Autumn 2026

Cheers to the Champions at Sunshine & Sons

Home to the Best Queensland Distillery for two years running, Tony Cox discovers how to make the most of the experience.

With the days getting shorter we start to look for things to do which vary from the usual beach, bush or boating experience. Why not opt for something a little different where you and friends, including the family dog, can sit back with a rainforest backdrop and sample the wares of the place crowned Best Queensland Distillery at the 2025 AND the 2026 Royal Queensland Distilled Spirits Awards?

Home to Nil Desperandum Rum and Sunshine & Sons Premium Spirits at Woombye where the winds drift around to the west and southwest, you can sit outside, out of the breeze totally bathed in sunshine. What better place to pack a picnic or enjoy a selection of Woombye Cheeses onsite while enjoying the warmth of a few Nil Desperandum rums?

Australia Certified Organic, wild fermented, double pot distilled, and aged in bourbon barrels emptied of Sherry and Port, it’s no wonder that Nil Desperandum’s Premier Rum was crowned Champion Rum/Cane Spirit with the Artfully Corrupted Spiced Rum also crowned Champion Feature Rum/Cane Spirit at the 2026 Royal Queensland Distilled Spirits Awards! Just the latest in a long line of national and global awards bestowed upon Nil Desperandum.

Of course, you can always stick to the equally award-winning gin and vodka selections as part of the Sunshine & Sons offering should that be your preferred tipple.

Why not take it a step further, have a little fun and gain some insight and knowledge along the way by booking one of the three onsite experiences?

The half-hour Distillery Experience offers a guided tour and tasting of the key spirits in the Sunshine & Sons and Nil Desperandum range. Not just relaying the story behind the brands but also explaining the key processes of fermentation, distilling and maturation. It provides great insight into why the individual spirits taste the way they do, depending on the starch/carbohydrate source and whether or not they incorporate barrel ageing, even the different types of barrels, what liquids have been in them prior, and the level of toast applied to the barrels. At $15 per person it piques the interest for a more in-depth experience.

The Cocktail Masterclass gives your group full access to your own mixologist for approximately two hours where you learn about the different spirits and are taught how to make three cocktails, using different techniques and what mixers work with respective spirits. At $99 per person you leave with skills and a repertoire you can utilise at home for when that knock off wine or beer just won’t cut it.

Take your appreciation and understanding of the brand to the next level with the Founders Tour, where you get a tour and tasting with one of the founders, Michael Conrad or Matt Hobson, for a deep dive into not just the product side of things but to learn about the journey to date and the vision of where the destination might end up – an experience which personifies the brand and the people behind it. At $159 per person this is a great experience and includes a bottle of your favourite spirit and a pair of etched tumblers.

With Mother’s Day not far off, don’t forget mid-April sees the launch of a limited release Mum’s Rose Bouquet Gin. Visually stimulating, being a bright fuchsia colour, it combines rose petals, rosella and rose hip to deliver a fragrant aroma that is sophisticated and memorable. Long after the flowers have wilted Mum can continue to savour the delights of Mum’s Rose Bouquet Gin.

Visit the award-winning Distillery Door daily from 10am to 5pm. Free entry for tastings and purchases. Perch at the outdoor bars, enjoy a tasting, order a cheese platter or BYO picnic rug and enjoy the sunshine.

Book a Distillery Experience, Cocktail Masterclass or Founders Tour today!

Sunshine & Sons Premium Spirits
104 Nambour Connection Rd, Woombye

Want more sunshine in a your life? Read about their gin-tastic journey…