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On Friday thirty first July 1970, a centuries-old British naval custom was dropped at an abrupt finish. Right here, Alexandra Grey de Walden explores the origins of Black Tot Rum.
The final day of July represents a darkish day in British naval historical past – a “black” day, you may say. Because the seventeenth century, sailors onboard British warships had been issued with a day by day ration of alcohol. It began as “small beer”, a a lot weaker incarnation of the beers we all know right this moment, coming in at lower than one % alcohol-by-volume (ABV). As with most traditions from the British Armed Forces, this was for a purely sensible slightly than romantic cause – the beer would maintain higher and for longer than water.
Small beers quickly developed into more durable spirits which had been even higher at retaining freshness because of the excessive alcohol content material. The Admiralty had initially chosen brandy however with ever-increasing naval conflicts with France, it was determined it was a poor present of patriotism to proceed with that French spirit.
It’s extensively thought of that 1655 is the yr through which brandy was swapped out for rum because the Navy’s day by day “tot” of alternative. Round this time, Britain was extending its attain into the Caribbean. With out wishing to decrease them, the ramifications of colonialism are past the scope of this text. However one results of this era, for all its horrors, is the introduction of rum. This native spirit grew to become an apparent alternative for day by day rations resulting from its accessibility – and higher but, it had nothing to do with the French.
A sailor’s day by day tot had, beforehand, not been quantified or codified and had been recognized to achieve as a lot as a gallon a day. Unsurprisingly, this meant common incidents of inebriated sailors little doubt tripping over anchor strains and hoisting the mistaken semaphore flags. Thus, in 1740, an official “recipe” and allocation was created. Every sailor was issued with a quarter-pint of diluted rum per day, issued in two components. This was instigated by Admiral Edward Vernon, who grew to become affectionately recognized within the Navy as “Outdated Grog” resulting from his grogram (silk and mohair or wool combine) coat. Shortly, these day by day rations grew to become often known as “grog” and to really feel “groggy” adopted quickly after.
Whereas the day by day tot was starting to die out for sure ranks as early because the Eighteen Eighties, the Second World Warfare was to sign but additional prohibition on board. These rules weren’t issued formally by the Admiralty however as a substitute, instigated in-house by sure Navy branches. As an example, Navy aircrews insisted on a four-hour break “from bottle to throttle”.
Ultimately, after being debated within the Home of Commons, it was agreed (pretty swiftly) that the times of the Navy tot had been over. On Friday thirty first July 1970, the final tots had been issued and First Sea Lord and Admiral of the Fleet, Michael Le Fanu, marked this black day with a particular sign (a written memo, slightly like a telegram). “Most farewell messages attempt, to jerk a tear from the attention. However I say to you lot, ‘Very unhappy in regards to the tot’ however thanks, good luck and goodbye.” This swansong was made all of the extra poignant as Le Fanu was terminally in poor health at this level and died earlier than the top of the yr.
As a result of velocity at which this ruling had been made, the Navy had a reasonably wholesome inventory of rum flagons remaining. Enter whisky afficionado and entrepreneur Sukhinder Singh. After having the chance to style one in all these ex-Navy flagons, he then purchased all of the remaining ones he might discover. He then determined, much more astutely, to bottle them as “Black Tot Final Consignment” – a mix of a few of these flagons, bottled to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Black Tot Day in 2010.
This extremely restricted rum delights with treacle and darkish chocolate notes. Regardless of the age of its element liquids, there are nonetheless flavours of ripe black fruits which descend into darkish depths of muscovado sugar and walnuts on the palate. A drop of water wakes up bruised banana and liquorice from their slumber.
In 2011, Sukhinder went one higher and based the Black Tot Rum model. Removed from being reliant on one, finite, supply of liquid, Black Tot Rum has endeavoured to steer “the evolution of rum blends” and turn out to be one thing of an professional bottler. The 2024 Grasp Blender’s Reserve is a concoction of a few of these well-known flagons with a decide of the rum world’s rarest casks. The 2024 launch features a 22-year-old Mount Homosexual (Barbados), a 26-year-old Caroni (Trinidad) and a 17-year-old Foursquare (Barbados). The result’s a decidedly fruit-forward rum with pleasant, tropical notes of pineapple, lime and ginger. It is a deft mix of elegantly aged rums with an attractive, treacle-like mouthfeel.
As an alternative of lamenting the lack of a Royal Navy custom, we should always look as a substitute to the experience, revival and unbridled ardour for rum that the day has introduced us within the type of Black Tot Rum.
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