Balmain pub The Dry Dock has teamed up with Red Mill Rum Distillery to launch a range of locally made rums and specialty amaro liqueurs exclusive to the venue.
The collaboration is the brainchild of The Dry Dock’s co-founder James Ingram and Red Mill founder David Fesq, who share a passion for craftsmanship and community.
With Ingram looking for a signature after-dinner drink for The Dry Dock patrons, and Fesq experimenting with amaro blends, the pair came together to create a collection of custom spirits and co-branded bottles celebrating Sydney’s harbour heritage.
Ingram says he has long admired how Fesq has revived Red Mill Rum, which first began distilling in Rozelle in 1933 under the ownership of Fesq’s great grandfather, before closing in 1979. The distillery was then revived by Fesq himself in 2020.
“I’ve known the Fesq family for many years, as they’re one of Australia’s oldest and most respected wine négociants,” Ingram told Australian Hotelier.
“Having worked in hospitality for decades, I’ve purchased many exceptional wines from them over the years. So, when I heard that my friend David Fesq was revitalising and relaunching his great-grandfather’s rum brand, Red Mill, I was immediately interested. I felt a natural synergy between his approach and what we were doing with the rebuild of The Dry Dock.
“It mirrors what we’ve been doing at The Dry Dock, as both projects are rooted in authenticity and a deep love for the community that makes this peninsula so special. Once we started talking, the idea of celebrating that shared connection through locally made rum and Amaro just clicked,” he stated.
Each bottle in The Dry Dock x Red Mill series is available exclusively at The Dry Dock, including The Dry Dock x Red Mill Classic Rum – aged in in barrels inspired by Balmain’s Mort Bay Dock to honour the spirit of Sydney’s working harbour.
Rounding out the range is the Dry Dock x Red Mill Amaro Collection, which features Amaro Tropicale, a liqueur with fragrant pineapple and dried orange aromas balanced with bitter herbs and botanicals; and Amaro Caffè, crafted with coffee beans from local Rozelle roaster Little Marionette.
The flavour profiles were designed to reflect The Dry Dock’s character and history, and what began as a conversation about creating a local amaro liqueur to serve as an after-dinner digestif evolved into something more, with each bottle being given a unique co-branded design to match.
“One of the many great things about Red Mill Rum is their ability to do everything in house,” says Ingram. “Not only do they distil and produce all their own rums on-site, but they also handle all the bottle artwork and printing. They even have a beautiful vintage letterpress that’s used for special hand-printed elements, such as the swing tags on their speciality bottles, like the one on the large-format amaro bottle displayed in our Dining Room.”
According to Ingram, the collaboration is showcased across the venue in unique ways. In the Public House, the collection has a dedicated section on the back bar, along with a double-page spread in the bar menu that highlights the full range, and tells the story of how the two historic businesses came together.
“We also offer a range of Red Mill rum cocktails, including our Piña Colada-inspired Coco Loco, which of course features Red Mill Coconut Rum,” Ingram explains.
“In our Dining Room, we have a striking large format amaro bottle on display and a special service ritual where we present and pour the amaro at the table for guests. There’s a real sense of theatre in showcasing the bottles and explaining what an amaro is, and how this style of digestif is best enjoyed.
“We serve both of our amaros over ice: the Amaro Tropicale with a fresh orange wedge, and the Amaro Caffè with a fresh lemon wedge,” Ingram continued. “This table service ritual gives us the opportunity to share the story of two historic, independently operated local businesses coming together to support each other.
“Seeing them now sitting behind the bar, being poured for locals and visitors alike, is incredibly rewarding. We’re very proud of this collaboration.”
Fesq added: “Embracing the themes of Sydney Harbour and its maritime history, along with the long association of rum with ships and the ocean, it’s an obvious joy to collaborate with The Dry Dock on a collection of rums and Amaro that honour that legacy, available only at The Dry Dock.”