Black Tot Rum Master Blender’s Reserve 2024. It seems only fitting to be reviewing the latest release of “Black Tot Rum Master Blender’s Reserve 2024 today, which is of course Black Tot Day.

It has been 5 years since the Black Tot brand launched their 50th Anniversary Blend to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the abolition of the daily Rum Ration in the British Navy. Black Tot Day 31st July 1970.

Since then the Black Tot brand have produced a Master Blender’s Reserve on an annual basis. The Master Blender in question is Oliver Chilton.

From the first Black Tot 50th Anniversary in 2020 to each subsequent Master Blender’s Reserve, each release gets more and more complex. This is because a small amount of the previous year’s bottling is blended into the final product.

The breakdown below is on a country/island basis. An even more in depth breakdown is provided here along with some further information for the discerning rum geek.

• 60% – Barbados – Foursquare, West Indies Rum Distillery, Mount Gay – between 7 and 22 years old;
• 25% – Trinidad – Trinidad Distillers, Caroni – between 12 and 26 years old;
• 5% – Jamaica – New Yarmouth, Clarendon, Long Pond, others – between 23 and 28 years old;
• 5%  – Guyana – Diamond Distillery – between 8 and 21 years old;
• 5%  – Perpetual Blend – a combination of Black Tot Master Blender’s Reserve 2023 and Black Tot Last Consignment.

So as you can see there is a lot going on in this particular release and a lot of notable rums contained within it.

Presentation wise the Black Tot have continued with what they know – the white/silver/gold colour scheme with only a slight variation for the year in question. The rum comes complete with an attractive cylinder and very much like the 3/4 stubby style bottle which is topped of with a chunky synthetic stopper.

It is available from the Whisky Exchange and some other selected retailers and should set you back around £140-145. It is bottled at a 54.5% ABV.

So lets see how Black Tot Rum Master Blender’s Reserve 2024 stacks up to previous years and other “Navy Style” rums. This blend is said to have more of a Barbadian influence to get more tropical notes. So I’ve been told.

In the glass we have golden to dark brown liquid with a little orange/red around the edges.

It is “smelllable” from a fair distance and the immediate notes are light tar, petrol and some diesel fuel. Maybe a touch of smoke. So yes that 5ish% Caroni influence is very much there and up front. No surprise it always has been strong stuff!

Further nosing reveals some fruity notes, a little pineapple, plums and a touch of banana. The smoky notes continue alongside the tar and I’m also getting some dark chocolate and a touch of tobacco.

All in all it is an inviting kind of nose if you like the deeper, darker side of rum………

Sipped it is immediately giving me more of a Jamaican mouthfeel – with a touch of astringency and some strong “funky” notes. Reminding me very much of Long Pond Distillery. No bad thing at all for me.

It’s quite bitter and smoky – definitely not a sweet rum. That said there is a fruitiness and a bit of sweetness that stops it from becoming to dry or for me to much like Scotch Whisky.

You can certainly taste the different aspects of this rum and I feel the heavier Barbados element is helping pull this rum together and stopping it from getting away from itself. It feels like it is keeping all the elements in check.

On the mid palate and further sips the smokiness continues blended with a light funk and some hints of caramel and molasses. A touch of cherry and a little hint of somethin

g slightly menthol.

I’m enjoying this very much. Each sip is a little different. It tastes old but has some vibrancy that stops it becoming too smoky or overly oaked.

On the finish Black Tot Rum Master Blender’s Reserve 2024 is long and very satisfying. Like old leather armchairs (thanks Dave Broom). It’s warm and comforting and extremely enjoyable.

All in all its an excellent blend and very well  balanced and put together. I could probably write another review in a week or so’s time and use a whole load more tasting and nosing “notes”. It is that complex and rewarding.

Excellent stuff all round yet again from the team at Elixir.