Rum Day 🥃

Overview

National Rum Day, celebrated annually on August 16th, is an unofficial observance dedicated to the versatile distilled spirit derived from sugarcane. It's a day for rum enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike to appreciate rum in its many forms, whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or as a key ingredient in popular cocktails, highlighting its rich history and diverse flavor profiles.

Origin and story

Rum production originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century.

The British Royal Navy historically issued a daily ration of rum to its sailors, known as a "tot."

Quick facts

• DateAugust 16
• TypeFood / Dessert
• Great forFoodies, Chocolate lovers, Home bakers

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Ways to celebrate

Rum was once a matter of official Royal Navy policy. After capturing Jamaica in 1655, the Navy switched sailors' daily ration from beer to the abundant local rum, and by 1740 it was watered down into "grog" to curb drunkenness — the tradition lasted 315 years until July 31, 1970, remembered as "Black Tot Day," when the last official rum ration was poured and some sailors marked the occasion with black armbands and mock funerals.

Pour your own tot

• Measure out a proper Navy-style tot (an eighth of a pint) of dark rum, neat or mixed with water into a grog, to taste roughly what sailors drank for over three centuries.

Read the story of its final day

Helpful resources: Forces News covers the rum ration's history and its abolition in "Black Tot Day: The end of the rum ration."

Try it beyond the glass

• Mix a classic rum cocktail like a daiquiri or dark 'n' stormy, or bake it into a dessert like rum cake or rum-soaked baba.

Did you know?

The rum ration was cut in 1970 largely over safety concerns — as ships grew more technologically complex, commanders worried that daily alcohol was too risky for sailors operating sensitive machinery and weapons systems.

Fun facts

• Rum production originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century.
• The British Royal Navy historically issued a daily ration of rum to its sailors, known as a "tot."
• Rum is distilled from sugarcane molasses or fresh sugarcane juice.

Sources and attribution

• Black Tot Day: The end of the rum ration (Forces News)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

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FAQ

When is Rum Day?

It is observed on August 16 each year.

What is Rum Day?

National Rum Day, celebrated annually on August 16th, is an unofficial observance dedicated to the versatile distilled spirit derived from sugarcane. It's a day for rum enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike to appreciate rum in its many forms, whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or as a key ingredient in popular cocktails, highlighting its rich history and diverse flavor profiles.

How do people celebrate Rum Day?

Pour a proper Royal Navy-style tot of rum or mix a classic rum cocktail, and read up on 'Black Tot Day' in 1970, when the Navy's 315-year-old daily rum ration officially ended.

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