Where “Bundy” Comes From
“Bundy” is the everyday Australian name for Bundaberg Rum, the dark rum from the Queensland town of Bundaberg. Green’s Dictionary of Slang defines it as Bundaberg rum and notes that it is a proprietary name that comes ultimately from the town’s name.
Its earliest dated use in Green’s is from 1968, in J. O’Grady’s Gone Troppo, where a bloke comes back to camp with “a few cases o’ Bundy”. The usual way to drink it is with cola, which Aussies call a “Bundy and Coke”.
Source:
“I’ll have a Bundy and Coke, thanks.”
How Aussies Actually Use It
You’ll hear it at the pub, the footy club and the backyard barbecue, mostly from adults ordering a drink. It’s a brand-linked word, so it’s used for that rum in particular rather than for rum in general.
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: BUN-dee.
In conversation:
- Pour me a Bundy and Coke.
- Dad’s Bundy was on the shelf all summer.
- Bundy and Coke is a classic at the footy club.
Good to know: “Bundy” can also be used for Bundaberg itself, the town in Queensland where the rum is made. A “Bundy and Coke” is the usual way to order it.
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