Black Dead Last Consignment

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 54.3% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Black Tot Last Consignment comes from the remaining original stocks of the British Royal Navy. On 31 July 1970, known as Black Tot Day, the daily rum ration aboard its ships came to an end. This blend preserves the naval rum of that era rather than recreating it today.

In December 1970, the rum was transferred into stoneware containers holding one imperial gallon each and sealed under British customs supervision. Stocks from three storage locations were brought together for Last Consignment and subsequently bottled. Those decades of storage were therefore spent in stoneware, not undergoing further cask maturation. At 54.3%, its strength is very close to the strength at which the rum was originally issued.

The historic blend evolved through continuous blending over more than a century. Its Caribbean origins are intertwined with a distilling history that can no longer be fully reconstructed. Last Consignment is bottled without chill filtration or the addition of sugar or flavourings.

The 0.7-litre bottle is presented in a wooden box. It comes with a copper-coated tot cup, a replica ration card and a companion book on the history of the rum written by Dave Broom.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose opens with dark sugar syrup, followed by dark chocolate, very ripe dark fruit, muscovado sugar and walnuts. A drop of water brings out overripe banana, liquorice root and tamarind paste with a balsamic nuance. Molasses and subtle smoky notes add to the bouquet.
• Palate: The opening is thick and sweet before the rum becomes lighter and oak emerges. Blackcurrants and blackberry liqueur follow, then espresso and cocoa.
• Finish: Fragrant pale wood, dark fruit and cigar tobacco linger through the very long finish. Smoke and molasses accompany the dry finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

Behind Black Tot is Elixir Distillers, the company built by brothers Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh to develop, blend and bottle spirits. The brothers founded The Whisky Exchange in 1999; Sukhinder’s first own cask bottling followed in 2002 under The Single Malts of Scotland. This activity grew into a portfolio that includes Port Askaig and Elements of Islay alongside Black Tot.

The independent bottling division previously known as Speciality Drinks was renamed Elixir Distillers in 2017. Last Consignment was bottled in Scotland by Speciality Drinks Ltd. The original rums come from the Caribbean and are brought together by the company under Black Tot.

Facts: