Black Tot rum review

Black Tot rum (46.2% ABV) summary

A bottle that commemorates one of the saddest days in the Royal Navy’s modern history – the day the tot died. This bottle pays homage to the old navy rums that warmed the bellies of sailors for centuries, drawing on flavours that define the islands the rum came from: tropical fruits meet ginger and fiery chilli, modulated by deep, dark cocoa.

What is the history of Black Tot rum?

The daily tot was a naval tradition that ran for centuries. It was a daily ration of rum given to the sailors aboard a ship. There are two acceptable start dates for the tradition: the day when the first tot was given out, or the day when the tot became a daily ration. In 1655 the British battled the Spanish for the island of Jamaica, and after winning the battle, Admiral William Penn rewarded his men with a measure of rum. It was not until 1731 that rum was issued as a ration – half a pint of overproof rum was given to each crew member (no wonder nobody knew what to do with the drunken sailor – they couldn’t pick him out!)

Over the years the rum ration was halved, diluted and debated. 1740 saw Admiral Edward Vernon decimate the rum ration, halving it and watering it down. The 20th century brought an end to the daily tot. Machinery had become too advanced and the stakes were higher... we couldn’t have sailors knocking back a measure of rum, then handling all of this modern weaponry. The 31 July 1970 saw funerals held on what became known as Black Tot Day.