Joshua Brothers Pty Boomerang Brandy Circa 1902 - 1910

A 1902 to 1910 theorised bottling of pure Australian brandy produced at the shuttered Joshua Brothers distillery in Port Melbourne. We believe this bottle is from that era, or possibly a couple years after, due to rhe royal warrant on the bottle making reference to “His Majesty The King”. As there is no evidence that King George the 5th continued the royal warrant like his father and grandmother, we believe the label comes from a time when Edward the 7th was on the throne or just shortly thereafter. Note the bubbles in the glass from the moulding process!

A name likely unknown to many, the Joshua Brothers began in 1884 amid Melbourne’s huge industrial boom of the 1880s. Built as the Federal Distillery in Port Melbourne, their factory was equipped with everything a Victorian era producer could want. A cooperage, malting facilities, 4 pot stills as well as a hugely innovative Coffey still that allowed for high volume grain production. It cost £150,000 GBP to build, approximately £22 Million GBP or $40 Million AUD in today's money and spirit officially flowed from 1886 .

Saul Joshua, one of the seven Joshua brothers founders, noted that in 1894 the factory employed 50 - 60 year round employees, with an additional 25 men hired during malting periods and 30 extra coopers hired when barrels arrived. Barley was sourced from the UK, New Zealand and Victoria, with the cheapest option typically purchased in bulk and stored. Maize was often used as their grain source due to its high yield and the flavourful spirit it created from their Coffey Still, however just about any grain that contained starch was used at Federal distillery.

Read more about this incredible bottling in our article of the month!