Pusser's Rum -- history?

[crankyyankee]

Hey all,

On the subject of rum, I've heard (from a thoroughly unreliable source, I admit) that Pusser's Rum, the British label, takes its recipe as well as its name from the old formula for Royal Navy Rum: the stuff they issued to sailors in daily drams up until a few decades ago. Sounds cute, but I smell a well thought-out publicity campaign. Does anyone know the facts on this brand? For that matter, does anyone know what happened to the British Navy's rum recipe when they stopped issuing rum to sailors?

Dan Gilman

[dls]

Hey all,

On the subject of rum, I've heard (from a thoroughly unreliable source, I admit) that Pusser's Rum, the British label, takes its recipe as well as its name from the old formula for Royal Navy Rum: the stuff they issued to sailors in daily drams up until a few decades ago.  Sounds cute, but I smell a well thought-out publicity campaign.  Does anyone know the facts on this brand?  For that matter, does anyone know what happened to the British Navy's rum recipe when they stopped issuing rum to sailors?

Dan Gilman

The name Pussers is a corruption of the word purser. The ships purser stored and rationed a daily "Tot" of rum Royal Navy crew mwmbers, starting in 1655. The practice was discontinued on 07/31/70 - known as Black Tot Day.

In 1979, a fellow on Tortola in the BVI negotiated with the Admiralty and secured the rights to the name, blending info, etc for production and sale to the public. In return, a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the rum are donated to the Royal Navy Sailor's Fund.

Link below for more info

http://www.pussers.com/rum/history

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

PUSSER'S ® - The Original Navy Rum:

http://www.pussers.com/

[Ed Hamilton]

While all this does sound like a well-orchestrated publicity campaign, it is true. All except the part of the label that says the rum comes from the British Virgin Islands.

The Pusser's brand was sold to Jim Beam Brands more than a decade ago so that Pusser's Rum Company stores could expand to the US. But now Jim Beam has sold the brand back to investors from, I'm told, the British Virgin Islands.

While Pusser's that we know today isn't the original it is fairly close. The British Admiralty shared the recipe with Charles Tobias who founded the company in the late 70s.

Cheers.