Tag Archive for: Australia

Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum – April 2022

Get your rum glass ready for the only rum EVER to come out of NSW powerhouse distillery Corowa! EXCLUSIVELY bottled for the Tribe, matured in first fill Pedro Ximinez casks…if there is such a thing as a sherry bomb rum…this is it! With only 390 bottles in total, this is a STRICLY LIMITED, collectors must-have of Australian rum – The Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum.

We are proud to offer the ‘Tribe the chance to own collectable Aussie rum history. Distilled by legendary Corowa Distillery this remains the only rum ever distilled by the Corowa team!  How legendary are Corowa? They have just been selected as one of only TWO distilleries in the world, to be invited to present at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee later this year.

Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum

This is a ‘Barrel House 28’ bottling –  new indy bottling company with a fantastic pedigree. Barrel House 28 is owned by Robbie Tucknott. Now Robbie not only is ‘Barrel House 28’ – he’s also the proprietor of one of Australia’s biggest barrel importer, brokerage and cooperage to boot! So it’s fair to say he’s able to pick and choose the very best casks coming into the country! Having the onsite cooperage also has its obvious advantages when it comes to marrying new make with wood.

As for the Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum spirit itself, does it come anymore Australian than this? Distilled at the Corowa distillery – the building itself a heritage listed 100 year old flour mill. The town of Corowa is regarded as the ‘birthplace’ of Australian Federation (google Corowa Conference if you’re unaware!). It sits on the banks of the legendary Murray River in fact, cobber. A couple of Aussie-rules loving country boys rolled their sleeves up and saved the old flour mill (they paid the town the princely sum of $1 and a promise to put the building to good use) and converted it into a distillery.  Aussie AS!

Seriously, the Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum is an absolutely fantastic dark rum – aged in two 128 litre Pedro Ximinez ( a very rich, dark sherry) casks for just over 5 years and bottled exclusively for the Rum Tribe. No colour, no sugar, no spices. Just pure, single origin, Australian rum from a new Aussie Indy bottler – Barrel House 28.

Now you may think Corowa Distillery is a whisky distillery – and you’d be right!  Corowa Distilling have made a big name for themselves in the Australian single malt whisky industry – and abroad.  In fact, they have just been selected as one of only TWO distilleries in the world, to be invited to present at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee later this year.

This is the only rum Corowa has ever made. Look – for that fact alone it’s worth grabbing a bottle to collect. And the distillery is about to have a ‘world stage spotlight’ shone on it at the Queen’s do later this year. But if you’re planning to collect a bottle – do yourself a favour and get two – ‘cause you absolutely gotta try this rum! Seriously.

Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum

Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum Tasting Notes:

Colour: Dark, dark , DARK brown. Did I mention it was dark? Colour up the absolute wazoo!

Nose: Funky over-ripe banana, but a massive dollop of stewed fruit as well, with a biscuit spice on top.

Palate: mmmm – Oily, oily mouthfeel. Man – this is like syrup! Mouth coating to the extreme. Huge sultana and fruit mince notes plus a nice pepper hit. There’s also that ‘new leather’ quality I get so often from Aussie rums. Look, I know ‘luxurious’ isn’t a flavour – nonetheless, luxurious is definitely an apt descriptor for how this rolls around the palate.

Finish: Long and chewy with all those sherry notes flowing through. Sultanas, stewed fruit, toffee notes, chocolate, citrus and even a surprise paw-paw sweetness there – all with a lovely pepper to see it out to the very end!

The Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum is seriously fantastic. From the absolutely mouth-watering colour, the massive thick and viscous mouthfeel – to the rich and luxurious PX notes (sultanas, stewed fruits and spices) which abound here. But under all that, the funky ‘traditional’ rum notes (bananas, tropical fruit) manage to dazzle through the spaces. Way too good to sit in a dusty collection. This rum deserves to be enjoyed with a mate (whilst your second bottle gathers dust in your collection ).

  • PRICE : $149

  • ABV : 50%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia (New South Wales)

  • NO Added Sugar/ NO Added Colour / Non-Chill Filtered

Barrel House 28 Single Origin Rum

FROM BARREL HOUSE 28

The team at Corowa who love to innovate and push the boundaries of what they can do, made the decision to turn their hand to making rum. Off the back of a friends recipe and an inquisitive nature to see what can be achieved, the team set about making their first ever batch of rum with great success. In the true Corowa style the team wanted it to be bold and flavourful, so the rum was aged in Pedro Ximinez barrels known for its robust flavours.

With the success of the whiskies being produced unfortunately rum had to take a back seat in production, ensuring that this rum is truly one of a kind.

In stepped Barrel House 28. Dean (Corowa Distilling) and I have been good friends for a very long time and I bloody loved the flavour of this rum aged full maturation in PX. So with a hand shake, I bought both barrels over a fried chicken lunch at the Corowa distillery. The rest they say, is history.

When you walk into Barrel House 28 you will be greeted by the world’s finest barrels – floor to ceiling, our own copper pot stills and great spirits. In the footsteps of the Yarra Valley a region known for being incredibly discerning and only producing the highest quality produce. We carefully select the finest quality spirits locally and from around the world, then carefully age them with our own casks to make a unique, quality product that you can trust and will adore.

