Similar to the likes of the Barossa Valley and Mudgee wine regions that are known for their award-winning vineyards, Queensland is synonymous for its sugar cane production – with Mossman and Bundaberg hot tourism spots. Yet despite the Sunshine State producing 95 percent1 of the nation’s sugar cane, it’s Northern New South Wales that’s home to the oldest cane growing region in the country.
In fact, a quarter (24%) of Australians believe New South Wales is the state that makes the best spirits, but one in two (47%) have never visited a distillery. To celebrate their Cellar Door’s fourth birthday, Husk Farm Distillery in the Tweed Valley is putting a new, seasonal tourism experience on the map allowing visitors to step outside their comfort zones of wine tasting weekends and explore the world of rum making and tasting.
In this unique Farm to Bottle Experience, guests will become a farmer and distiller for a day – kicking off by learning how to make a traditional punch cocktail to sip as you’re guided through the family-owned farm. Visitors will head out into the sugar cane fields where they’ll be taught how to harvest and juice a stick of sugar cane, the first step towards making rum! Just don’t forget to taste the raw juice before it ferments.
Then, it’s back into the working distillery to see just how true the ‘Farm to Bottle’ experience is – 400m to be exact! You’ll be sure to stop and smell the herb garden along the way where many of the distillery’s botanicals are grown. The tour finishes up with a guided rum tasting as well as a sneaky drop straight from the barrel – coming full circle from initially learning how to harvest sugar cane.
Head Distiller, Quentin Brival says innovation is what gives Husk Rum their edge and is encouraging budding alcohol connoisseurs to try something new for their next weekend trip.
“Innovation at the heart of what we do. Our Pure Cane is a young white rum with fresh, grassy and caramelised sugar notes. In contrast, our Husk Bam Bam has hints of spice, sweet citrus and toasted coconut. For those wanting something a little sweeter, our Husk Botanic tastes like smooth strawberry and fresh citrus.”
To give visitors a glimpse into their unique process, Husk Farm Distillery opened their doors to their new distillery, cellar door, bar and café and function area in mid-2019. Now, tourists can embark on a new immersive journey through the cane crushing, distilling, and barrel rooms that produce Husk Rum and Ink Gin before accumulating in the plantation-themed bar.
Paul Messenger, Founder and CEO of Husk Rum says that the motivation for launching their new Farm to Bottle Experience to the public is to educate individuals about the connection between agriculture and their products.
“The core concept is connectivity, allowing people to see the origins of the products we produce and establish a clear connection between the field, our cultivation efforts, and the final output. Our aim is to encourage people to opt for higher-quality beverages while gaining a deeper understanding of what they consume, that’s why our motto is ‘Drink less, enjoy more’. We firmly believe in its significance,” asserts Paul.
“Sugar cane tourism is traditionally hailed in Queensland, but the Tweed Valley is home to Australia’s oldest cane growing region. We created the Farm to Bottle Experience to put our location on the map and give visitors an intimate, behind the scenes experience that they wouldn’t typically get at a mass produced distillery,” says Messenger.
As Australia’s tourism industry regains momentum, Husk Farm Distillery is encouraging the return of visitors to come and experience their new Farm to Bottle Experience which launches to the public from 12 July 2023.
To learn more about Husk Farm Distillery or to book a Farm to Bottle Experience, head to www.huskdistillers.com
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