While the Northern Rivers region is well known for its environment and lifestyle, it is also becoming known for the quality of its spirits too, with Byron Bay’s first ever matured spirit recently recognised as amongst the best spirits in the world.
Lord Byron Distillery’s Pure Single Rum was awarded a gold medal in the London Spirits Competition in April this year, obtaining a score of 92 out of 100. This score was the highest score for any rum entered from Australia with Lord Byron Distillery being one of only six distilleries in Australia to achieve a gold medal for any spirit type at this prestigious and highly competitive contest.
For more than three years the Restall family have been making spirits at their distillery, located at 4 Banksia Drive in the Byron Arts & Industry Estate. They make a range of spirits, including gin, vodka, rum and liquors that can be tasted in the cellar door between 10am and 5pm Tuesday to Saturday. While enjoying a drink you can also go on a complimentary tour of the distillery to see how spirits are made naturally and free from the added artificial flavours and colours present in many mass-produced industrial drinks. Each day there are also gin making and cocktail making masterclasses.
‘We are absolutely thrilled with the news,’ Lord Byron Distillery’s co-founder Brian Restall told The Echo. ‘To be recognised as one of the best rums in the world, amongst a sea of competitors is amazing for our very first barrel ever released. We believe people deserve to know where their drinks come from, and how they are made, and this is recognition that dedication to following artisan food and drink methods can produce a higher quality product than mass-produced industrially made products.’
The cellar door is being extended and converted into a tiki bar, which will open very soon. All locals get a 10 per cent discount on bottle and drink sales at the cellar door if they show their drivers licence with a postcode of 2470 to 2490 inclusive.
Lord Byron Distillery
4 Banksia Drive, Byron Bay
