It’s daybreak and I’ve managed to insinuate myself into the competitors marquee at the Margaret River Pro in Western Australia. Looking like charcoal figures etched in the blue-grey early morning swell, wet-suited surfers line up waiting for a wave on one of Australia’s most famous breaks.

I had scored a rather good bacon and egg role to grease away the effects of a minor hangover from the night before. Beers had been consumed at Margaret River local Must Winebar to wash down a fantastic run of wines we'd consumed at Winos Restaurant earlier in the evening and I was feeling just a little tender.

Dancing with the devil... Oliver Crawford

Winos had trotted out some rather comforting bistro fare including local scallops with Jamon; a duck confit with an orange glaze; moreish beef ribs doused in a chimmichurri sauce as well as seasonal vegetables matched with some pretty extraordinary wines.

Opening with a couple of cracking Chardonnays including a 2005 Olivier LeFlaive Batard Montrachet we progressed to a couple of acknowledged showstoppers including a 1982 Mouton Rothschild as well as a 1975 Latour and a 1975 Les Forts De Latour. Interestingly, on the night the Les Forts was a personal highlight with bucketloads of rich fruit pushing through which was quite extraordinary for a wine over 30 years old.

Now the reason for all this was Devil’s Lair chief winemaker, Oliver Crawford not only wanted to drink some great wines but he hoped to share with his guests a vision of where he’d like to take Devil’s Lair – a winery now firmly hitting its straps with some of Australia’s best Chardonnay and Cabernet already squirreled away in the cellar.

Crawford, who arrived from Penfolds in 2009 where he was chief white winemaker, wants Devil’s Lair to become one of the iconic brands of the Margaret River region.

“I’ve been able to come to something a little bit smaller, where I can put a firm stamp on everything. It’s also a chance to have a crack at doing reds again,” Crawford says.

But first up was the winery’s chardonnay.

Crawford acknowledges Australian Chardonnay is evolving and he says it's primarily because Australian viticulture has gone through a dramatic change.

“As a winemaker I have my own style that I like to make but I also respect what Devil’s Lair Chardonnay is all about and what Margaret River is all about. There’s much stronger vineyard management nowadays. When I first started in this industry, most winemakers’ had the philosophy that the fruit arrived on the back of a truck. I strongly disagreed with that then and I strongly disagree today. Get the fruit right and the winemaking is easy.

“Now you’re seeing a lot more leaf cover on the vines which means less sun exposure. I don’t mind if, when we’re picking, we don’t see those honey melon/yellow peach characters that come from a lot of sun exposure."

Unique blends... Devil's Lair

For Crawford though, the smaller economies of scale, away from a big brand like Penfolds, means he can do more of what he wants to do.

Moreover, he can have a more hands-on role in the vineyard.

He says one great advantage he has as a winemaker is the 10 years he spent helping his parents in the family vineyard at Orange in New South Wales.

“Every waking hour was spent in the rotten thing. Now I can walk out into the vineyard with a pair of secateurs and prune it for the viticulture team if I want to. It’s a great advantage because it helps me interpret what you do in the vineyard determines what happens in the winery."

He says soil variation is a big factor and he and viticulturist Simon Robertson work very hard to understand the land and its soil.

“Simon’s very particular about it and that whole notion of precision viticulture. If you walk through the vineyard with an aerial map, you can see exactly where the soil differences are and you can taste the differences in the fruit.

“As a winemaker, you can pick according to how it’s naturally growing or take out some of those inconsistencies. You can change how irrigation is managed or apply a little bit of mulch to the top of the block or the bottom of the block to change the water flow and get the vines to work for you a lot better.”

Crawford believes the viticulturist deserves more respect.

“Go to Burgundy and grape growers aren’t called grape growers, they’re wine growers. Whether you’re physically planting, pruning, picking the fruit or stirring the barrels, you’re a wine grower.”

As for the future, Crawford is keen to challenge the status quo in the region.

“We released a Cabernet Shiraz rather than Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River because it’s a better wine.  Why can’t we have a Mt Barker Riesling or a Pemberton Pinot? And sure Devil’s Lair is a Margaret River winery but why can’t we do a Mount Barker Cabernet – sourcing the best fruit from the around the area?”

And importantly, Crawford seems to be in it for the long haul – he loves the region.

