Hoochery Distillery

History

The Hoochery Distillery is located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and is known as WA's oldest continuously operating legal distillery. This rum was created by Raymond ’Spike’ Dessert III, who came to the Kimberley in 1972 to develop his sugarcane seed business and later used his passion to produce rum. According to the story, Spike diversified from farming to rum production in close harmony with the tropical climate and local raw materials. The small pot still was entirely handmade on the family farm, and nothing in the process was purchased from outside the area—not even the building or the still itself. The rum is born from Australian sugarcane, rainwater from the wet season, and yeast, and today is hand-brewed and hand-bottled.

Production / Manufacturing

Hoochery describes its approach as being ’Rum Made Our Way’. The process begins with Australian sugarcane and rainwater, after which fermentation proceeds slowly and yields a strong sugarcane flavor. Distillation takes place in their hand-built double-pot stills, without the use of computers, with a focus on personal taste and input flavors. The rum is then aged in barrels that they themselves cooper and char, and the Kimberley climate makes the maturation period suitable—typically between 2 and 15 years—providing a smooth, tropical finish. Blending takes place by tasting each individual cask and selecting the best for the final blend, after which the blend is diluted with fresh rainwater and hand-bottled. Finally, the production is slow and handmade, as part of preserving the input flavors and the raw, authentic Kimberley identity.

Products / Whisky Series

Limited Release — Sweet Sorghum Whiskey

Genuine Paddock to Bottle. A single grain mash of Sweet Sorghum, grown on our family farm. Aged in the tropics, this single barrel selection of rich, creamy whiskey has notes of toffee, raisins, chocolate, and earthy tones expressive of our truly unique provenance.

This whiskey is based on a single grain and is presented as a single barrel, which gives distinctive notes of toffee, raisins, chocolate and earthy nuances, characteristic of tropical maturation in the Kimberley.

Ord Valley Corn & Sorghum Whiskey (Limited Release – Sold Out)

This whiskey takes advantage of a blend of corn varieties—maize and sorghum—from Ord Valley and is described as a grain-based whiskey. It is produced as a Limited Release and is now sold out.

Producer's Style and Classification

Hoochery produces whiskey in the categories Single Grain (sorghum-based whiskey) and Grain Whiskey (corn-based whiskey as in Ord Valley Corn & Sorghum Whiskey). Their products also include a Single Barrel edition of Sweet Sorghum Whiskey (Single Barrel). These types show that the producers focus on grain-based whiskies and barreling, where flavor and terroir from the Kimberley play a key role.

Visits / Experiences

Visiting Hoochery includes guided distillery tours. According to the Visit Us page, the distillery is open year-round, and they run daily tours at 2:00 PM, as well as a cafe area offering lunchtime and home-baked treats such as the Ord River Rum Cake. Their events also include private functions and group tours, giving visitors the opportunity to experience ’spirit of the tropics’ in the heart of the Kimberley.

Philosophy

Hoochery describes itself as a fully Australian-owned family business that goes right down to hands-on craftsmanship and uses locally grown raw materials where possible. The message ’This is rum, done our way’ is conveyed through their focus on traditional, time-consuming and labor-intensive methods—no computers in the distillation process, and with an emphasis on earthy and natural ingredients and rainwater in the blend. The story reminds us of a belief that ’Life’s good’ and a strong connection to the Kimberley, where the rum and everything around it is the result of a passionate family managing the entire chain themselves—from the sugar cane to the bottle.

Note

The Ord River Rum, Five Rivers Spiced Rum, and Kimberley Moon White Rum are listed as core products and form the foundation of the company's portfolio. Their approach emphasizes not only a craft tradition but also a close link to the region's climate and raw materials, giving a distinct tropical character to the products.

Sources also describe that the distillery has existed for 25 years and continues to follow Spike’s vision of producing ’good rum. Made our way’.