Royal Navy Rum Flagon Bottled Pre 1970 450cl

A 4.5 litre flagon of Royal Navy Rum, presented in the traditional wicker casing. There is no text visible on the wax seal, which usually indicates the bottle year. We estimate this was bottled prior to 1970, the year that the naval rum ration was discontinued.

Rum has been associated with the Royal Navy since the British fleet captured the island of Jamaica in 1655. The availability of rum led the Navy to swap the daily ration of French brandy with Caribbean rum, which was issued to each sailor at midday. In the 1740s, Admiral Edward Vernon began the practice of diluting the rum with water to minimize the effect of alcohol on the crew, this mixture became known as ‘grog’.

The daily rum ration, or ‘tot’, was served until 31 July 1970, a day now known as ‘Black Tot Day’. In modern times, a tot of rum is issued to naval crew to celebrate special occasions, such as royal weddings.

This Royal Navy Rum Flagon sold at our online auction for £1,550