“The beach is just down the road, we can go fishing in the dam right in front of the winery, my family loves it and it’s a lot better than the Barossa,” he concludes.

www.devils-lair.com

"Being unique is the essence of luxury: By signing its Golden Premium Jeroboam, each Moët lover can elevate an end-of-year gesture into a moment to remember." says Arnaud de Saignes, International Director of Marketing and Communications.

Celebrating heritage: A handmade reinterpretation of Moët & Chandon’s iconic champagne bottle

Cloaked in luxurious, golden leaves, the Jeroboam is hand-gilt by renowned French artisan Arthus Bertrand. Reflecting Moët’s glamorous past, the Jeroboam’s design is closely connected to the noble heritage of the Trianon architecture – Moët and Chandon’s Family estate. Dressed with an engraved medallion and real wax seal, both of which bear the celebrated stamp from Epernay, France, the Jeroboam also features a handcrafted reinterpretation of Moët’s signature tie, which has appeared on the bottles since 1886.

Personalisation: The final touch is one's own

By signing with a specially-crafted pen, champagne lovers can create their very own Moët bottle and experience the luxury of personalisation. Adorned with one's own handwritten messages, each limited-edition is unique, creating a dazzling moment of celebration. With this grand gesture, anyone can take part in Moët's history of personalisation: for almost 300 years, Moët has created signature bottles as tributes to special events, such as the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II to the wedding of Grace of Monaco. Continuing this successful tradition, one can create an individual masterpiece that celebrates and shares the Moët magic.

Reflecting the brand’s innovative and generous spirit, the Moët & Chandon Golden Premium Jeroboam offers the possibility of celebrating the end of the year with success and glamour.

The Pulteney distillery in Wick, Caithness, scored a record-equaling 97.5 points out of 100 for its 21-year-old Old Pulteney single malt. It is only the third time that a single malt has ever won the prestigious award, and just the second Scottish distillery to do so.

This year Jim Murray tasted over 1,200 new whiskies plus many more re-tastes for the latest edition of his best-selling annual whisky guide.

Pulteney distillery, which dates back to 1826, is located in the heart of Wick and is much prized as a blending whisky. It is still relatively unknown as a single malt.

But Mr Murray, who has long admired the Highland malt, hopes that will now change – though he is the first to admit that even he was surprised when he encountered the 21-year-old.

He said: “I was on the home straight after four months of continuous tasting. By that time I was pretty sure I knew what the winner was going to be. With what I still had to taste it needed something exceptional to knock the leader off its perch. But that’s exactly what happened. To be honest, I was amazed. I knew the Old Pulteney 17-year-old was likely to be exceptional, and it was. However, I had never come across a Pulteney 21-year-old like it. Talk about coming out of leftfield…

“I first went to Pulteney nearly 25 years ago and I have never known them to produce anything other than top rate malt. Owned by a relatively small company, without the financial muscle of the major whisky barons to market their malts on the global stage, I hope that this award helps Pulteney to become better known around the world; that is the whole point of my Whisky Bible, after all”.

Second and third Whiskies of the World went to went to US bourbons George T. Stagg and Parker’s Heritage collection Wheated Mash Bill Bourbon Aged 10 years, respectively.

In picking up the second placed title with its bourbon brand, George T. Stagg, Buffalo Trace distillers continues to outperform all other competitors in the World Whisky Awards, which were first presented in1994. Since this date, Buffalo Trace has won no fewer than seven top awards including three World Whisky of the Year titles and this year’s runner up place for its George T. Stagg bourbon. “Buffalo Trace continues to be one of the greatest distilleries in the world today”, continues Mr Murray. “Their ability, drive, and passion to produce whiskies of the highest quality year in, year out, without exception is truly and unreservedly astonishing’.

OpenSkies ... Business class winner

The glass of bubbly you’re offered in business and first class while you sit at the gate after boarding is the only time you will taste a wine with your palate in full working order on an aircraft. As soon as you head into the deep blue sky, funny things happen to your tastebuds as you dehydrate at altitude.

Here at Lunch Magazine we feel it’s vitally important airlines put plenty of thought into their wine lists as we adore alcohol with altitude. What tastes pretty good standing around a tasting table down on terra firma can often reflect what you’re travelling in (a tin can) at 30,000 feet. Taking this into account we humbly suggest all research into airline wine lists should be done on a long haul flight with seasoned aircraft drinkers such as … us.

As for drinking in the air, it’s probably best to start with still water (not sparkling) to get the palate into full working order and then match a glass of water to every two glasses of wine. After about four you’ve probably had enough and it’s time to call for the cognac.

