31 July 1970, "the black tot day", is a historic day for Royal Navy sailors, because it is the date of the last ration of rum that was distributed daily to soldiers. It was from the 17th century that the men of the Navy enjoyed a "tot" of the finest rums from around the world, particularly from friendly nations or Her Majesty's colonies.

Historically, sailors were given a ration of beer which was soon replaced by a pint a day of rum, but this was reduced over the years to an eighth of a pint divided into two servings a day. Around 10am and from 4pm to 6pm, at the call of "Up Spirits!" accompanied by a hiss of a trumpet, sailors queued up to receive their daily portion of rum diluted with water.

As the years went by and ships advanced in technology, the consumption of alcohol on board by sailors was viewed less and less favourably by the Admiralty and the conclusion was inevitably reached to abolish the daily dose of the much-loved rum blend. Following the decision in 1970, sailors expressed their displeasure in all sorts of ways, including rum funerals. Today, Black Tot Rum celebrates this history - spirits up!