ABOUT COROWA

By the banks of the Murray River, Corowa’s Flour Mill built our town from the ground up. Exporting grains across the country and around the world, she was a powerhouse. Until her doors shut in 1970 and the building was left to decay. It was the end of an era and our whole town felt it.

When two men with a love of footy and a passion for whisky meet, something beautiful happens: an idea to turn the town’s abandoned flour mill into a world-class whisky distillery. Ambitious? Yes. A little nuts? Maybe.

In every drop of Corowa’s finest, you’ll get a taste of true Australia. And that’s the way it should be. From the grains we source from local farmers, to the water we pinch from the Murray River, and our copper stills handmade right here, we’ve always supported local.

We’ve travelled across the world to master our craft and train under top distillery experts. From the Scottish highlands to the Tasmanian mountains, we’ve brought back their secrets and made it our own. Looking at this ancient craft through fresh eyes, we’ve captured its essence and created new processes for a refreshingly new take on whisky.

Black Gate Overproof Dark Rum – March 2022

As 2022 finds its stride, we are blown away by the quality of rums coming out of Australia so we decided to do a month of “Exceptional Aussie Rum” and as such we are proud to introduce two exceptional Aussie rum producers to the ‘Tribe’. Both are small, artisanal distillers with a passion for rum and a commitment to producing quality spirit.

To kick it off we have a Single Cask Expression, exclusive to The Rum Tribe from a legendary distillery in regional NSW – The Black Gate Overproof Dark Rum!

This is a BIG RUM! Bottled specifically for our members at a higher than standard 54.6%, matured in a single, first fill Tawny (Australian Port) cask since June 2017, making it only 3 months shy of 5 years old. The Black Gate Overproof Dark Rum is truly the work of a distillery (and distiller) that is ‘doing it right’. Big – but rounded, full on – but not sharp or harsh…the Black Gate Overproof Dark Rum is fantastic for sipping neat but just as comfortable thrown in with a mixer or as part of a cocktail.

The Overproof Dark Rum is from the NSW husband-and-wife distilling team at ‘Black Gate Distillery’ in Mendooran, NSW. Brian and Genise are both distillers – Brian handles the whisky and Genise the rum. We have enjoyed their Whiskies previously and their rums are absolutely world class as well, so we wanted to share them with the Tribe.

It seems a pretty fair statement that we’re currently (or at least right on the verge of) living in a golden age of rum production in Australia. In a few short years, the interest in Rum has exploded in our lucky country. Now it’s fair to say that we’ve always been a nation of rum drinkers – in fact rum has played a major part in the lives of Australians since the first settlement in Botany Bay.

Historically, that love of rum has manifested itself in the fact that we, as a country, have been happy to drink lots of rum – but historically our rum producers have been large concerns focussed on quantity and efficiency of production. WWII saw huge demands placed on our producers for bulk shipments to service the commonwealth navies daily ‘rum tot’ (interestingly, all but our own RAN, which has always been a dry navy) and also for our diggers in the field.

Over the last 5-10 years, we’ve seen a change happening in the attitude of many of our countries rum drinkers, with more emphasis put on quality of rums consumed, rather than quantity and low price. A steadily growing percentage of rum fans in this country are seeking out rums that don’t count on sugar or caramel or ‘spices’ to make them palatable. ‘Pure rums’ are becoming more and more in demand every day it seems.

This change in attitude, accompanied by the explosion in the number of small Australian distilleries means we are on the verge of a tsunami of fabtastic new Australian rums entering the market. That’s not to say we don’t already have great producers (both distillers and independent bottlers) releasing products regularly now – and this month we are proud to feature two more Aussie rum producers that are delivering fantastic, pure rums to the Australian (and hopefully soon the world) market.

For March we’re shining the spotlight on two Australian distilleries. One from Mendooran NSW that has been established for around 12 years now, the other, a younger distillery from Yackendandah, Victoria. Both molasses based rums, both completely natural with no added sugar, colour or additives of any kind. Pure. Australian. Rum. Just how we like it!

Black Gate OverProof Dark Rum

Our Tasting Notes:

Colour: Fresh bright copper

Nose: Sultanas, roast bananas with caramelised sugar and homemade ginger-nut bikkies

Palate: Wow! BIG and Spicy and Juicy and DELICIOUS! A massive explosion of fruity notes with burnt caramel, ginger and pepper there in spades.

Finish: This finish keeps swinging until the very end. Chewy caramel and fruit sweetness , liquorice too! All tempered with spicy pepper – the finish just rolls on and on, then on some more!

This rum is a gobsmacker. It’s just so big and ‘in your face’ – in a totally good way! It’s surprisingly easy to drink neat – but at 54.6%abv it certainly stands up to a chunk of ice if that’s your style. Heaps of ginger and pepper mean it’s brilliant in an ‘adult’ dark and stormy.

