A Beginner’s Guide to Navy-Strength Rum

The Royal Navy ’s successful intrusion of Jamaica in 1655 had a lot of terribly negative outcomes . The commander ended up in the Tower of London . Many of the English sailor fell sick or lust . A lot of Spanish settlers died . But there was one undeniably positive outcome : rummy .

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After that fated encroachment , the Royal Navy started giving its sailor daily ration of domestically produced rum rather of the French brandy they ’d been receive . ( “ Domestically farm ” meaning produced on the captured island of Jamaica , of path . ) refer to as a “ tot , ” this ration of rummy measure about half a dry pint and was given to sailors around midday . The order used to pass out rummy rations—”splice the mainbrace”—got its name from one of the most unmanageable repair jobs aboard it the ship . It remains a euphemism for having a drink today .

for ensure that the rum had n’t been watered down , the sailors would “ prove ” the spirit ’s persuasiveness by pullulate it on gunpowder and then endeavor to light it . If it lit up , they knew that the alcohol content was greater than 57 percent . If it did not , the rummy was deal “ under cogent evidence . ” This is where the term alcoholic drink validation come from , though it meanssomething somewhat differenttoday .

The Royal Navy later fine-tune the formula of the ration after the rum had been prove by adding some water and a bit of lime juice to combat scurvy . This healthy cocktail became known as grog after the eighteenth 100 British full admiral Edward Vernon , better recognise as “ Old Grog ” for the waterproof grogram cloak he wore at sea .

Over the course of the past three century , Navy - strength rummy has become the hooey of legend . The cryptic chocolate-brown spirit made its way around the world , often in oak grog gun barrel with cheek letters that read “ The Queen God Bless Her , ” or “ The King God hallow Him ” depending on the sovereignty . Sailorsused copper cupsof various “ meter ” to allot out the grog . Since it took little more than molasses to make rum , the Royal Navy had no trouble keeping the kegs full .

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Over the centuries , rum rations were reduced again and again until July 31 , 1970 , when the Royal Navy put an final stage to daily rummy rations for skimmer . Quite obviously , operate heavy machinery and drinking big sum of money of intoxicant do not mix , even thought each sailor ’s tot was only an eighth of a pint at that point . The solar day of the final rationbecame known as Black Tot Day .

The end of the Royal Navy ration custom did not spell the end of Navy - strength rummy , however . In 1979 , distiller Charles Tobias incur the official rum recipe from the Admirality and began selling the same portmanteau word of five West Indian rum that used to fill the grog tubs on British warships . Tobias named his novel company Pusser ’s after the slang term for a ship ’s purser , who in the first place broadcast the rations . Others followed , and now there ’s a small category of Navy - strong point rums that smell like alcohol and taste like imperium . You ’re going to enjoy them .

Pusser’s Rum Black Label: Gunpowder Proof

Pusser ’s Black Label rum is arguably as close as you could get to drink what the Royal Navy once drank . This “ Gunpowder Proof ” rum clocks in at 109 proof ( a slight over 54 - percent alcoholic drink by loudness ) which is just shy of the 57 - per centum figure normally used to describe Navy - strength . We ’ll allow you conduct your own powder test , though . [ $ 35 ]

Lost Spirits Navy Style Cask Strength Rum

Produced with the gamy grade molasses , Lost feeling Navy Style rummy is wondrous complex , perhaps thanks to being stored in charred American oak tree cask seasoned with Oloroso Sherry . The first sip almost tasteslike a fine single malt whiskeybut the gratifying goal is nothing but delicious refined rum . Made in northern California , so you cognise it ’s fancy . [ $ 50 ]

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum

This is the whole package — and also one of the most popular Navy - strength rums . Made on the same island where the Royal Navy first made rummy a part of their everyday life , Smith & Cross is unfiltered and full of tone . The brand itself even dates back to a bread refinery near the river Thames that opened in 1788 , when rummy first begin filling cellars in London . [ $ 30 ]

Rumbullion! Navy Strength

The origins of the word “ rum ” are problematical , but it ’s mostly believe that it comes from “ rumbullion ” , an antiquated English word for a rowdy safe time . With a mitt - drawn grog tub on the recording label , this spirit is clearly canalise its Royal Navy roots . Rumbullion promise hint of cardamom , Eugenia aromaticum and vanilla extract . It ’s also extra naughty for extra fun . [ $ 70 ]

Black Tot ‘Last Consignment’ British Royal Naval Rum

This refined , super hard to chance rum come from the last remaining kegs of Royal Navy rum . That ’s right : the same stuff the sailor drank . It ’s chocolately , oaky , anisey — just incredible . A bottleful costs as much as a car , but it comes with a free ration cup ! [ $ 1,000 ]

Oh , and if you need to get really unquestionable and make some grog , try this formula .

GIF by Nick Stango

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