Holey Dollar Heritage Rum!
Local rum now among world’s best
01 Feb 10 by PETER BODKIN Manly Daily (Australia)
Local rum now among world’s best
Tony Stubley … amazed by the new company’s success. Picture: MARTIN LANGE
WHEN North Narrabeen’s Tony Stubley met his friend Stuart Gilbert for lunch two years ago, he had no idea they would plan a “rum rebellion” that would take the pair all the way to the top.
They decided to brew a premium spirit using traditional distillation techniques, a decision rewarded late last year with a string of awards.
“At lunch, we started talking about how we couldn’t believe there wasn’t an Australian heritage rum brewed for both the local and export market,” Mr Stubley said.
“Rum was the first currency in Australia, until 1813 when Spanish currency was punched out in the middle to make a small coin and a large coin.”
Named in honour of that first coin, the pair’s Holey Dollar Rum Company won every award it entered at the prestigious 2009 International Wine and Spirits Competition, including what Mr Stubley described as the “Holy Grail”, the Worldwide Distiller of The Year prize. “We knew we had a rum that was different and very special, but we just about fell over when they announced we had won. It was only our first year of production.”
* If you want to sample a drop, tastings will be held at Brookvale Cellars on the next two Fridays from 4pm to 7pm.