BLACK TOT Master Blender's Reserve 2023 54,5%
For this 2023 edition, Oliver Chilton, Black Tot's Master Blender, sought to create a blend closer to Navy rum, with a heavier mouthfeel and rich notes of wood smoke, espresso and cocoa. As always, he sought to put his own spin on the blend, this year including a very old rum from Grenada, to add depth and accentuate the rich orange oil notes.
A greater proportion of Guyana has been included in this year's blend, with the notes of thick licorice and muscovade in this rum helping to recreate the unique flavor profiles of Navy rums of yore.
Nose: Powerful and spicy. Orange, clove, cinnamon.
Mouth: Round and greedy. Liquorice, caramel, orange marmalade.
Finish: Long and complex. Rum/raisin, chocolate, nutmeg.
July 31, 1970 marks the end of the distribution of daily rations of rum, then nicknamed Black Tot, in the English Navy. Paying homage to this ancient practice, Black Tot rum is a blend of Caribbean rums and concentrates the fruit aromas of Barbados, the spices of Guyana and the intensity of Jamaica. Complex and pleasant, it remains in the memory long after tasting.