Attention me Hearties !
In this blog post you can find our long-awaited piece on Navy Rum, and so we delve into history together again.
Navy Rum is a style that emerged through a combination of circumstances. Rum, in its early years, was only considered suitable for consumption by the slaves who worked on plantations, it was ultimately their invention. It was only when the spirit was distilled using more modern means that the idea of Rum as a spirit for general consumption was considered. That consideration was especially important for the Royal Navy, because for them Rum provided an enormous advantage.
Before 1655, Royal Navy ships took supplies of water, beer, wine or spirits to quench thirst on board. On long journeys this often became a combination of everything. Water does not last long on board a ship, so after a while you have to switch to beer or wine. But they also do not last long at sea, so they subsequently switched to spirits. At that time, Jenever or Brandy was often chosen, as they were easy to produce and available almost everywhere.
During an Atlantic crossing, which at the time could take weeks to months, there also had to be enough supplies of spirits on board for the return journey. All that liquor naturally takes up a lot of space on board the ship, and in the case of a warship, every square centimeter and every kilo counts, because a barrel of gin could also have been a barrel of gunpowder, a cannon or a few soldiers. So when the Royal Navy had the opportunity to stock up on spirits on the other side of the ocean, it represented a huge strategic advantage for a fleet that then had to compete against other powers far from home.
The Navy eagerly purchased barrels of Rum and provided the sailors with a daily portion of Rum. But was that a good idea?
Old Grog!
To find out whether carrying Rum on board a ship was a good idea, we need to look at another episode in the history of Navy Rum, which came about under the leadership of Admiral Edward Vernon, better known by his nickname 'Old Grog' because he always wore a vest made of gros-grain, in English grogram.
Vernon noticed that as the quality of Rum improved, sailors made it a point to save up their daily ration of Rum and then have a big drinking party. On board a warship with gunpowder, cannons, knives, sabers and rifles, which also has a constant threat of enemies around it, a drunken crew is not a good idea. To limit this, Vernon decided to, where possible, dilute the Rum with water and add citrus fruits and sometimes herbs to keep the taste pleasant. His recipe of one quarter of Rum, three quarters of water was intended to ensure that everyone consumed his ration of Rum immediately. The drink also immediately got its name: the 'Grog' was born. The principle was adopted throughout the Navy and the Rum/water ratio was left to the goodwill of the commander.
This Grog had another advantage: the addition of citrus also unintentionally prevented scurvy. Scurvy occurs due to a vitamin C deficiency.
It was only a few years later that it was discovered that citrus in Grog was the solution.
The King, God Bless Him!
Now that we know where Navy Rum originated, we can take a look at its modern version, because as the Rum became more important on board a ship, the quality also became more important. Anyone who thought Navy Rum wasn't tasty was wrong. The Rum had to meet many quality requirements and Rum that did not meet was simply rejected. The person on board a ship who is responsible for this was, and still is, the Purser.
In addition to quality, the alcohol percentage was also checked. In ancient times, gunpowder was used for this purpose. If gunpowder soaked in Rum can still ignite, then the Rum is 'proof', if this is not the case, then the Rum is Under Proof and not suitable to have on board. Proof, or Gunpowder Proof, is estimated at 54.5% alcohol. Later, when more modern measuring equipment became available, this was adjusted to 57%, known today as Navy Strength.
Navy Rum was usually a blend of Rum from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica or Trinidad and was kept in barrels. Later, stone barrels were used to keep the Rum stable.
When Grog was made it was in a Grog Tub. A wooden barrel with the words: The King God Bless Him, or The Queen God Bless Her.
The distribution of Rum on board ships was not unique within the British Royal Navy, not even within the Commonwealth. Other countries also had the use. Even the Russian Navy served Rum on board ships. Rum is therefore inextricably linked to seafaring.
The Pussers
Now that you all know where Navy Rum comes from and what it meant to the British Royal Navy, but ultimately also to many other naval powers, it is time to introduce one to you.
The most famous is without a doubt this Pusser's Gunpowder Proof. A Rum from Guyana that combines the typical Demerara taste of burnt sugar with clear ester notes. That taste comes from the use of the double wooden pot still, called Port Mourant. The Rum has matured for at least 3 years in heavily roasted barrels before being bottled without any additions.
It is a Rum with a unique taste and an ode to the Navy Rum of yesteryear that is bottled at 54.5%, or Gunpowder Proof.