  • PRICE : $105


  • ABV : 54.6%


  • BOTTLE: 700ml


  • REGION: Australia (New South Wales)

  • NO Added Sugar/ NO Added Colour / Non-Chill Filtered


FROM BLACK GATE

We were established in 2009, rum was the first spirit we produced and we released our first bottling in 2014. Since then, Genise has taken over rum production while Brian continues with the whisky side.  Everything we produce is doubled distilled in a direct fired copper pot still. We use refinery molasses, as we like the richness that it delivers to the final product, we use the pot ale from our earlier wash runs which gives our rum a much bigger, bolder flavour and we have a long fermentation period which translates to a drier style of rum. This rum is from a large format (225 Litre) ex Aussie tawny cask and is bottled at 54.6%abv. We think the subtle cask influence and the higher ABV allows the spirit to retain the big bold flavours that people have come to expect from us. .

Black Gate Dark Rum –  “A sophisticated Australian rum, but not as you know it.”

ABOUT BLACK GATE

Situated in Mendooran, 45 mins from Dubbo in Central West NSW, Black Gate Distillery is a small, husband and wife operation established in 2009. We enjoy a rural setting and a climate conducive to aggressive spirit maturation. We produce Australian Single Malt Whisky and Dark Rum which are both brewed and distilled on site. The distillery capacity is around 3000 litres of whisky and about 1000 litres of rum annually. We use direct-fired copper pot stills of 630 litres and 300 litres capacity that produce spirit on the richer end of the flavour spectrum. We stick with traditional methods, use the highest quality ingredients/casks available and encourage visitors.

Dead Reckoning – HMS Antelope – January 2022

In the spirit of kicking off the new year in a BIG way – we’re leading 2022 with a brand-new Dead Reckoning release the Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope. A distinct blend of 5 world class rums from Australia, Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados…this Navy Strength (55% ABV) is a smooth flavour explosion typical of Dead Reckoning and The Rum Tribe gets the first taste!

This is the 3rd Dead Reckoning Rum release (following The Sextant and Mutiny ‘South Pacific’) and they have all been HUGE hits with the Tribe. All different but all exceptional and the Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope is great, complex and well balanced combination of flavours and a homage to ‘Navy Rum’.

The Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope pays homage to ‘Navy Rum’ with a blend of four-year-old pot still Rum from Australia (in fact Australia’s oldest distillery), 3–5-year-old column still rum from Trinidad, three-year-old pot still rum from Jamaica, 2–5-year-old pot and column still Rum from Guyana plus to round it off three-year-old pot and column still Rum from Barbados (Foursquare).

True to Justin’s ethos of adding nothing to the rum (until it’s poured in a glass that is – then all bets are off!) – the Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope is made entirely without any colouring or added sugar or flavours.

Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope

This release is very personal to its creator – Independent bottler, Justin Boseley. Not only is the Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope an ode to traditional Navy Rum – it also pays tribute to a Royal Navy ship with an impeccable WW2 record, and is dedicated to one of the sailors who served aboard her – Justin’s Grandad, Sidney Boseley – This rum is dedicated to Sid.

‘Navy Rum’ is what the Royal Navy (interestingly, the RAN never served a rum ration to its sailors) served as part of the revered ‘Rum Ration’ or ‘Tot’ to their sailors. Starting as early as 1655, the RN’s daily ‘tot’ began as beer or wine, but gradually it changed to rum. By 1790, the ‘rum tot’ was standardised over the whole of the RN.  Of course, it was cut with water and lime juice (to combat scurvy) – and the rum itself was no stranger to colouring (ie caramel) and sugar (however no such additives in any Dead Reckoning release). ‘Navy Rum’ was blended from rums from around the world (obviously mainly British colonies). 

To be considered a ‘Navy Rum’, its minimum strength must be 54.5% ABV or higher. It is widely considered that a ‘true’ Navy Rum should contain aged rums from at least two or more of the following colonies: Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad.

There was never an official Navy rum recipe. Whilst there was almost certainly a flavour profile it changed over many decades. Through out time Rum from Caroni in Trinidad, Martinique, Cuba, Australia, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Virgin Islands has been used. 

Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope

Dead Reckoning HMS Antelope Tasting Notes:

Nose: Banana-ey funk at first but then it’s more a banana custard with subsequent sniffs which shares the spotlight with sultana aromas. A tropical fruit presence is there also- with fresh fruit notes and floral hints.

Palate: Thick and rich and oh so creamy. Real Christmas pud spices and a bug dollop of home-made custard in this one but those tropical vibes from the nose don’t give up either! So much delightful fruity sweetness! There is a slight funkiness in the mouth, but very mild – and acts to tie in the rest of the flavours rather than sitting apart and dominating them.

Finish: Lovely and long and with a jumble of fruitiness, more cakey spices and a nice touch of mild pepper creeps around it as it fades.

Look, I won’t be mixing this one (much). It’s just so good on it’s own in this swabbee’s humble opinion. Just a great, complex and well-balanced combination of flavours that swirl around each other without any one of them taking control or dominating. So easy to sip, so little alcohol burn, so … well so bloody good! Now I’m going to stick my neck right out on this one – it’s also fantastic in a ‘Moreton Bay Mud’ – Ice, milk, rum.  Simples. Best drunk in an enamel cup at low tide on a sand bar at dawn with a bacon and egg sanga! Optional garnish – esky full of fish on ice from the overnight session in the boat.

