For more than 300 years, long before the days of Nelson and his "Walls of Oak", Great Britains's Royal Navy issued a daily tot of PUSSER'S® RUM on board their ships. This tradition was one of the longest in seafaring history continuing until July 31, 1970. The name PUSSER'S®? Nothing more than a corruption of the word purser, the seaman responsible for the daily issue of PUSSER'S® RUM. This is the exact same rum that was still being served when the rum issue was stopped on July 31st, 1970. PUSSER'S® is the father of all Navy Rums and the standard by which others are measured. It is a blend of three centuries and six rums providing a full rich flavor that is unsurpassed. NO FLAVORING IS ADDED! It is ALL NATURAL.
PUSSER'S® costs more to produce because it's a pot stilled rum from whence its full, rich flavor derives (like single malt scotches). It is a higher proof as the Navy's rum was, and consequently, the taxes on it are also substantially higher. PUSSER'S® RUM, the same superb blend of 300 years and five West Indian rums as served on board Their Majesties' ships for three centuries.
PUSSER'S® RUM also known as "NELSON'S BLOOD" Liquid History!
Rum and the sea are inseparable, and no rum is more akin to the sea and the sailor than PUSSER'S® RUM – the Original Navy Rum. For more than 300 years, from the earliest days of wooden ships and iron men, sailors of Great Britain's Royal Navy were issued a daily ration – or "tot" – of rum by the ship's Purser (corrupted by the sailors to Pusser's). Prior to 1740, the men's daily tot of PUSSER'S® RUM was a pint a day, which they drank neat, that is without water! Before battle, they were issued a double 'tot', and always after victory for a job well done!
From 1655 to the 19th century, PUSSER'S® RUM was one of the few daily comforts afforded those early seamen of Britain's Navy as they fought around the globe to keep the Empire intact and its sea lanes open. It was not until July 31st, 1970 that the Admiralty Board abolished the daily issue of PUSSER'S® RUM. "Times had changed", they said as they concluded that "in a highly sophisticated navy no risk for margin or error which might be attributable to rum could be allowed". And so it was that the daily issue of PUSSER'S® RUM, which had stood the test of time as the Navy's longest serving tradition for over 300 years, was cast aside like a piece of flotsam and jetsam where it lay quietly until 1979.
In 1979, Charles Tobias – entrepreneur, global sailor, raconteur – sought to resurrect the PUSSER'S® RUM tradition. He obtained the rights and all the blending information from the Admiralty, and formed Pusser's Ltd. on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and began bottling and selling this storied spirit in 1980 to the public for the first time. (Prior to then, it was restricted to the Royal Navy). British Navy Pusser's Rum is the same Admiralty blend of five West Indian rums as issued on board British warships, and it is with the Admiralty's blessing and approval that PUSSER'S® is now available to the consumer.