Spike Dessert

The Climb

At Hoochery Distillery in Kununurra, Western Australia, Spike Dessert held the work of founder, owner, developer, and farmer from 1995 to 2017. In Western Australian rum, the operation was built from the ground up: the distillery and its equipment were made by hand from materials found around the farm, and Dessert taught himself to distill to make that setup work. The logic was local and plain: rum belonged in the warm tropics. Today, Spike is founder of R.B. Dessert Seed Co. (since 1986).

Today

Western Australian rum is the frame for Spike Dessert’s best-known work, along with a distillery built by hand in Kununurra from farm materials. The place mattered to the process, and the process matched the climate.

Signature

Spike's signature wines include Ord River Rum, Spike's Reserve Dark Rum, Spike's Reserve 7 YO Australian Rum, Ord River 10-Year-Old Spike's Reserve Rum, and 15-year-old blend of Hoochery vintage rum.

In Their Words “Gin’s a city drink. Whiskey’s made in a cold area. Rum’s made in the warm tropics. Bingo.” “Back here, we pretty much enjoy our rum with fish and chips or burritos.”