  • PRICE : $149

  • ABV : 55%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia, Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados

  • NO Added Sugar/ Non-Chill Filtered

FROM DEAD RECKONING

I felt a tribute to not only my grandpa but all those sailors that served in WW2 was needed in the rum world. Stories of my pops days at battle and his daily TOT were a mainstay in my child hood, whilst playing darts and snooker at the local RSL.

This rum blend came from the heart, I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did creating it, To Sid  !

Tasting notes courtesy of Cody Banks from Hains & Co bar in Adelaide.

The HMS Antelope immediately jumps out the glass with a mix of sweet, rich plums and dark cherries. Sweetness turns slightly spicy with a whack of soft liquorice anise and gentle ginger. This rests on a subtle honeycomb backing that is neither too sweet or cloying, simply adding structure to an already interesting nose. 

The nose is thick and cakey, as the ABV starts to show itself so too does the tropical fruit funk of the Jamaican start open up. Pineapple skin, papaya and green apple skin present as much fresher tropical notes than the more usual over fermented stew of pineapple, mango & bananas many straight Jamaican rums have. 

Thick and viscous on the palate, it retains a great amount of fresh tropical fruit, stone fruit also presents itself via apricots and orange melons, intertwined with dark berries and plums. 

As the palate evolves, so too does the fruit, turning darker and spicier as it lingers longer. This is certainly reminiscent of great navy rums of old, as it descends into true dark molasses, pimento, ginger and anise. 

A long finish of blackcurrants and spices, I would recommend drinking this at its bottled 55%, water doesn’t do this true navy rum justice.

THE STORY OF SID AND THE HMS ANTELOPE

The Sailor 

Sidney Boseley was born and raised in Kent, England_. Like tens of thousands before him, When the call for arms was put out to serve King and country, Sid enlisted in the Royal Navy . Sid served on the British destroyer HMS antelope between the years of 1939 to 1945. 

The Ship 

HMS antelope was an A class destroyer ,323 feet long with the top speed of 35 kn ,displacement 1773 tons, Her armaments consisted of 4 x 120 mm guns, 2 x 40 mm anti aircraft guns , 2 x quadruple 21 inch torpedo tubes & six Depth charge chutes

WW2

On the outbreak of the Second World War the destroyer HMS antelope was assigned to the 18th destroyer Flotilla, channel force, based in Portsmouth. For the rest of 1939 and early months of 1940, antelope carried out patrol and convoy escort duties in the English Channel and western approaches. On on 5 February 1940, antelope was the sole escort of the outbound Atlantic convoy 08 84 south of Ireland when the German submarine U– 41 attacked the convoy, sinking the freighter Beaverburn and damaging the tanker Ceronia. 

Antelope retaliated, by depth charging and sinking the U boat. It was the only you boat at sea at the time in the area and was the first U boat in history to be sunk underwater by a single destroyer. 

Norway 

In April 1940 antelope was attached to the home fleet for operations as part of the Norwegian campaign. Antelope after operations in Scapa flow collided with the destroyer Electra. Antelope then returned to the UK for repair. 

Atlantic Operations

August 1940 antelope sailed in a convoy to take part in operation Minus the attack on Dakar west Africa. During the convoy antelope encountered the German U-boat U-31 of North West Ireland. Depth charges from the antelope drove U-31 to the surface where her crew abandoned ship. Antelope attempted to board U-31, but collided with the unmanned submarine damaging the destroyer and sinking the boat. Antelope rescued 44 of the German U-boats crew and returned them to the United Kingdom. 

And August 1941 antelope to park in operation Gauntlet ,antelope formed part of the escort for the Arctic convoy to the Soviet Union.

Antelope formed part of the destroyer escort for the battle cruiser Hood and battleship Prince of Wales in the chase for the German battleship Bismarck. Separated from the battleships during the battle of the Denmark straight antelope then searched for survivors from the sinking of the Hood of which only three people survived. 

Malta 

Antelope sailed to Gibraltar in 1942 escorting US aircraft carriers in an attempt to deliver badly needed 62 spitfire aircraft to Malta. During this convoy they were under constant attacked from German U boats and the German Luftwaffe. 

Antelope took part in another 5 escorts delivering an additional 55 more spitfires and much needed military supplies to Malta in May. 

Antelope was then based off west Africa, antelope escorted troop convoys taking part in operation Torch, the Allied invasion of West Africa.

In July 1943 antelope took part in operation Husky the Allied invasion of Sicily .

On June 5 and six 1944 ,the antelope took part in D- Day.

Iridium X – October 2021

After a COMPLETE SELLOUT last year…It’s back..but different! We are absolutely giddy to offer YET ANOTHER Australian first – this time a LIMITED RELEASE from North Queensland rockstar distiller (he even has the leather pants to prove it!) Mark Watkins and his acclaimed Mt. Uncle Distillery. The Iridium X

Last year we sold out completely within hours of Mark’s Iridium X release. This month, we proudly feature the second of these ultimate ‘barn find’ rums, this time a 10 year old molasses-based rum. With the sugar cane grown in the rich, red, volcanic soil of far north Queensland (FNQ), distilled at Mt. Uncle Distillery then forgotten about to tropically age for 10 years in ex-red wine barrels on the tablelands outside Cairns.