This Select Aged 151 Rum is stronger than the Pusser's Gunpowder Proof. This type of very strong Rums also comes with a bit of history. Rum was served on board all Navy ships, including on ships that undertook long expeditions. During very long expeditions, such as polar expeditions, where people sometimes lived on rations for months or even years, it was important to make optimal use of the cargo space. That is why liquor on board those ships was kept at the highest possible proof value. The intention was to dilute it afterwards with water or, at very cold times, to consume this drink neat. Today we know that drinking alcohol in the cold is not a good idea, but back then it was considered a good way to stay warm.
The numbers 151 on this bottle indicate the proof value. Divide that number by 2 and you get the amount of alcohol in the bottle. This Select Aged 151 is therefore a Rum of 75.5% alcohol. Be careful when consuming this type of Rum, especially during hot days, because despite the fact that you can taste it being stronger than usual, these, and many other Rums within this category, hide their higher alcohol content well.
Black Tot
The history of Navy Rum also has an important, yet somewhat sad period...
Distributing Rum on board a naval ship was, as you now know, a standard procedure in many navies, but as the ships became more complex and the armament more powerful, more and more people started to wonder whether all this was still compatible with the drinking liquor.
On January 28, 1970, 'The Great Rum Debate' took place in the British House of Commons. During that debate, which was settled in just over an hour, it was decided: Rum on board a Royal Navy ship was no longer appropriate.
The last 'Tots', as the cups were called, were filled on July 31, 1970 at 11 am. This day is now known as 'Black Tot Day'. Sailors wore black armbands as a sign of mourning, others ritually buried their Tots at sea and still others organized a funeral, including a coffin, to say goodbye to their Rum rations.
The measure was unpopular with the Royal Navy, to say the least, despite adding extra beer to their rations. Anyone who has ever drunk English beer can imagine that this is not correct compensation.
After Black Tot Day, two other Commonwealth Navies followed: the Royal Canadian Navy on March 31, 1972 and the Royal New Zealand Navy on February 28, 1990.
The tradition has endured for a long time and is still commemorated annually on July 31.
Anyone who thought the Royal Navy had poured away all the Rum after Black Tot Day is wrong. The enormous stock of Rum, which was stored in stone amphorae in cellars, was sold. Black Tot, a British brand, purchased and bottled this original Navy Rum. Today you can still buy a bottle of this 'Last Consignment' Rum, albeit at a steep price.
Those who like to keep it affordable can also opt for this Master Blender's Reserve series. One by one they are interpretations of the original blends, with a specific focus here and there and some of the original Navy Rum being added.
This Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve 2022 is the third in the series and started with part of the previous blend and part of original Navy Rum, followed by Demerara Rum from Guyana, Mount Gay and Foursquare Rum from Barbados, New Yarmouth, Clarendon Estate, Long Pond and some others from Jamaica and T.D.L. and Caroni from Trinidad were added.
The blend is exceptionally complex. These types of blends also require a lot of knowledge, experience and patience. Oliver Chilton, the Master who put this together, has created a nice tasty Rum with this iteration that beautifully combines the characteristics of Navy Rum with other distinct flavors.
Also in 2023, a Master Blender's Reserve from Black Tot was released. The blend contains more Rum from Guyana and Jamaica and less from Barbados and Trinidad. There will be a new Rum added: Grenada.
The blend consists of Rum from Demerara Distillers, West Indies Rum Distillery, Foursquare, Worthy Park, T.D.L., Ten Cane, part of the previous blend, part of original Navy Rum and therefore an unspecified Rum from Grenada.
The Rum from Grenada gives more freshness to the Blend and makes it slightly lighter in the aftertaste, but it remains a Navy style Rum at 54.5% that should be drunk with caution and respect.
The latest new version of Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve is this 2024 that we have finally received.
It is a new blend with a focus on Rum from Barbados and the defunct Caroni distillery.
60% of the blend consists of Rum from Foursquare, West Indies Rum Distillery and Mount Gay. 25% comes from Trinidad, of which a fifth comes from Caroni.
The blend also includes Clarendon, New Yarmouth and Long Pond from Jamaica and Diamond from Guyana, supplemented with part of the previous blend and of course some original Navy Rum.
Thanks to Rum from Barbados, tropical fruit has become the focus in terms of taste here.
Conclusion
Navy Rum is a part of Rum history that should and will never be forgotten. Rum will always defy its dark history while remaining the bright spot it was in the very beginning. Rum has conquered the world and helped to conquer the world. From the far north to the equator and to Antarctica: Rum has been drunk on every continent and in every sea. Treat Rum with respect and always think carefully about the piece of history you have poured into your glass.
Drink our history with reason and respect.
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