The Black Tot brand is the heir to an astonishing English tradition that dates back to the 18th century. From 1731 each sailor in the British Royal Navy received a daily ration of 50cl of rum!
This daily ration of rum was administered to them in order to disinfect the drinking water which quickly stagnated in the holds of the ships due to the heat and humidity. This rum was served precisely at 54.5% vol. A degree which still defines the standard of “Navy Proof” today. Indeed, at this level, gunpowder continues to explode even if, inadvertently, it becomes soaked in rum. Whereas at a lower level the gunpowder thus moistened would become unusable.
In the jargon of the British Navy, this daily ration of rum was called "the daily tot". It was made up of a blend of rums from British colonies across the planet (as far as Australia with rum from the Beenleigh distillery). The British admiralty ordered no less than 50 million liters of rum from its colonies each year! Assembled in large wooden tuns in the United Kingdom, the "daily tot" was then shipped on ships of the royal fleet around the world.
But this astonishing tradition came to an abrupt end on July 31, 1970. Indeed, after a 1h30 debate in the House of Lords, it was judged that the permanent state of intoxication of the sailors was incompatible with the arrival of the computer tool on ships deck. This disastrous day was baptized by the sailors "The Black Tot Day"! A fatal day celebrated every year on July 31.
The Black Tot brand offers a range of rums directly inspired by this glorious tradition. Thus, it exclusively offers blends of Traditional British rums without added sugar or cold filtration. It even bottles, in very limited quantities, the real rum which was served to English sailors on July 31, 1970!