When it comes to the best wine in the air British Airways’ business class only airline OpenSkies (operating between the US east coast and Paris) was a big winner in this year’s Global Traveler’s 2011 Wines on the Wing airline wine competition as was Asiana Airlines.

This year, 28 airlines throughout the world submitted 136 wines from their current international business-class, international first-class and North America lists. Thirty-one professional judges tasted, tested and rated them. And when the results were tallied, it was OpenSkies whose total wine score was the highest among international business-class competitors and Asiana Airlines whose score topped all other international first-class competitors.

Theirs were highly competitive wins. OpenSkies rode into first place a bare .51 of a point ahead of Qatar Airways, and Asiana Airlines was only 3.58 points in front of TAM Airlines of Brazil.

As for leading Wines on the Wing, OpenSkies commercial and marketing director, David Erich said the airline was extremely proud to be recognized by Global Traveler’s expert panel of judges.

“We try to find the best wines we can. We choose them through a blind tasting of about 100 wines and Champagnes. We change our wine list on board twice a year and often have other special onboard wine events.”

In the champagne stakes, V Australia won the International Business contest with Lanson Gold Label Brut 1999, which the judges called rich, complex, delicious and flavoursome.

In the International First Class Champagne contest, Asiana Airlines came in first with Comtes de Taittinger Blanc de Blancs 1999, earning such judgments as “elegant with balanced acidity” and “both delicate citrus and toasty notes.”

Other winners included EL AL Israel Airlines’ Carmel Winery Gewürztraminer from Israel in the International First Class white wine category and Etihad Airways won the International Business Class award for best white with Dr Fischer Riesling, Germany.

There was a tie for the top red wine in International First Class between Asiana’s Château Gruaud Larose and Lufthansa’s Astrales Ribera del Duero from Spain.

In International Business Class, TAP Air Portugal won first place with its red Portuguese entry, Casa de Santa Dão Reserva, a wine that judges called complex, very well balanced and savory.

Reaping rewards ... Wynns' Hodder

For wine drinkers, Australia’s Coonawarra is probably the nation’s most iconic patch of dirt. Cracking through this often-parched strip of red earth are some of the nation’s most productive vines bearing gorgeous fruit of extraordinary intensity.

Moreover, Coonawarra is unlike most of the nation’s other wine regions, which tend to lie close to major population centres. It’s a place you have to make an actual pilgrimage to – it’s not about dropping in at a few cellar doors on your way somewhere else. There are no spa retreats or golf resorts nearby. It’s all about sampling the grape at some of the nation’s best-known labels, which sit cheek-by-jowl across this hallowed swathe of red soil.

Among the region’s most famous occupants for over 50 years has been Wynns Coonawarra Estate.  In recent times, Wynns senior winemaker, Sue Hodder, and her team including viticulturist Allen Jenkins as well as winemakers Sarah Pidgeon and Luke Skeer have revitalised Wynns and its iconic vineyards.

Hodder recently spoke proudly of the work her team have undertaken in recent years to add to the Wynns story and of the kudos this has attracted.

Solid ... Black Label

Much of this work has involved reinvigorating large areas of the vineyards. According to Hodder, some of the older vines were sitting in beautiful soil but had never quite hit their mark and they had to come out in recent years. The challenge for the winemaking team though was deciding what vines really needed to go.

“It’s a big trade-off – we do prefer an old vine’s root system and trunk and you’re giving that up by pulling it out. You have to be convinced in the medium term you are going to get better quality than you’re getting at the moment,” Hodder says.

This trade-off has seen a number of low-yielding older vines receive a stay of execution as Hodder acknowledges they produce quality and she wants to “hold on to them as long as possible.”

“As for some of the rejuvenated older vines, they are going fantastically well and will for another 40 years,” she says.

Hodder’s demeanour suggests a woman at ease with her place in the world. She speaks in the measured, dry, matter-of-fact tones of rural Australia but with an eloquence reflecting her standing as the public face of a revered international brand.

Commenting on this year’s Wynns releases Hodder is especially fond of the single vineyard release off the Davis block.

“The Davis Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 comes off a rejuvenated block at the end of my street which looks fantastic and it’s a great wine,” she says.

“Also a highlight is the 2008 Michael Shiraz and the 2008 John Riddoch – it needs a bit of time but it’s a really stylish sophisticated wine.

Star ... Davis

For Hodder, Wynns isn’t about having a mishmash of varieties sitting under a range of labels but primarily exploring new ways of working with the varieties that have a heritage in the region such as cabernet and shiraz.

