PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Gosling’s Black Seal is one of the most historic names in rum. The Gosling family business dates to 1806, when Englishman James Gosling, bound for America, ended up docking in Bermuda, and it is now the oldest surviving business on the island. The family began blending rums in the 1860s and had developed their Old Rum within a few years. The name comes from the way it was sold: the rum was bottled in champagne bottles salvaged from the Bermuda Garrison Officers’ Messes and sealed with black wax. People began asking for “the black seal rum,” and the name stuck.
Black Seal is a blend of pot-still and column-still rums, aged three to six years in re-charred American oak (ex-bourbon) barrels. As an honest note for customers, the base rum is sourced from the Caribbean and elsewhere, and the family blends and ages it in Bermuda, which has never had a rum distillery. The distillery produces a dark copper-mahogany rum at 40% ABV with a rich, thick profile. Gosling Brothers holds the registered trademark for the Dark ‘n Stormy, the cocktail made with ginger beer, so Black Seal is the only rum legally allowed in an authentic Dark ‘n Stormy. The brand’s recipe is 2 oz of Black Seal, 6 oz of Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer, and a lime wedge.
The producer’s notes describe an aroma of “fruitcake, herbal and spice, butterscotch, banana, vanilla,” a taste that is “rich, intricate flavour, well balanced with thick, sweet spices, stewed fruits, vanilla,” and a finish of “spice, crisp, tingling.” Class Magazine found “pungent treacle, stewed fruit and banana cake with estery cinnamon prickle,” “dark muscovado sugar/treacle and spicy cinnamon with zesty orange and burnt fruit cake,” and a finish of “clove and burnt currants,” “robust enough to make a great Dark & Stormy.” It has earned a Platinum Medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute and has been described as one of the most decorated dark rums in its price class. A fair note: reviewers who tried it neat found it “a little harsh on the finish” and best as “a good value mixer,” which is how it’s intended to be used. It’s the right rum for a Dark ‘n Stormy, a Rum Old Fashioned, a Jungle Bird, or a Painkiller.
Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum is blended and bottled by Gosling Brothers Limited in Hamilton, Bermuda, a family company dating to 1806. It is a blend of pot-still and column-still rums, aged three to six years in re-charred American oak barrels, with a dark copper-mahogany color. Bottled at 40% ABV / 80 proof, 750ml.
Platinum Medal — Beverage Tasting Institute
Class Magazine (tasting note):
“Appearance: Clear, caramel amber. Aroma: Pungent treacle, stewed fruit and banana cake with estery cinnamon prickle. Taste: Dark muscovado sugar/treacle and spicy cinnamon with zesty orange and burnt fruit cake. Aftertaste: Mouth drying burnt toast carbon finish with clove and burnt currants. Robust enough to make a great Dark & Stormy.”
Gosling’s (official tasting notes):
“Taste: Rich, intricate flavour, well balanced with thick, sweet spices, stewed fruits, vanilla. Aroma: Fruitcake, herbal and spice, butterscotch, banana, vanilla. Colour: Dark copper mahogany. Finish: Spice, crisp, tingling.”
Rum Ratings community — 6/10:
“Makes a lovely dark n’ stormy. Has character and some spiciness, which makes the rum stand out in the cocktail, just as it should be. Obviously not meant to be had neat... Remains a good value mixer though.”
Nose
Dark copper mahogany. Fruitcake, butterscotch, banana, vanilla, and treacle, with herbs, clove, and spice.
Palate
Rich and thick, with dark molasses, stewed fruit, cinnamon, allspice, and orange, and a touch of dark chocolate and coffee.
Finish
Crisp and tingling, with spice, clove, and a burnt-sugar note.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Bermuda Black Rum — Dark Blended Rum |
| ABV / Proof | 40% ABV / 80 Proof |
| Blend | Pot-still and column-still rums, aged 3–6 years in re-charred American oak |
| Producer | Gosling Brothers Limited — Hamilton, Bermuda (since 1806) |
| Signature Cocktail | The Dark ‘n Stormy® (trademarked by Gosling Brothers) |
| Awards | Platinum Medal, Beverage Tasting Institute |
| Style / Identity | The definitive dark rum for the Dark ‘n Stormy and other cocktails |
| Aromas & Flavors | Butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, dark molasses, allspice, fruitcake |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Dark ‘n Stormy® — the brand’s recipe: 2 oz Black Seal Rum, 6 oz Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer, and a lime wedge, served over ice.
Rum Old Fashioned — Black Seal’s butterscotch and baking-spice backbone stands up to demerara syrup and bitters.
Jungle Bird or Painkiller — where a dark rum’s depth is needed.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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