Black Tot Finest Caribbean
flavorcamp
August 16, 2025
TL;DR: Black Tot proves a Navy blend can be elegant, layered, and downright moreish.
Black Tot Finest Caribbean is a contemporary reworking of Navy rum tradition, bottled by Elixir Distillers in Scotland. While it nods to the historic “Black Tot Day” of 1970 (the end of daily rum rations in the British Navy), this expression takes a decidedly modern approach. The new 2025 formulation blends rums from Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad, and Jamaica, balancing pot and column still distillates for layered character. Unlike many blended rums, Black Tot is unsweetened and non-chill filtered, letting the natural complexity shine. Elixir Distillers — the company behind Elements of Islay and the soon-to-open Islay distillery — treats this rum with the same craft-first ethos that whisky enthusiasts expect. It’s a bottle that bridges history with innovation, trading sailor’s grog for something far more polished.
Flavor Camp Taste Profile
Overall Review
- Overall Assessment: 88/100
- Distinctiveness: 6.5/10
- Bottle Appeal: 7.5/10
- Value for Price: 6.5/10
- Crushable / Daily Drinker
- Cocktail Worthy
- Special Occasion Sipper
- Weird & Wonderful
- Skip It
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Tawny
- Aroma: Toffee and medjool dates lead, with French toast and maple butter richness. Layers of macadamia and nougat unfold, while faint tropical hints of pineapple and mango brighten the edges.
- Taste & Mouthfeel: Creamy and nutty with honeycomb sweetness and a crème brûlée richness. A dusting of cinnamon adds warmth, while ripe mango peeks through, lifting the palate with a juicy tropical accent.
- Finish: Long and satisfying. Buttery toffee and roasted nuts linger, giving way to soft oak spice, golden syrup, and a touch of tropical fruit that keeps things fresh. A gentle cocoa note emerges late, balancing sweetness with depth.
- Distinctiveness: Finest Caribbean sets itself apart by rethinking Navy-style blends for today’s drinkers. Instead of brute-force heaviness or sweetened shortcuts, it delivers a clean, naturally rich profile that feels both modern and rooted in tradition.
- Overall Drinkability & Balance: Complex yet approachable. Its creamy, nutty profile is inviting on its own, while enough spice and fruit make it versatile in cocktails. The balance between indulgent sweetness and natural dryness makes it a rum you’ll keep reaching for.
Product Details
- Producer: Elixir Distillers
- Type: Blended Caribbean Rum
- Age: NAS (blend of younger and older rums)
- Still Type: Pot & column blend
- Cask Type(s): Ex-Bourbon
- Origin: 40%: Guyana, aged 3-5 years, Pot and Column blend 20%: Guyana, unaged Pot and Column blend 35%: Barbados, aged 5 years Pot and Column blend 5% Jamaica, aged 3 years Pot still only
- Composition: Molasses
- ABV: 46.2% ABV
- # of Distillations: Varied
- Price: $65-75 CAD (2025)
Fun Facts / Notes:
- Bottled by Elixir Distillers, the folks behind Elements of Islay and builders of a new Islay distillery.
- The blend includes rums from Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad, and Jamaica (40%: Guyana, aged 3-5 years, Pot and Column blend 20%: Guyana, unaged Pot and Column blend 35%: Barbados, aged 5 years Pot and Column blend 5% Jamaica, aged 3 years Pot still only)
- Unsweetened and non-chill filtered, proving a Navy-style rum can be pure and honest.
Food Pairing Recommendations:
- Banana bread with walnuts (nutty-sweet harmony)
- Grilled pork with pineapple salsa (savory + tropical complement)
- Salted caramel cheesecake (indulgence on indulgence)
Cocktail Recommendations
- Mai Tai (its nutty, tropical character plays beautifully with orgeat and lime)
- Rum Manhattan (bold enough to replace whiskey, with toffee and spice in tow)
- Jungle Bird (the tropical fruit lift balances Campari’s bitterness)
