Burdekin Rum

Burdekin Rum is a breath of fresh air to Australian spirits, designed by Denomination

Burdekin Distillery brings the beauty and botanicals of North Queensland to Australian shelves with the launch of its range of locally crafted rums, designed by drinks branding specialists Denomination.

Burdekin Rums are a premium Australian spirit, made from locally sourced sugar cane and the pristine spring mineral water from nearby Mount Elliot. The bold designs reflect the diversity and beauty of North Queensland’s landscape and wildlife, disrupting traditional ideas about how rum should look, feel and taste.

“Burdekin is a fresh take on Australian rum, inspired by the beauty of tropical North Queensland and the packaging needed to reflect that. This is why we enlisted Denomination, who demonstrated a deep understanding of our vision as well as the credentials in their existing beautiful and unique design portfolio. Burdekin is different from your everyday rum, and this design breaks away from long-established norms in the rum category,” says Tim Lamb from Burdekin Distillery. Jason Chan head distiller added, “What the team have created is a brand that reflects the region and the locally-sourced ingredients we use, as well as our values of sustainability, community and authenticity.”

A rum renaissance

Burdekin Rum is a world away from the sweet rums of yesteryear that were common in Australia, typically made from molasses rather than cane juice, and mixed with cola. These rums were often branded with a masculine tone and feel, or played on the age-old rum tropes of pirates and the British navy. Instead, Denomination has highlighted Burdekin’s home in tropical North Queensland, celebrating the locally sourced ingredients and the craftmanship that goes into creating each rum.

With the craft rum market anticipating growth of 5.5% until 2031 (according to market research), Denomination’s design reflects a desire for change in the category. Consumers seek rums with more interesting and sophisticated palettes, evidenced in Burdekin’s authentic yet innovative ingredients, and a focus on provenance and pride of place.

To underpin the exceptional quality of the ingredients and expert craftmanship, the design uses subtle gold embellishment amongst the lush, illustrated foliage and modern, sophisticated typefaces, whilst the back of the packaging includes a signature serve recipe to inspire consumers on how best to enjoy these new world rums: mixed in a cocktail, pared with a simple tonic, or enjoyed on its own.

The beauty of the tropics

The illustrations of local flora and fauna bring to life the rich natural biodiversity of the region. The bowerbird included in the design is native to the area, and features intricate details about the style of each rum – on one it is holding a stirrer, best for mixing cocktails, on the other a pocket watch, reflecting the time the rum has been aged to enhance flavour. Denomination worked with a young emerging Australian artist, Bridget Earner, to bring the illustrations to life.

The rich colours used reflect those found in North Queensland’s rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the complex, bright and aromatic flavours of each rum.

“We have created a design that showcases Burdekin Rum’s distinctive taste, which is drawn from the landscape of the region. Burdekin disrupts everything consumers have come to expect from a rum: it is modern yet delicate and distinctive. This rum is a window into the paradise of North Queensland,” says Rowena Curlewis, CEO of Denomination.