Following distillation, Beenleigh new-make cane spirit has already developed its unique, complex character. But it’s the final stage that makes all the difference. We take the cane spirit collected from the Stills and fill our historic wooden maturation vats that once held delicious Australian brandy. We leave the Spirit for a minimum of 2 years to now be called Rum.
More than 138 Years Of History
The history of Beenleigh dates back before the construction of the distillery. In 1865, two English entrepreneurs named John Davy and Francis Gooding bought 300 acres of land in Queensland, Australia along the Albert River and named the area after their farm in Devonshire called Beenleigh. The legend goes that in 1869, another entrepreneur named James Stewart, also known as "The Bosun," was operating a floating sugar mill aboard the "SS Walrus" and discovered a use for excess molasses by making rum. In 1884, the SS Walrus washed ashore on the banks of the Albert River, and the Beenleigh Artisan Distillery was established using The Bosun's Copper Pot still. Despite floods and changes in ownership, the distillery won a double gold medal for the "best Rum in the world" in 1899 and became an iconic destination for tourists. In 2013, the site was sold to Vok Beverages, who built a new Visitors Centre on the property, and the popularity of the brand has continued to grow despite setbacks like the 2017 floods caused by Cyclone Debbie. Currently, the distillery is producing more rum than ever before.