Bundaberg or “Bundy” as its more popularly known in its native Australia is that particular nation’s most famous spirit drink.  It is available in a variety of guises and the Bundaberg company even makes its own Cola for its pre-mixed cans and bottles.

I’d seen this rum a lot when I was in Australia on holiday a few years back.  However, I wasn’t into rum back then so I never gave it a try. Since becoming more interested in rum I’d seen the rum online a few times at around £20-25.  I finally thought I’d give it a try.

The packaging is reasonably good, it is a medium size bottle which is quite distinctive.  As it is entry level rum the closure is the usual metallic screw cap.  The Bundy Polar Bear is used as it will ward off any chill.  I’m not sure how much the Australians know about chilly but it does give an indication that this rum should be quite rich.

The rum is gold almost orange in colour.  I would imagine some artificial colourings are used as I doubt this is aged any more than 2 years. It smells very sweet, a little like an agricole rum but there is a very noticeable smell of booze.  Neat it just doesn’t work.  It’s far too rough.  All you can taste is the booze.  I was surprised how boozy it tasted as it is bottled at 37% and in some circles it isn’t actually a rum but a cane spirit.  Personally I couldn’t really give a toss about that nor can I understand why anyone else would….

Mixed with cola or ginger beer it is supposed to come into its own.  Now you can definitely taste the spirit in the glass, you certainly wouldn’t go back to the bar thinking they’d forgotten to add your spirit with this!

It’s sweet and as already mentioned it tastes of alcohol.  Even when poured as a single measure you notice much more booze than with other rums.  This probably accounts in some way for its popularity in Oz.  To me it tastes almost like a cheap sweet blended whisky.  The alcohol taste to it overpowers the drink it doesn’t really taste like a rum at all.

I wasn’t overly surprised with this rum, I had read that it was a little rough and ready and it certainly proved to be.  As said there really wasn’t much to taste other than sweet alcohol.  I can understand why some people would see it as their rum, it is distinctive.  However, I could understand people who like this not actually liking other rums.  Or having much left by way of brain cells.

The rum also comes in a overproof version I double checked my bottle at first to check they hadn’t sent that one!

This is terrible and gives rum a bad name.  I don’t think I’ve had a rum worse than this.