Stories about the British Navy’s daily rum ration inevitably include imagery of sailors lined up at the grog tub, emblazoned with “God Save the Queen” – or “King”, if you go back far enough. It suggests that sailors were anxiously awaiting their mix of rum and water (“grog”), eager to consume it straightaway. However, sailors… Continue Reading →
July 31st, 1970 — a day that lives in infamy as Black Tot day. It was on this day that British navy sailors received their final daily rum ration, something dear since its 1731 establishment. These days, every July 31st is an annual occasion for enthusiasts and marketers to tell the remarkable story of British… Continue Reading →
The narrative most rum enthusiasts know about British navy rum usually starts around 1731, when the British Navy declared that (in certain parts of the globe) a daily ration of rum was to be issued to their sailors. Alternately, they might know that in 1740 Admiral Edward Vernon decreed that the sailors’ daily rum ration… Continue Reading →
As we hurtle towards the 50th Anniversary of Black Tot day, a lot of interest is focused on the British Royal Navy’s tradition of issuing a daily rum ration to its members. One of the hallowed auxiliary traditions of the rum ration was the order of “Splice the Mainbrace”, called by an officer on the… Continue Reading →
Who doesn’t love the story of British Navy Rum? With the 50th anniversary of Black Tot Day coming up on July 31st, 2020, liquor store shelves are awash in “navy rum”. As someone who’s spent the last 18th months intensively studying British navy rum, I’m quite excited about all this! But, in a cruel twist… Continue Reading →
It’s common knowledge In the rum world from sheer repetition: The fabled British Navy rum, served to bluejackets for three centuries, is a blend of rums from the Four Horsemen of British Colonial rum: Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, and Trinidad. It’s an appealing narrative. Who doesn’t love funky Jamaican rum? (Mrs. Wonk will come around eventually… Continue Reading →
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.
