Pusser’s rum, famous for purchasing the rights to the British Royal Navy rum recipe and recreating its flavor profile, has signaled a change in the components of their top-end fifteen year aged rum. What was until recently cited as a blend of Trinidad and Guyanese rums is now given as just Guyana rums, per a recent U.S. TTB label approval.
Original navy rum, for those new to the topic, is traditionally a blend of rums from former British colonies, primarily Guyana and Trinidad. Despite popular belief to the contrary, Jamaican rum was rarely part of the navy’s blend.
The front label of the Pusser’s 15, which once read “Product of Trinidad West Indies,” now proclaims “Product of Guyana.” The back label reads, “The…blend… is heavily influenced by rum from the double wooden pot stills of Port Mourant, Guyana.”
Why was the Trinidad component removed? At this point, we can only speculate. Various reports indicate Trinidad Distiller’s Limited (TDL) has been beset by various issues; the decision to remove the Trinidad component may or may not be influenced by that.
It’s worth noting that DDL in Guyana is more than capable of making a light column style rum, similar to that made by TDL. A lighter TDL rum is believed to have been part of Pusser’s earlier blend. (Hat tip to Peter Holland for that initial observation.)
I applaud Pusser’s transparency in keeping their labels truthful and up to date, rather than trying to slip one past rum consumers. However, it’s also a vivid example of how the profile of even well-known blended rums can change significantly over time.
