WA’s Dongara rum best in the nation and soon to be available across Dan Murphy stores around Australia

Spirits are high at Mid West craft distillery Illegal Tender Co, with a nationwide blind taste test proving the underdog is born to rum. The Dongara business’ Distiller’s Cut Rum won best rum in Australia after a Dan Murphy’s blind test, which included 10 judges tasting 600 spirits. It claimed the inaugural honour at the Decoded Spirits Awards. The rum is available in about 25 Dan Murphy stores in WA, but part of the win means it will be on the shelves in almost 2600 stores across Australia — increasing its footprint by nearly 1000 per cent. Illegal Tender’s Distiller’s Cut Rum was also named the world’s best column-distilled rum, five years old or under, at the World Rum Awards for the third consecutive year last week. Illegal Tender founder and master distiller Codie Palmer said as a small spirits producer the win was huge in the grand scheme of things for the business. “‘Liquor to lips’ has long been our motto here, with the belief that once a customer tried our products, they would love them just as much as we do,” Mr Palmer said. “It is a huge step for our craft distillery.” Mr Palmer said they were constantly contacted from people in the Eastern States asking where to buy their rum. “Until now, our only answer was for the customer to order via our webstore. It’s a game changer in that regard,” he said. “It’s something we never thought would be possible.”