🥃 Bundaberg Original UP
Bundaberg base line: dark rum at 37% ABV with no age statement, known as Bundy.
Bundaberg Original UP is the base line of Australian Bundaberg rum, often called Bundy. It is a dark rum at 37% ABV (74 degrees proof on the British scale) with no age statement. UP stands for underproof, meaning the strength is below the reference proof, and in this form the rum is the most common in Australia.
Difford's Guide says the rum is made from molasses at the Bundaberg Distilling Co. plant, which is owned by Diageo. The official website states that it is made from 100% local sugarcane and matured for a smooth taste, without giving a maturation period. The tasting notes describe woody notes, caramel, flowers and spice, and the rum is recommended for mixing with cola.
Why this matters to you. Original UP is the reference point for comparing Select Vat and Small Batch Reserve, which have different ageing and strength. EU rules set a minimum strength for rum of 37.5% ABV, while this bottling is 37%, so Australian requirements differ; check the label. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | first bottling 1889 (Bundaberg, Queensland) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Australia: local food standards; in the EU the minimum for rum is 37.5% ABV (Reg. 2019/787) |
| Raw material | molasses / Australian sugarcane |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 37% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Bundaberg Original UP → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Sugar cane and molasses
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Bundaberg, 🥃 Rum
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Bundaberg Select Vat, 🥃 Bundaberg Select Vat, 🥃 Bundaberg Small Batch Reserve, 🥃 Bundaberg Small Batch Reserve
Frequently asked questions
Does UP mean extra strong?
No. UP means underproof, a strength below the reference proof; for this rum it is 37% ABV.
What is the strength of Bundaberg Original UP?
37% ABV, according to the official website and Difford's Guide.
Is there an age statement on the label?
No. Difford's Guide lists the rum as having no age statement.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🥃 Bundaberg Select Vat — Bundaberg line of selected older rum matured in American oak; 37% ABV.
Similar
🥃 Bundaberg Select Vat · 🥃 Bundaberg Small Batch Reserve · 🥃 Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco · 🥃 Mount Gay Silver · 🥃 Flor de Caña Centenario 12 · 🥃 Flor de Caña 18
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Bundaberg Rum: Bundaberg Original UP Rum 700 mL (official shop; 37 %, dark rum, 100 % local sugar cane, 1888; tasting notes)
- Difford's Guide: Bundaberg Rum (37 % alc./vol., 74° proof, no age statement; molasses, Bundaberg Distilling Co.)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I, category 1 (rum: min. 37.5 % vol.)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)