Black Tot Rum

On the 31st of July 1970, a 300-year-old Royal Naval tradition ended at precisely 6 bells in the forenoon watch, when the last rum ration was issued aboard ships of the British Royal Navy; a day to be forever remembered as Black Tot Day.

Forty years on, in 2010, as a mark of respect to this wonderful tradition, Elixir Distillers launched Black Tot Last Consignment a blend of rum made up of the very last remaining stocks of Royal Navy rum that had been discovered in naval warehouses in Dartmouth and Deptford. This historic rum had sat dormant for over 30 years, only seeing the light of day on state occasions and Royal weddings.

In 2019 Elixir Distillers launched a new, accessible rum that pays homage to the history of naval rum whilst turning the style on its head. Black Tot rum is a blend of some of the finest spirits from Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica, creating a modern, versatile and multi-layered rum that appeals to rum and whisky lovers across all seas.

Black Tot combines elegant, rich flavours from Barbados and Guyana with the bold character of Jamaica. This multi-layered rum is unsweetened, un-chill filtered and bottled at 46.2% ABV for extra flavour.

Born from century-old naval traditions, this rum is created for the palate of today, for the here, for the now. A rum to be forever remembered

Tasting Notes

Nose: Thick and fruity, with pineapples, bananas and freshly-removed banana peel in a chamois leather bag. Golden syrup, brown sugar and funkily sweet sugar-cane juice peek out from behind the fruit, with a touch of polished oak following in their wake.

Palate: Rounded and rich, with butter toffee, banana cream and caramel to start. Gentle cinnamon and allspice build, with more fruit – baked apples, pineapple cubes and dried mango – joined by coffee, bittersweet dark chocolate and a grind of black pepper.

Finish: Chocolatey mocha coffee fades, leaving roasted bananas and a tingle of anise.