Sunshine Sugar has entered into an agreement with the Holey Dollar Rum Distilling Company with the view to building a distillery in NSW.
The Holey Dollar brand is owned by former Olympic Yachtsman and multiple World Windsurfing Champion Stuart Gilbert.
Gilbert is an International Spirit Panel Judge at the International Wine and Spirit competition (IWSC) held in London each year.
His Holey Dollar rum has won three Gold medals and “best in class” for each product, including World Distiller of the Year, a feat no other rum company in the world has won in the 40-year history of the IWSC.
Named after the coins made by Governor Macquarie in the earliest days of Australia's colonial history in 1813 and the first official currency of Australia, Holey Dollar rum has been described by the judging panel as "rich and full on the nose and in the mouth with spice, exotic fruit, raisin and lots of oak. Clean in all respects. Lots of treacle with some bitter caramel giving some unexpected bite. Big and full bodied with woody, spicy finish.”
CEO of Sunshine Sugar, Chris Connors said: “We are excited to have agreed to partner with Stuart Gilbert and his Holey Dollar Rum company, and look forward to working collaboratively to develop the business in providing Australians with an alternative, high-quality and world-class tasting rum
that is highly awarded and locally made and owned in NSW.”
It is anticipated that a pot still plant will be built at either Sunshine Sugar's Harwood or Broadwater Sugar Mill site, as part of a graduated approach to developing the partnership over a period of time.
Australia's only locally-owned sugar-milling company
A white sugar refinery was established at Harwood in 1989 in a partnership with the NSW Sugar Milling Cooperative and the Manildra group, and the establishment of Manildra Harwood Sugar.
This partnership was further strengthened in 2015 when refining and milling operations merged to form Sunshire Sugar.
Sunshine Sugar mills and the refinery remain in operation at Harwood, Condong and Broadwater supplying raw and refined sugar, syrups and specialty sugars domestically and to export markets.
Sunshine Sugar has supplied various juice and syrup streams to boutique craft distillers in Australia including Archie Rose (Limited Release Virgin Cane Spirit and Dark Rum), Hush Distillery and Adelaide Hills Distillery in recent years.
Manildra, an associate member of The Drinks Association, commented: "Manildra Group would like to acknowledge and congratulate the partnership announcement between Sunshine Sugar and Holey Dollar Rum – the collaboration will focus on providing Australians with an alternative, high-quality and world-class tasting rum that is highly awarded, locally made and owned in NSW. We are proud of our long-term partner Sunshine Sugar for achieving their goal of entering the rum market."
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