Black Tot, 50th Anniversary
I bought the Black Tot 50th Anniversary as a birthday present to myself. If you’ve followed my rum journey for a while you’ll know that I’m a big fan of the brand, and this is one more step towards completing my collection. The 50th anniversary was a milestone release for Black Tot, a brand that has become synonymous with the heritage of the Royal Navy rum ration and the long, multi-country tradition of blended naval-style rums.
Black Tot Day refers to 31 July 1970, when the Royal Navy ended the daily rum ration. Black Tot (the brand) has turned that history into a celebration of rare and unusual rums, often blending spirits of different ages and origins to create expressions that feel both complex and historically inspired. The 50th Anniversary edition is especially notable because it includes a portion of rum originally destined for sailors, giving it a direct link to the legacy Black Tot honours. Each release feels like a careful blend of craftsmanship and storytelling, a way to connect with naval history while enjoying a modern, collectible bottling.
Facts & Figures.
ABV: 54.5%
Country: Full breakdown here
Age: A blend of 9 to 45 years
Cask: Blend
Still: Blend
Price: ~£400 (only available at auction/secondary market)
Distillery: Blend
On the nose.
Unmistakeable Guyana up front with thick black liquorice, raisins, damp & old wood, leather, blackcurrants and a dusty warehouse floor. Rich, dark, gooey chocolate ganache alongside walnuts and macadamia nuts. Towards the tail end there’s some delicious Jamaican funk punching through leading wonderful final notes of pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg and coffee.
On the palate.
This is incredibly dense and chewy with a reasonable punch of heat initially. Much like the nose this is Guyana forward whilst remaining beautifully complimented by the other profiles that make up the blend.
So many profiles jump out at me that I know it’s going to take a good few tastings for me to get everything down cohesively… for now though there’s a bittersweet, dark (85%+) chocolate, molasses, espresso, liquorice, raisins, walnut and lots of density that all add depth, character and body. The heavy body of this continues as hot tar & oil make a pit stop (pun intended) as the profile continues to evolve through breakfast tea, golden syrup and brown sugar into nettles, overripe banana, fresh & juicy pineapple, mango and very bright zesty lime.
10/10 – This is incredibly moreish and I’m a huge fan of the ‘Guyana & Friends’ feel to this.
Having chased this bottle for a while, I’m not disappointed!
My scoring system, explained
- 10: Exceptional. This is best in class and a firm favourite of mine.
- 9: Outstanding. Near perfection, a bottle I would be sad to finish (and very happy to restock!)
- 8: Excellent. An evening spent sipping this would be a very good one.
- 7: Great. Add to cart, no questions asked.
- 6: Very good. At the right price I would definitely buy a bottle.
- 5: Good. If someone poured me a glass you wouldn’t hear me complain.
- 4: Above average. Not quite good but better than some.
- 3: Average. Average at best, this isn’t offensive but equally not exciting either.
- 2: Not for me. This simply means it’s not a profile I find enjoyable; rather than a reflection of quality.
- 1: Not the spirit. This is a poor representation of the spirit.