Iridium X - release 2

This is most definitely the last of the ‘barn find’ barrels from Mt Uncle – Mark has done a big stock take and tidy up since he stumbled across these barrels 18 months ago, and he confirms that there are definitely no more unexpected surprises!  Like the first Batch (the Iridium X ‘Gold’) – this 2nd release of a molasses-based Iridium X is bound to become a collector’s item.

The Mt. Uncle Distillery is an award-winning rum (and other spirits, including single malt whisky) producer, famous for their dual gold-medal winning 5-year-old Iridium Rum. Early last year, Mark found some barrels of rum that had been forgotten about for 10 YEARS! in the back of his bond-store. Some were made in the Agricole style (the first Iridium X) and some into Molasses-based rum (this Iridium X).

Back in July 2020 we were thrilled to be asked by Mark to release the rums he’d casked up and forgotten about for so long! The first of the Iridium X releases (the Agricole-style rum) was bottled and released to the Tribe exactly 12 months ago – and what an enthusiastic reception they got! Sold out in hours and we still get letters from members who have just opened theirs and can’t believe they waited so long to do so.

10 SIGNED BOTTLES TO GIVEAWAY!

As a HUGE bonus we’ve got 10 bottles of the Iridium X signed by the legend, Mark Watkins himself, to give away! 9 winners will be selected at random (check your bottles for Marks autograph) and the first diligent member of the Tribe to spot the glaring mistake on the back label will win a signed bottle as well! (Post on our FB page when you spot it!)

After the multiple awards for the Iridium 5 year old, and the sellout of the last release of the Iridium X…you are going to want to grab these for your collection.

Iridium X - release 2

Our Tasting Notes:

Colour: Rich Reddy-brown

Nose: Faint rummy hogo notes slip between the old oak staves with a big pineapple influence there as well as some jasmine-y floral notes.

Palate: Coats the mouth instantly with a spicey piquant-ness that instantly splits apart to allow pineapple, coconut and also jaffa flavours to poke through.

Finish: Waves of spice  and slightly over-ripe fruit (a little funky) take turns  with some nail polish and other floral  esters.

I liked the Iridium X Gold – a lot. This one seems even more rounded with more effect from the oak in evidence. Sweet, yet spicey and fruit-ey to boot-ey – this is destined to be a shooting star from the Mt Uncle stable.

  • PRICE : $145


  • ABV : 47%


  • BOTTLE: 700ml


  • REGION: Australia

  • No Added Sugar/ No Added Colour/Non-Chill Filtered


Iridium X - release 2

FROM MT. UNCLE

Nose: Sweet light molasses and sugar cane nose

Palate: delicious sipping rum with flavours of sweet oak and vanilla, dark chocolate, tropical fruits and subtle spice

Finish: Smooth and lingering with subtle spice on the back end.

ABOUT MT UNCLE

The Mt.Uncle Distillery must be about the best kept non-secret in the Australian spirits scene. I’m willing to bet that only a scant handful of our members have ever heard of it – I’ll bet even less know they make the world-famous Iridium Rum. Like I said – it’s not as if Mt Uncle distillery is a secret – it won Distillery of the Year in 2017 at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. In 2018, it won medals for all spirits it entered in the IWSC.  Mt. Uncle Distillery did receive some notoriety in 2015 with it’s ‘Big Black Cock’ single malt whisky (with the obligatory, explanatory picture of a rooster on the label) – but the Mt Uncle brand seems to remain just under the radar of the average Australian spirit’s fan. We hope we can help change all that.

Built in 2001, the Mt. Uncle Distillery is the brainchild of Mark Watkins and it remains Far North Queensland’s only distillery. Mark originally hails from Tasmania where his dad and grandad (and great grand-dad) engaged in some “fairly dodgy stuff” (his words!). Of his ancestor’s nefarious activities, it is distilling which remains a firm childhood memory for Mark. Now a legitimate and licensed distiller, Mark has continued to involve family and his wife Claire handles the distilleries sales and marketing for Mt. Uncle.

Nestled in a banana plantation and surrounded by macadamia and avocado orchards – Mark set out to build a distillery that could showcase the local produce within the gins, rums and liquors that it creates. One would think the climate too hot that far north to age spirits. However, being on ‘the tablelands’ means slightly milder highs (but still quite warm) during the day but cooler nights. That constant cycling of temperature aids the maturation process by causing more ‘movement’ of the rum in the casks – thus exposing more directly to the wood. The ‘Angels Share’ is surprisingly low at 3-8%. “Our locality allows us to get very fast successful ageing of spirits due to the warm days and cooler nights here in Walkamin,” he said. “We only use the best quality products and processes and that’s why our products shine.”

Requiem SV Songvaar – August 2021

Four words to excite any rum lover – ‘Tin Shed Distilling Requiem’! This month we bring you the latest in the series – Requiem SV Songvaar.

The legendary South Australian distillery has released their second rum and we have ALL of it for the Tribe! Tin Shed released their first rum release, The Requiem ‘SS Ferret’ to much fanfare, rave reviews and a complete sellout almost instantly. Turns out the Rum Tribe has a long history with head distiller, Mr Ian Schmidt, and we begged him to give us all of his new release Requiem SV Songvaar for our members.