She cites the V&A Lane wines sourced from the vineyards running along the lane bisecting the original electorates of Victoria and Albert and the single vineyard wines as an example of the Wynns philosophy to explore the region’s terroir in more detail.

“The Davis Block builds on a tradition of creating a single vineyard wine which reflects the individual expression of the block.”

Kicking off the single vineyard wines is one of the key highlights of Hodder’s time at Wynns and she cites the 2001 Harold Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon as a particular standout.

“Seeing the rewards of getting the vineyards back in shape over the last few years has been fantastic as well.”

Yet probably Hodder’s proudest achievement has been to maintain the quality of Wynns flagship Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Keeping the Black Label as good as it can be is a massive highlight. It remains one of the top four cellared wines in Australia and it’s a great honour to be associated with it. My favourite remains the 2005 vintage but one of the more special moments of my career was being part of a 50-year vertical tasting of the Black Label – we’re doing it again when it turns 60 (this year marks the 54^th vintage release).

This year’s Wynns’ release highlights:

“The Siding” Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Sophisticated ... John Riddoch

One of the first releases of what’s cracking up to be a “ball-tearer” of a vintage – beautifully herbaceous and full of dark minty chocolate and stewed plums on the palate.

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

The 54^th vintage of this cellar favourite is not a classic but is a solid all-rounder bouncing with dark berry fruits on the palate with good tannins and toasty vanilla oak.

Davis Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

The single vineyard star that gets its own show this year and it’s my highlight. Subtle oak and warm homely spices balanced with a little chocolate on the nose with a soft mixture of berry fruit, chocolate and the whole warm homely feel of Grandma’s spices blended with honey on the palate.

 Michael Shiraz 2008

The return of Michael after a few years kicking its heels and it’s a cracker. A bit of hard candy on the nose with its mix of rhubarb and (dare I say it) custard melded with subtle dark fruit and silky smooth oak on the palate. Drinking surprisingly well young.

John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

What can I say? It’s a typical Riddoch. This needs time to think as it’s big, juicy and ticks all the John Riddoch descriptor boxes – dark chocolate (tick); layers of chewable dense fruit (tick) and a velvety long sweet finish (tick).

And the best time to visit the local bodegas is in September when the grape harvest is in full swing and celebrations take place. For authentic accommodation, Mallorca Farmhouses offer a selection of properties, some of which even have their own vineyards, from just £136 per person, per week this September.

Binissalem is the largest wine-producing region in Mallorca and home to some of the island’s leading vineyards.

The successful, family-run bodega, Macià Batle, produces a variety wines and offers tours of the whole wine-producing process, as well as the chance to taste their award-winning vintage bottles.  Other notable bodegas in the region include the José Luis Ferrer Wine Estate which was awarded for having the best sweet white wine in Spain and the eco-friendly Celler Tianna Negra which uses solar energy to produce nearly 100,000 litres of wine each year. 

However a trip in September is particularly good for visitors.  The sleepy streets of Binissalem come alive to celebrate La Festa des Vernar wine festival.  Taking place between 14-26 September, this annual festival includes parades, grape crushing competitions and all-day wine tasting to celebrate the start of the autumn harvest. The highlight of the festival is the final Saturday when villagers follow a drummer and piper to a field where a massive grape fight begins!

For wine lovers looking for a relaxing retreat, Mallorca Farmhouses offer a selection of self-catering villas and farmhouses throughout the island from just £136 per person, per week this September (based on eight sharing).  Ideal for couples, families and groups of friends, the homes are an ideal place to enjoy a bottle of local wine in the evenings. Picture a vine-covered outdoor terrace with views of rolling countryside.  Some properties even have their own private vineyard.

All properties include a private pool, welcome pack and maid service.

www.mallorca.co.uk.

Let’s not beat around the bush. Australia is the Middle East of rocks. Australians dig stuff up and sell it to other countries and they then make stuff we buy back. The number of truly international Australian industries which actually start with local raw materials, then continue along the chain of production, distribution and finally sales hovers comfortably around zero.

There is one standout though – the nation’s wine industry.

It really does deliver on all levels. As Penfolds chief winemaker, Peter Gago says there’s “a real creation aspect to it”. 

And unlike the mining industry for example, “We do everything,” Gago says. “People forget to remember that we till the earth; we establish the vines; we tend the vines and then we pick the grapes, make the wine, bottle it, ship it and then finally sell it.”

