On July 31st 1970 a 300 year-old Royal Naval tradition ended at precisely 6 bells in the forenoon watch (11am) when the last rum ration was issued aboard ships of the Royal Navy – a day to be forever remembered as Black Tot Day.

With the withdrawal of the rum ration, the Royal Navy had little use for the remaining rum stocks which were filled into wicker clad stone flagons and transferred to HM bonded warehouses where it remained undisturbed, being only broached for use on State Occasions and Royal Weddings until now.

The precise makeup or age of the rum cannot be specified but records support that it was probably distilled in the 1950’s and was imported from the West Indies. Nevertheless, a slice of history is up for grabs, the likes of which we couldn’t imagine ever being seen again!