BLACK TOT 50TH ANNIVERSARY 54,5% ELIXIR DISTILLERS

BLACK TOT

From the end of 1600, sailors had the right to consume a ration of rum with the aim of making the crew euphoric, daring and also more fearless against pirates.

The style of rum intended for the Royal Navy is called the Black Navy, and has always been a blend of different British colonies, generally Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad, usually with additions of caramel as tradition to make it very dark, almost black, while the daily ration was defined Tot, changing size over the centuries.

The daily ration consisted in a stunning half pint of rum, almost 300 milliliters, at 95.5 proof (54.6% ABV), soon turned out to be a double-edged sword, with instances of insubordination and indiscipline. In 1744, Admiral Vernon, known as Old Grog, noting a certain tendency to alcoholism on board, decided to change the ration to rum mixed with water. Thus the ‘Grog' was born.

According to original Royal Navy records, the rum was imported from the West Indies and transferred to Deptford, Gosport or Devonport, the three victualling warehouses, for being dispatched to British Royal Naval ships.

On July 31st 1970, the edict which for over 300 years gave right on board to drink rum daily ceased, a day to be forever remembered as Black Tot Day.

That stock of rum was set aside and preserved over the following decades, passing through several hands until being bottled from the original Imperial Gallon Stone Flagons, filled and sealed in December 1970 under HM Customs and Excise supervision, by English bottler Speciality Drinks.

THE BOTTLER

Speciality Drinks was established in 1999 by Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh, also founders of The Whisky Exchange, a well-known online retail site. Renamed in 2017 Elixir Distillers, is among the most important indipendent bottlers, also renowned for their bottlings of legendary Karuizawa whisky and the sought-after ‘Geisha’ series. The company portfolio also includes Elements of Islay and Port Askaig.