The boys at Tin Shed know what they are doing when it comes to distilling fine spirit and matching it to first rate wood. The Requiem SV Songvaar is a molasses based rum, distilled in copper pot-stills at the distillery in Adelaide. Aged onsite for 5 years in Jim Beam bourbon and charred port casks, then blended and finished for 2 years in a shiraz cask. This is Australian artisanal distilling and maturation at it’s finest and like their first release, will quickly become a collectors item.

Their first rum release won Best Australian Rum in 2020 at the ‘Tasting Australia Award’s – then went on to the World Rum Awards in 2021 where it took out a gold in the 6-10 year old category. Not bad for a distillery’s first foray into rums, dontcha think?

This is a serious pot still rum for grown-ups, with no added sugar or spices, no added colour and non-chill filtered; and no better way to raise a glass to those in peril on the high seas. 

Requiem SV Songvaar

By definition, a ‘Requiem’ is a final mass, a prayer for the dead, a final tribute. Each release of the ‘Requiem’ brand will pay tribute to a ship, wrecked or lost at sea – and to the seafarers who sailed in those ships.The Requiem SV Songvaar continues this tradition.

Whilst this is only the second rum Tin Shed Distilling has released, they have been making world class spirits since 2010.  Previously, Ian and Vic at Tin Shed Distilling have been specialising in Single Malt Whisky and their brand ‘Iniquity’ is legendary in both Australian and international whisky circles and is certainly no stranger to gold medals. Their Requiem Rum brand is quickly following suit. They’ve also started playing with Vodka as well, so look out for a hat-trick of different gold-medal winning spirits in the Tin Shed stable very shortly would be my bet.

Get out your glasses, chill down your shakers and get some nice cubes of clear ice ready for Requiem ‘SV Songvaar’.

Requiem SV Songvaar

Our Tasting Notes:

Colour: Rich Reddy-brown

Nose: Sweet funky oak notes give way to banana custard with a hint of new-leather

Palate: Lovely mouthfeel. Rich fruit mince, a little spice, a touch of caramel.

Finish: More of the same – all the flavours take a bow as the curtain slowly closes.

A delicious and fruity rum that exhibits the pleasing leather notes I’ve come to know and love from the Tin Shed stills.

  • PRICE : $149


  • ABV : 46%


  • BOTTLE: 700ml


  • REGION: Australia

  • No Added Sugar/ No Added Colour/Non-Chill Filtered


Requiem SV Songvaar

FROM TIN SHED DISTILLING

This rum is a little too civilised for hard core rum tragics. The exposure to the FO Shiraz cask has lent extra layers of complexity and subtlety not normally associated with funky rums.  Delightful!

Nose: A hint of faint civilised Jamaican funk, Caramel, orange, mixed spice, Chocolate, Baked Apple and cinnamon

Palate: Moderate civilised Jamaican funk, chocolate, raisins and Demerara sugar

Finish: Sweet and gentle lingering finish, Dutch liquorice

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.

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.

Tin Shed Distilling
Tin Shed Distilling

About SV Songvaar (1884-1912)

The Songvaar was formerly known as the Barcore and built as a three-masted iron ship at Stockton, England, in 1884. The vessel measured 278.6 feet (84.9m) in length, 40.8 feet (12.4m) in breadth, 24.5 feet (7.5m) in depth and displaced 2128 gross tons. It was built by Richardson, Duck and Company, and was a large vessel by sailing ship standards, built during the heyday of sail when iron ships had reached a pinnacle of design.

The Songvaar sank on the same day as the Titanic – but unlike that disaster, the story was not tragic in terms of human loss.

Whilst at anchor between Point Pearce and Wardang Island the Songvaar’s captain was ashore arranging clearance, leaving the vessel fully loaded. On board the chief mate saw dark clouds on the horizon and dropped a second anchor in preparation for a storm. The storm blew out, the tide dropped and the Songvaar sat onto the second anchor, which pierced the hull just behind the foremast. With decks awash and the wheat swelling, the Songvaar settled “peacefully and quietly on the bottom” (Chronicle, April 20 1912) standing fully upright. Several salvage attempts failed and the vessel remained upright for eight years until it was damaged by a storm. It was subsequently demolished with explosives as it had become a hazard to shipping.

Today the Wreck of the SV Songvaar sits in around 10m of water which makes it easily accessible to divers.

HUSK Pure Cane 50 – March 2021

For March we go completely left (sugar cane) field and have an amazing drop for the Tribe that defines ‘farm to bottle’ from one of Australia’s leading distilleries. A spirit that is as pure as it looks in the bottle and has to be made with only the freshest sugarcane, hence is only made and released once a year.

Be warned, the crystal clear nature of this belies the absolute flavour monster that it is. Once you crack the top, the nose will instantly let you know you’re in for something very special – even lifechanging! We are absolutely tickled pink to be offering the very latest release (Batch 3 – 2020 Cane Harvest) of Husk Distillers legendary ‘Pure Cane 50’ – even before the distillery itself does!

For those who haven’t tried a pure, unaged agricole before – be prepared to be amazed! This is a sweet, sweet treat that exudes funk and cane sweetness.

