Paradise Rum opens its doors in Warana offering range of spirits distilled on site

A Buderim man’s dream of creating a Caribbean rum to everyone’s taste is just one part of a growing business dream coming to life in a Warana industrial estate.

A Buderim man with a love of rum has turned a dream into the Sunshine Coast’s newest distillery with 15 staff on the books and bold expansion plans already brewing.

Self confessed “novice to the industry” Chris Clyne said he wanted to get back into business and figured rum distilling was the perfect plan.

Having previously worked in the food processing industry, Mr Clyne said he wanted to create a Caribbean tasting rum with a coastal influence but only after he was able to convince his wife Cath the business was the right move.

Paradise Rum owner Chris Clyne enjoys the menu at his new distillery in Warana. Picture: Aisling Brennan

Primarily focusing on Caribbean spiced rum and aged rum, Paradise Rum in Warana is offering customers a variety when it comes to the drinks menu.

The family operated business is employing about 15 staff with plans to expand in early 2022.

The new family-owned business also distils vodka and gin on site.

Mr Clyne said his business had partnered with an American company based in Texas to work around Australian rum regulations that state rum must be barrelled for a minimum of two years before getting approved for sale.

Paradise Rum barman Simon Jones serves up the tasting paddle at the Warana distillery. Picture: Aisling Brennan

“We source variants of Caribbean rum, which then gets brought back into the US and gets blended for us to a flavour profile of our recipe,” he said.

“The rum we then get in is high in alcohol content, which is an aged rum between five to eight years old.”

Mr Clyne said they carried out final distilling, which involves getting the alcohol back to a quality drinking level, before bottling at the Warana headquarters.

General manager Sam Kennett said the business also decided to branch out to distilling gin, vodka and coconut vodka on site.

“We wanted to do the whole range of spirits and now a lot of tradies are drinking cocktails,” Mr Kennett said.

“Everyone up here associates rum with Bundaberg but once they try the aged rum and spiced rum they’re a big believer in our product.”

Paradise Rum owner Chris Clyne enjoys the menu at his new distillery in Warana. Picture: Aisling Brennan

Mr Clyne said the Warana site on Technology Dr was chosen over Aura because of its centrality to the major precincts.

“We felt our brand and who we are is the Sunshine Coast, that’s where the name Paradise Rum came from because this is paradise,” he said.

“When you’re here you feel like you’re in paradise.”

Paradise Rum also offers an all day tapas and sharing plates menu and is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11.30am.