Bundaberg Rum originated because the local sugar mills had a problem with what to do with the waste molasses after the sugar was extracted. Sugar men first began to think of the profits that could be made from distilling. The vital meeting was held at the Royal Hotel on 1 August 1885, W M C Hickson served as the chairman, and other notables in attendance included all the big sugar mill owners of that time, W G Farquhar, F L Nott, T Austin, S McDougall, T Penny, S H Bravo and A H Young, all to become the first directors of the Company. They started with a capital of £5,000. The Bundaberg Distilling Company began its operations in 1888. Bundaberg rum was first produced in 1889, production ceased from 1907 to 1914 and from 1936 to 1939 after fires, the second of which caused rum from the factory to spill into the nearby Burnett River. Christsen Pty Ltd operated their own Bundaberg Rum bottling plant in Bourbong Street, Bundaberg at the rear of their large grocery and hardware business in the centre of town. The spirit was sold at UP and OP strength from their business. Spokesperson for the original family, Mr Rod Patch, recalls the origins of the shape of the current "Bundy Bottle". It originated from the Bushells Coffee Chicory bottle that Bundaberg residents sold to his grandfather at the firm for one penny a bottle, after which they were washed and filled with the spirit. The shape remains the same but the capacity has been increased to the current 700ml. Patch's great grandfather, Hans Truval Christsen, a Danish immigrant from Copenhagen and his son Frederick Christsen had an employment policy of employing staff from the Salvation Army faith in the rum bottling process as they were less likely to be tempted to sample the spirit. The Christsen family supported settlement farming families through hard times and these good deeds were acknowledged with the naming of Christsen Park at Bargara Beach. In 1961, the company introduced the polar bear as its unusual choice of mascot, to imply that the rum could ward off the coldest chill. In 2000, the Bundaberg Rum company and distillery were sold to British companyDiageo. In 2014, a decision by Diageo to relocate the bottling operations of Queensland's iconic drink, "Bundaberg Rum", to the western Sydney suburb of Huntingwood resulted in local job losses in the city that bears its name. The decision drew criticism from all levels of Queensland politics:
Premier Campbell Newman said it was a disappointing move, particularly in a region that had suffered devastating floods in recent years.
Bundaberg mayor Mal Forman said "I'm saddened by the announcement, but I had been assured the company had a commitment to the city".
Cr Forman said "I understood demand for bottled Bundaberg Rum had declined as more people bought pre-mixed cans, a trend I wanted no part of".
Later a Diageo spokeswoman clarified by saying "Some premium products, such as the Master Distillers Collection, would continue to be bottled in Bundaberg. This was not a decision we have taken lightly, however it is a necessary one to ensure the longer term sustainability of the distillery. We remain absolutely committed to Bundaberg and the distillery and will continue to invest and focus on our core business of distilling, maturing and blending great quality rum in Bundaberg as we have done for the last 125 years."
Distillery
The Bundaberg Rum distillery is open to visitors for tours of the facility. There is also a museum which offers free samples of Bundaberg Rum products for visitors in a historic Queenslander house. The Big Bundy Bottle is also outside of the bondstore. A new $8.5 million visitor centre opened to the public in August 2016 replacing the smaller historic house next door. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Bundaberg Rum Distillery was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "location".
Variant flavours
Bundaberg Rum UP 37%
Bundaberg Rum Original 100 Proof 50%
Bundaberg Rum Overproof 57.7%
Bundaberg Red 37%
Bundaberg Red 100 Proof 50%
Bundaberg Five 37%
Bundaberg Select Vat Aged 6 Years 37%
Bundaberg Mutiny Spiced Rum 37%
Master Distillers' Collection Small Batch 40%
Master Distillers' Collection Small Batch – Vintage Barrel 40%
Master Distillers Collection 280 40%
Master Distillers Collection Black Barrel – Distilled 2004 – Black Glass 40%
Bundaberg Rum is a major sponsor of the Australian Wallabiesrugby union team and also sponsors the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series. Bundaberg is also a sponsor of the NSW Waratahs. Bundaberg Rum sponsored the rugby leagueANZAC Test till 2009. Bundaberg Rum signed a 5-year deal with the NRL to be the official dark rum of the NRL. They are also the naming-rights sponsor of NRL Friday Night Football. From 2009 until 2011, Bundaberg Rum sponsored V8 Supercar team Walkinshaw Racing.
Recognitions
Bundaberg Rum has been distinguished with numerous awards. In 2011, Bundaberg Rum's Master Distillers' Collective rum was launched, with the first three releases, the 10 Year Old, Port Barrel and Golden Reserve, winning awards in the global stage.
Advertising
Bundaberg Rum has also been criticised for targeting its advertising towards young people and boys, through television commercials during NRL broadcasts, and other promotions. A series of advertisements featuring the Bundaberg Rum bear, a polar bear known as Bundy R. Bear, were produced by advertising agencyLeo Burnett to align the product 'with a larrikin approach to Australian mateship'. The Bundaberg Rum bear first appeared in 1961. It was designed to soften rum's aggressive image and broaden its appeal from the traditional older male drinker to a more sociable audience. The advertisements have been cited as a favourite among Australia's youth.