Husk Pure Cane 50

The Pure Cane 50 is the big (and I mean BIG) brother to Husk’s Pure Cane. The ‘standard’ Pure Cane is 40% – but the ‘Pure Cane 50’ is (as the name suggests) sold at 50% ABV giving the otherwise delightful ‘Pure Cane’ the kick in the pants it needs to really get that sweet and funky vibe!

The Agricole style of rum (based on the fermentation of fresh sugar cane juice rather than molasses) is the lesser known brother to most of the rums we Aussies tend to drink en masse. It must be made from fresh sugarcane juice and so is seasonal to produce. We’ve featured Agricole style before (the fabulous ‘Iridium X’ from Mt Uncle  is one example) but we’ve not released an un-aged agricole before. Apart from being rested for ‘several months’ – the Pure Cane 50 is pretty much as it comes out of the still (100% column still for this release). In this context, unaged means it has spent exactly zip, zero, nada time in a barrel.  No time in wood means no colour transferred to the spirit – hence it’s totally clear and without colour. The Pure Cane 50 is distilled, then left sit to ‘rest’ a month or so in totally inert containers before being diluted to the required strength and then bottled. SIMPLE!

Yep, unaged Agricole is definitely a blast right out of left field for those who have never experienced it before – and this Husk Pure Cane 50 is an absolutely brilliant example of the style.  What’s more – the Rum Tribe has got the scoop on yet another fantastic product – yes, we’re proud to be the first in Australia to offer this 2020 harvest Pure Cane 50. We’ve even got to market before the distillery itself! :)

Check out the HUSK Cocktail Booklet!

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Fresh cut cane at first with a funky over-ripe tropical fruit note that really stands out. A touch of lipstick there as well in-behind it all plus a ‘mystery note’ that I cannot quite place! 

Palate: Sweet, fruity, with some spice. Coats the mouth nicely with a big sweet burst of tropical fruit, a little spice and a weirdly (in a good way) astringent note that really gets in behind the tongue. 

Finish: Sweet and long, rolling through a tropical orchard with older fruit left on the ground. 

Husk Pure Cane 50

  • PRICE : $86


  • ABV : 50%


  • BOTTLE: 700ml


  • REGION: Australia

  • No Added Sugar/ No Added Colour/Non-Chill Filtered


Husk Pure Cane 50

FROM HUSK

This paddock to bottle spirit was made from sugarcane harvested towards the end of the 2020 season.

Pete harvested the sugarcane from the paddocks behind Husk Distillery and brought it to our sugar mill where Anthony and the team were waiting to extract the first press juice.

The fresh, vibrant juice was pumped straight into the distillery where our yeast got to work turning the highly concentrated sugars into alcohol.

The rich aromas and complex flavour compounds that developed in the fermentation reflect our unique terroir and the specific growing conditions of 2020.

These flavours concentrate in the distillation – for this batch, Pure Cane 50 was column distilled in our Forsyth still.

The distilled spirit was collected and slowly reduced, rested and gently stirred for several months to marry and preserve those bold characteristics.

Rum lovers will best enjoy this full flavoured cultivated cane spirit in a punch, a daiquiri or a piña colada.

Those who enjoy the sweeter things in life can also mix Pure Cane 50 with ginger beer and a squeeze of lime.

We hope you enjoy Pure Cane 50 – the new taste of Australian rum.

Husk Pure Cane 50

ABOUT HUSK

Husk distillery is a little different from most distilleries in Australia in that it practices a ‘farm to bottle’ philosophy. Sugarcane is grown at the distillery specifically for their rums. It’s this attention to detail that makes Husk a truly exceptional producer of quality spirits (most importantly… RUM!).

In 2012, Paul and Harriet Messenger decided that diversifying their cattle and sugar farms income streams would be a sound business idea. The fact that both of them are in love with Caribbean rums, and they were already growing cane on the farm made the decision to move into distilling a pretty easy (although nerve-wracking I’m sure) one. And so they set up a small distillery in a farm shed to begin learning their new craft. (See pic of small green shed in pics form Husk)

Husk Stills

Only a few years later is was readily apparent that their distilling business had outgrown the tiny shed that started it all – and they decided to ‘well’ get on with expanding. Not only making rums at this stage – but also gins. In fact, their ‘Ink Gin’ has become a best seller in Australia (and with good reason). And so in 2016, construction of a whole new distillery (complete with cellar door, bar and barrel house) was begun.

After 2 and a half years construction – the new distillery centre was finally completed in 2019 and is not only a wonder of modern distilling – but an absolutely lovely building to boot. If you’re travelling anywhere near Byron bay – it’s definitely worth a detour!

Husk Distillery
Husk Distillers

Iridium X Rum 10 year old – October 2020

The ultimate rum ‘Barn Find’! What happens when a distillery that has won dual gold medals for their 5 year old rum finds 2 barrels of 10 year old rum in the back of their bond store? The Iridium X Rum 10 year old!

The Rum Tribe is proud to exclusively present the only 10 year old rum ever released by The Mount Uncle Distillery – the Iridium X Rum 10 Year Old (and a single cask release at that!).