Gago was speaking on the release of Penfolds annual release of its icon wines and was chatting about his love for the industry. It’s an industry where he has one of the world’s most sought-after gigs because he is the custodian of Australia’s iconic Grange.

In a wide-ranging chat with Lunch Magazine, Gago shared his views on the latest line-up of Penfolds annual all-stars as well as his wine philosophy.

To start, his philosophy is pretty simple – wine is there to be enjoyed. It shouldn’t be elitist and in the last few years Gago has been trying to bring wine back to its roots and has proactively tried to make it more approachable and mainstream.

Sure the top end of the market such as a $600 outlay for a bottle of Grange probably shoves it into the elite class but to Gago, every bottle has a story, a personal story and that’s the beauty of wine.

Maybe that story involved a hangover but there is still a story.

Interestingly, Gago’s own story is not one of a man destined for the wine industry. For starters, he was born in England. What’s more: he didn’t actually discover wine until he was at university and even then it may have been because there was no beer in the fridge.

Yet that initial discovery led him from being a high school maths and science teacher to Roseworthy College where he was dux and then onto Penfolds where he has been since 1989. He ascended to the top job in 2002.

As for this year’s releases, they actually span four vintages from 2006 to 2009. The 2006 Grange is already earning plenty of plaudits while a number of Penfolds’ other heavyweights are not far behind.

Most of this year’s releases such as the Yattarna Chardonnay, Magill Estate, RWT and Bin 707 do come from 2008 while the St Henri comes from 2007 and the Reserve Bin Chardonnay comes from 2009. It’s a cracking line-up. What makes it even better is 2008 was the year of a rather nasty heatwave at vintage in South Australia but because of the Penfolds older low-yielding vines most of the crop was picked before the heatwave arrived.

While some people might suggest Penfolds “would say that” as they have to move their product, Gago says people should taste the wines and make up their own minds.

With the St Henri, 2007 wasn’t a good year but St Henri does have form in outperforming everyone else in a poor year – the 1974 vintage remains a standout in a generally bad year in South Australia.

As for the wines themselves:

The whites:
The Reserve Bin 09A is sourced from the Adelaide Hills and it’s pretty spectacular. It’s a wild ferment which has spent nine months in a mix of old and new French oak, it pops with fruit flavours. Moreover, it’s already cleaning up at wine shows although that’s not necessarily a ringing endorsement. What is though is the fact the last three vintages (including this one) have picked up a whopping 28 trophies at capital city wine shows – there must be something there. It’s well worth seeking out.

2008 Yattarna Chardonnay is a more genteel creature. Again it has spent nine months in French Oak but this one is truly a multi-regional blend although 89 per cent of the fruit comes from Tasmania. Yattarna is now in its 14th year as Grange’s white sister and it’s now really hitting its straps with gorgeous creamy late summer fruit flavours.

The reds:
2007 St Henri arrives as a full-throated shiraz unlike in previous years where a little bit of cabernet has crept into the mix. It’s not a cracker like the 2004 (sell a minor relative to get your hands on some) but it’s a straight up shiraz with lots of berry fruits on the nose although it’s a bit punchy on the palate. No oak to speak of because as usual it was matured in venerable 50-year-old wine vats. It will age well and for me, remains my favourite Penfolds wine over time. Gago says the world loves the St Henri style and old bottles compete with Grange at auction.

2008 Magill Estate is a single estate shiraz from Penfolds’ Adelaide home. Picked very early because the grapes decided it was time, some of the grapes wouldn’t have travelled more than 30m from the vine to the crusher. Twelve months in 95 per cent new French and American oak, it’s straight from the top drawer.

2008 RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz spreads its wings a little wider and draws its fruit from a single region. Lots of new French oak in its 14 months in the hogsheads and it’s a big’un. It’s pretty dark … as black as midnight on a starless night. As such it manages to draw out rich berry chocolate and coffee flavours … yum.

2008 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon would be my pick of the bunch. Gago says it’s the best 707 since 1998 and could be better than the legendary 1990. Matured in 100 per cent American oak, I simply loved it and will hunt it down for years to come.

2006 Grange is getting some pretty solid raps from around the world. It’s surprisingly easy on the palate for wine made for an extended slumber. Smooth and velvety in the mouth and as Gago says, “it’s deceptive, it really seduces you until about the third or fourth mouthful.” If you can afford it, get some. If not, save up for the 2008 because if its stable mates are any indication, it will be a magnificent wine.

