Raising the Rum Bar

Cabarita Spirits began with a long-held dream of a small, beachside rum bar, somewhere in the islands. Inspired by the way rum is celebrated around the world — from the Caribbean to Cuba, Spain to Fiji — owner and distiller Keri founded the distillery in Cabarita Beach, New South Wales, where sugarcane fields, coastal air and the lush Tweed hinterland shape every bottle.

The first expression was Soltera Rum, created from molasses sourced from the nearby Condong Sugar Mill. Northern Rivers Vodka followed soon after, developed as a clean, polished and versatile spirit for the local bars, restaurants and drinkers who wanted something made close to home.

Obsessively Crafted, Pot Distilled

At the heart of Cabarita Spirits is a hands-on approach to production. Every batch is made with care, from fermentation and distillation through to blending, bottling and labelling.

Before the the distillery's first commercial release, Keri refined her process over two years of research, experimentation and formal training, including study with the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and a distilling course at Old Kempton Distillery in Tasmania, created by Bill Lark, widely regarded as the grandfather of Australian craft distilling.

The distillery has a traditional alembic copper pot still for producing rums and a stainless steel reflux still for vodka. Soltera Rum is flavour-profile driven and crafted to be bold, expressive and memorable, while still approachable enough to enjoy neat, mixed or in a cocktail. Northern Rivers Vodka is a cleaner, more contemporary expression of the distillery’s craft and made with the same hands-on attention to detail.

Passion, Resilience and Award-Winning Spirits

Cabarita Spirits remains proudly independent, small-scale and grounded in the Northern Rivers, with its spirits earning multiple awards and recognitions along the way. The dream of a small beachside rum bar is still on on the horizon, but for now, it begins here, one bottle at a time.