the story
Over the years Black Seal Rum has become synonymous with Bermuda. It is an essential ingredient in Bermuda fish chowder, adds the island flavor to the Bermuda Rum Swizzle, and is the tempest in Bermuda’s favorite cocktail the Dark ‘n Stormy®.
1806
In the spring of 1806 James Gosling, the oldest son of William Gosling, wines and spirits merchant, set out from Gravesend, Kent, England on the ship Mercury, with £10,000 sterling worth of merchandise, bound for America. After ninety-one desperate days on becalmed seas their charter ran out, and they put in at the nearest port, St. George’s, Bermuda. And the rest, as they say, is history. Delicious, deep, dark history.
1824
James and his brother Ambrose rented a shop on Front Street in the new capital of Hamilton for £25 a year. The Goslings maintained a store at this location for 127 years.
1857
The firm, known as Gosling and Son, was renamed Gosling Brothers. Three years later the first oak barrels of rum distillate arrived in Bermuda. After much experimentation in the blending process, the distinctive black rum destined to be Black Seal was formulated and offered for sale.
1914
They didn’t call it Black Seal at first, in fact up until the First World War it was sold from the barrel, and folks brought in bottles for a fill up of “Old Rum”, so called because of its distinctive smoothness.
Eventually the black rum was sold in champagne bottles, reclaimed from the British Officer’s Mess, and the corks sealed with black sealing wax. Pretty soon people began to ask for the “Black Seal”. Many years later a play on words and images gave birth to the little, barrel juggling “Black Seal”.
1999
Goslings Black Seal Rum was awarded the PLATINUM MEDAL at the World Spirits Championships. Scoring 96 out of a possible 100 points and recognized as a Best Buy, Black Seal was described as “superlative”.
This is the largest international spirits judging in North America, with all tastings sponsored by the Beverage Testing Institute, Inc. (BTI).
The judges said “Deep, assertive and highly flavoured. Very fragrant with herbal sharpness. At the finish there is a softness and elegance. A most complex, unusual spirit”.
2006
To commemorate our bicentennial year, we honored local centenarians with an ad campaign featuring Bermudians who have also reached an important milestone: 100 years. Like most Gosling projects, this one was a family affair. Nancy Gosling, President and CEO of Gosling Brothers Limited explains: “We are very proud of reaching 200 years as a family business in Bermuda, and it is imperative that we recognize all those who have helped to make that possible.”The ads include a brief bio of the individual, their secret for longevity and favorite spot on Bermuda. It sums up by saying, “For 200 years now, this most special island has been our home. We want to thank all of you–young and old–for making it possible. Yes, we’ve seen a lot of changes here, but we’ve seen a lot of preservation, too. Because when you have something unique, something remarkable, why mess with it? That’s been our philosophy for seven stubborn generations.”
today
Today, we continue to share the history, the product, and the happiness that has made our family business successful for eight generations.
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