discover the exciting diversity of rum flavours by curating a wide variety of rum profiles. All are made with expertise and without short cuts. Holmes Cay is a modern take on an aged product — One that lets the authentic, unadulterated beauty of rum shine through. When you see Holmes Cay on the label, you know the liquid and its source have been carefully chosen to ensure that the flavours showcase the very best of their home distilleries. Each Holmes Cay product is an expression of craftsmanship and quality ingredients. Each needs no embellishment or additives.

Holmes Cay focuses on bringing special, limited-edition casks from respected and up-and-coming distilleries that are difficult or impossible to find in the United States with its Single Cask rum line. As with any high-quality aged spirit, these rums cannot be replicated once they’ve been depleted. With recent additions to the more accessible Single Origins and blends, Holmes Cay is about finding the best rums of any age in the world and sharing them for as long as they last.

ABOUT ERIC KAYE

Eric Kaye is the founder of Holmes Cay Rum, a premium brand that seeks and curates the finest rums from around the world and releases them without additives.

After exploring nearly every island in the Caribbean, and drinking exceptional rum along the way, Kaye realized the U.S. spirits market lacked access to those special, rare rums from around the globe. Recognizing that access to unadulterated rums was extremely limited in the United States, Kaye saw an opportunity to focus on hard-to-obtain aged expressions, presented with transparency, and launched Holmes Cay in 2019.