Hand crafted, estate hand-bottled, individually numbered – this single barrel rum is a small slice of tropical Far North Queensland for your tastebuds.

The Mt. Uncle Distillery is an award winning rum producer famous for their dual gold-medal winning 5 year old Iridium Rum and recently they found two 300L barrels of rum that have been forgotten about for 10 years in the back of the bond-store. One an Agricole style and one a dark rum. We have bought BOTH of them! One for this release and one for early next year.

This month we are very proud to have the exclusive access to Mark Watkins latest creation – The Iridium X 10 Year Old ‘Rum crafted with Sugar Cane’.

The fantastic ‘Iridium Gold 5yo’ from Mt. Uncle Distillery has won such high profile international accolades there are perhaps no Aussie rum-fans that haven’t heard of it. Produced in Far North Queensland in the Atherton Tablelands, the Iridium Gold 5yo took out ‘Best Rum in the World’ at the World Rum Awards in London last year. It has also won World’s Best Pot Stilled Rum 5 years and under at this year’s awards.

So..if 5 years ageing can produce a world beating FNQ rum, have you ever wondered what 10 years aging would do? Well – the time has come to find out for yourself.

This months fantastic The Iridium X Rum 10 Year Old is due for release to the general public later in the year  – but we here at The Rum Tribe get exclusive members only access on tasting this eagerly anticipated Far North Queensland (FNQ) NQ Agricole-style rum.

‘Rhum Agricole’ refers to rum made from sugar cane juice – as opposed to most rums that are made from molasses.  On the labels, the The Iridium X 10 Year Old is declared as ‘Crafted with Sugar Cane’ rather than Rhum Agricole – the reason for this is simple. Technically, you can only call a cane-juice rum ‘Rhum Agricole’ if it is produced in one of 23 designated areas of the French Caribbean.

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet and oaky, chewy jube lollies tropical fruit and a big hit of crushed pineapple.

Palate: Smooth and creamy, more pineapple, coconut and tropical fruit juice.

The Iridium X Rum 10 year old

  • PRICE : $129

  • ABV : 47%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Australia

The Iridium X Rum 10 year old

FROM THE DISTILLERY

The Iridium X Rum 10yr Old is a cane syrup-based rum, produced from cane harvested off the rich and red volcanic soil of sunny Far North Queensland.

A single cask release which has been rested in ex-red wine all American oak Hogsheads in the tropical environment in the north of Australia. The tropical environment of Far north Queensland has allowed the Iridium 10yr to rest gracefully & depreciate in volume, with high amounts of angel share due to the FNQ’s warm climate.

The label is inspired by the environment in which the rum has been crafted and rested for its lifetime in Far North Queensland with the back-silk screen print representing the calm rippling waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

Hand crafted, estate hand-bottled, individually numbered this single barrel rum is a small slice of tropical Far North Queensland for your tastebuds.

Iridium 10 year olds younger sibling (the Iridium 5 year old) has taken out World’s Best Pot Stilled Rum Under 5 years in 2020 and World Best Rum under 5 years in 2019.

Nose: Sweet Sweet can and crème brulee

Palate:  Bottled at 47% ABV, the rum retains a sweet cane and crème brulee on the nose and forefront of the palate with middle touches of caramel, coconut and rice pudding and soft oak on the back end.

ABOUT MT UNCLE DISTILLERY

The Mt. Uncle Distillery must be about the best kept non-secret in the Australian spirits scene. I’m willing to bet that only a scant handful of our members have ever heard of it – I’ll bet even less know they make the world-famous Iridium Rum. Like I said – it’s not as if Mt Uncle distillery is a secret – it won Distillery of the Year in 2017 at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. In 2018, it won medals for all spirits it entered in the IWSC.  Mt. Uncle Distillery did receive some notoriety in 2015 with it’s ‘Big Black Cock’ single malt  whisky (with the obligatory, explanatory picture of a rooster on the label) – but the Mt Uncle brand seems to remain just under the radar of the average Australian spirits fan. We hope we can help change all that.

Built in 2001, the Mt. Uncle Distillery is the brainchild of Mark Watkins and it remains Far North Queensland’s only distillery. Mark originally hails from Tasmania where his dad and grandad (and great grand-dad) engaged in some “fairly dodgy stuff” (his words!). Of his ancestor’s nefarious activities, it is distilling which remains a firm childhood memory for Mark. Now a legitimate and licensed distiller, Mark has continued to involve family and his wife Claire handles the distilleries sales and marketing for Mt. Uncle.

Nestled in a banana plantation and surrounded by macadamia and avocado orchards – Mark set out to build a distillery that could showcase the local produce within the gins, rums and liquors that it creates.

One would think the climate too hot that far north to age spirits. However, being on ‘the tablelands’ means slightly milder highs (but still quite warm) during the day but cooler nights. That constant cycling of temperature aids the maturation process by causing more ‘movement’ of the rum in the casks – thus exposing more directly to the wood. The ‘Angels Share’ is surprisingly low at 3-8%. “Our locality allows us to get very fast successful ageing of spirits due to the warm days and cooler nights here in Walkamin,” he said. “We only use the best quality products and processes and that’s why our products shine.”

Mt. Uncle Distilery
Mt. Uncle Distilery