Nil Desperandum’s Rum The Double Dunder has been named the world’s Best Aged Rum at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).

The Sunshine Coast distillery received a Double Gold medal and 98 points for the Double Dunder, which was named Best of Class in the Aged Rum category.

The judges described the rum as “cigar box and fruit cake on the nose, with hazelnut, burnt orange and orange peel across the palate and a long burnt-sugar finish”.

The Double Dunder is an Australian Certified Organic rum made using organic molasses, wild yeast and Queensland’s Woombye water. The rum is double-cooper-pot distilled and matured in ex-bourbon casks emptied of sherry.

Nil Desperandum founder Matt Hobson said: “We set out to make Australia’s finest rum that could proudly be compared with the best in the world; rum made from sugarcane grown on Queensland’s ancient, fertile volcanic plains and nurtured by Australian sunshine and rain.

“To have The Double Dunder recognised at this level is an incredible moment, not just for us, but for the people and passion behind every bottle and, ultimately, for Australian rum.”

The result builds on a standout year for Nil Desperandum, which was recently named Champion Australian Distiller (Medium) and awarded The Raymond ‘Spike’ Dessert III Trophy for Best Rum at the 2026 Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards.

Head Distiller Adam Chapman said: “Great rum starts long before it hits the still. With The Double Dunder, we showcased the agricultural origin of the raw ingredients and pushed the fermentation process to develop more complexity, then let the spirit
and cask do their thing.

“Rum’s flavour is not added; it’s built. Every decision from raw ingredients and fermentation through to final cask selection is about creating something with genuine character. Double Dunder is exactly that.”

South Australia’s Two Cats Distillery also triumphed at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, winning Best Gin.