Community & Business
26 November, 2022
Judges go wild for Wondecla rum
The Tablelands now has its first premium producer of Australian rum, following the results of the 2022 Australian Rum Awards held in Brisbane recently.
Amy and Wes Marks’ Wild River Mountain Distillery received a gold medal and an equal top score of 91 points in the “Aged Rum 2-4 years” category, identifying their craft distillery as a pro-ducer of “exceptional spirits that set the standard in their category.”
“To say we were super excited to win a gold medal in this competition is an understatement,” Ms Marks said.
“This award is the highest national recognition of this spirit and means our business is accepted in the industry as a premium producer of Australian rum.
“When we release a new product we are al-ways nervous to see what our customers think. This medal gives us great confidence that we are on the right track with our vision in producing amazing craft spirits.”
The awards night was held over a three-course dinner at the swanky Tattersall’s Club in Brisbane. It was designed to be a celebration of the culture that surrounds rum and to shine a spotlight on the “very best of the best” in the spirit category.
“The elite judging panel were described as some of the most respected and experienced rum experts in the world, adding a level of prestige and sophistication never before seen in this country’s rum sphere and our product was competing against the best rum producers in Australia,” Mrs Marks said
“The judges blind taste every rum entered into each class, looking for drinks that set the standard for other producers to meet, to reach the gold medal status.
“First they assess the quality of a spirit with respect to its category, then consider its nose, palate, finish and balance.”
Mr Marks said they hadn’t received their official tasting notes from the judges yet, but they had received rave reviews from their customers for their core range of rum.
When asked the secret of their success, Mr Marks believed it was the process.
“We don't rush anything, from the fermentation and distillation stages right through to the ageing process,” he said.
“We use a unique yeast in our brewing which adds character from the start. Also our mountainous climate and the seasonal changes in our weather shape how the rum ages in the barrel and the flavour profile of the finished product.
“Our rum has been a passion we have been pursuing for many years. We developed the recipe for this rum over 10 years ago and we entered this competition because we really wanted to see how we compared and measured up against other Aussie rum producers.”
Wild River Mountain Distillery has been operational since 2017 after a family tree change to Wondecla and this latest gold medal completes their set, giving them an award for every spirit they produce, including their single malt whisky.
“We are passionate about producing ‘craft’ spirits and want to maintain that focus as our business matures. Our staff are integral to the growth of our company and we are passionate about work-ing with other local businesses,” Mr Marks said.
“2023 will see a larger distribution of our gin range with a national retailer and further expansion of our production and facilities.”