Interestingly, Gago says the 2010 might be the real champion of the decade. Reason being is he was at Penfolds during the great 1990 vintage.

“At the time it didn’t seem that special but when we looked back we realised nothing went wrong. Everything ran smoothly, there was a natural order of things. Conversely, in 2010, we knew we had something fairly special at the fermenter stage. Then again, it’s still all in barrels so you never know,” he says.

As for my suggestion that winemakers continually call every couple of vintages classics just to flog more product, Gago says I’m a little wide of the mark. It would seem it’s mostly luck.

“It’s mostly climate and a little bit of science. As someone once said ‘You can’t put in what God left out’. The climate has to be perfect, then comes the winemaking and then there’s a little bit of luck,” he says.

In the last 12 months, the small Hunter Valley winery has picked up the trophy for Reserve Wine of Show for its 2009 Reserve Chardonnay at the 10^th International Chardonnay Challenge held in Gisborne New Zealand.

This follows a number of accolades including plaudits from a roll call of wine commentators being given to the 2007 Grand reserve Shiraz.

Sloan credits winemaker Nic Paterson with much of the success and hails him as an “absolute gem”.

Sitting on a strip of land running along Hermitage Road, Ken and his wife Gwen set-up the vineyard back in 1989 after a career in business. The winery was the culmination of a life-long dream for Ken, who started planting Semillon and Shiraz grapes in 1990-91.

Apart from the award-winning wines, the Sloans have invested heavily in art and sculpture. The cellar door features a sculpture garden and gallery showcasing the work of emerging artists. What’s more, the Sloans back-up their love of emerging art by funding the Mistletoe Acquisitive Sculpture Prize at Newcastle University.  Visitors to the cellar door can see many of the works entered for the prize, as they wander the cellar door grounds.

Sponsoring the prize allows the Sloans to promote what they see as a natural affinity between wine and art, yet, at the end of the day, it’s the wines getting the real attention. As doyen of the Australian wine industry, James Halliday says, “Mistletoe is one of the ten dark horses of the Australian wine industry.”

Mark Eggleton

Now a new rebellion has broken out in the land Down Under.

Rum is arguably is one of the most diverse spirits around, with examples coming from all over the globe including the Caribbean, Philippines, Venezuela, Cuba, and Trinidad and Tobago.

But it’s an Australian owned rum – Holey Dollar Rum – which is taking the world by storm with its unique and distinctive flavors setting it apart from the mass-produced rums that dominate the spirits market.

Having already been recognised at the International Wine and Spirit Competition two years in a row by taking out some of the highest honors in the spirits category, this week the Holey Dollar Rum range was celebrated at The Spirits Masters Series.

Master is the highest accolade that can be awarded by The Spirits Masters Series and is only awarded in exceptional cases when the product clearly stands out well above its competitors. The Spirits Masters Series is held by The Spirits Business Magazine, a publication that takes its spirits very seriously and is the only international trade title that is solely dedicated to what is going on globally in the world of spirits. The Rum Masters section of the competition is independently judged by a panel of leading industry experts. Judging is done on appearance, nose, palate and overall balance.

Silver Dollar Rum chief Stuart Gilbert says, “It’s wonderful that the International market is recognising the quality of the rums that we are creating but what’s even better is seeing how Australian consumers are embracing the ‘buy local, think global’ concept.

The growing group of Holey Dollar Rum drinkers are people that are passionate about discovering something a little bit different and enjoy consuming the highest quality, world-class products, but at the same time, appreciate something that is actually close to home and 100% Australian Family Owned Company. Go on, join the rum rebellion.”

Holey Dollar Rum is named after the coins with holes punched out that, significantly, superseded rum as the main form of currency in NSW after the Rum Rebellion. The name was chosen by owned and maker, Master Distiller Stuart Gilbert (2009 IWSC International Distiller of the Year) to reflect the Australian Heritage of the brand and honor the Australian pioneering spirit by hand-crafting a rum at a very high level of quality craftsmanship whilst remaining affordable to all.

Holey Dollar Rum is distilled from the finest and purest Fijian sugar cane. This cane is hand cut to yield the highest possible sugar content and produces molasses of unsurpassed quality. The ingredients are distilled in a 100 year old wood fired copper pot still under a unique and specific Australian recipe.

“No longer banished to be mixed with Coke or orange juice, these are finely hand-crafted rums with smooth, complex aromas and flavors, and offered in 3 strengths to suit different palates and occasions.”