Black Tot Master Blender’s Reserve Rum 2021. As we close in on 2021, I felt it was right I put some time in and reviewed this rum. Not just because it will soon be 2022 and it will be “out of date”.

I’m actually making sure this is reviewed this year, so it has the chance to “compete” for the most prestigious Award in the Rum World………. That is of the course thefatrumpirate.com Rum of the Year!

Okay maybe it isn’t all that prestigious but nevertheless I think it would be a huge oversight not to at least give it a chance of being in the running. After all it’s predecessor Black Tot 50th Anniversary Rum picked up the crown last year.

So what has changed since last years bottling? Well presentation wise – not all that much. The overall bottle and design is much the same with only really the title of the rum changing. However, the blend has been changed considerably. Once again a detailed breakdown of each component in the blend is provided on the rear of the bottle.

The price is also slightly higher than last years bottling coming in at £120 rather than £110. It is available at all good retailers and  Master of Malt currently have it in stock at £119.95 and free delivery. It is bottled at 54.5% ABV

Following the takeover of The Whisky Exchange – the company behind Black Tot Elixir Distillers are no longer connected/affiliated as much with The Whisky Exchange. Though they still stock the full range and I would imagine will continue to do so.

Black Tot Master Blender’s Reserve Rum 2021 commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the last rum ration given to Australian sailors on British Royal Navy ships. As well as the usual suspects making up this blend. Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, we also have 6.7% of the blend made up of Australian Pot Still rum from the Beenleigh Distillery.

If you want a further breakdown of the blend then visit the Black Tot website here. They have a done a great job giving details of everything in the bottle.

For a quick run through the rum uses 14% of the 50th Anniversary Blend as the base for this rum – we then have rum from all the nations above added into the blend. The blend has been re-casked in ex-sherry casks/butts. I’m unsure how long the blend was left in the casks/butts.

In the glass we have a medium/dark brown coloured spirit with flashes of gold. The nose is rich and warming. Slightly smoky with some slightly fuesel notes and a bit of engine oil.

With time in the glass the fruitier and spicier elements of the rum come more to the forefront. Some citrus – lime zest and orange peel mingle alongside spices such as Cinnamon. I don’t know if I’m influenced by the time of year but it smells a bit Christmas-y. Which is nice.

There is hit of Jamaica Pot Still rum and dark raisin from the Guyanese/Perpetual Blend element. It’s a rich deep complex nose and very inviting.

On the sip it is a touch smoky and slightly “musty” this is interspersed by big hits of lime zest/juice, orange peel, bananas in syrup and some honey. As we move into the mid palate we get a more oilier mouthfeel with a richer denser profile. Touch of petrol, lots of raisins dipped in dark chocolate.

The fruitiness on the mid palate evolves into a more Tropical note with Lychee’s and Guava coming in. I’m getting oranges and tangerines as well.

The complexity on the nose does come through on the sip. This is a rich very typical Navy Style Rum. That said it carries the kind of complexity only really found in the likes of its predecessor and Velier’s Royal Navy Rum. The standard Black Tot is a very good rum. This, however is a good few notches ahead of it in terms of overall complexity and body.

The finish does not disappoint either as most of the components found in the entry and mid palate merge together in a quite citrus heavy finish. There are some herbal notes as well and a re-assuring “mustyness” which tells me that we have some very old rum lurking in the blend.

The length on the finish is just right and the flavours linger for long after the liquid has evaporated. As mentioned already this is quite an intense rum so you will probably take time between each sip to savour the finish. I certainly have anyway.

As is often the way my previous years bottling is long gone. So I can’t do a head to head comparison. I do know that this is definitely in the same league as the 50th Anniversary and I really have no hesitation in giving a rum as good as this full marks.

Another great addition to the Black Tot cannon.

Great stuff.