Gosling's Black Seal Rum

Since 1860, Gosling’s Black Seal Rum has been one of the finest rums.

Today, unlike most spirits, Black Seal Rum includes products of both pot stills, as used in fine Cognacs, and continuous stills, as used in grappa. One imparts flavour, the other yields a subtle elegance. Together they work wonders.

Winner of the Platinum Award

Gosling’s Black Seal Rum has a rich, intricate flavour, well balanced and nuanced with butterscotch, vanilla and caramel. Or, as expressed by the Beverage Tasting Institute when they awarded it their highest honour, the Platinum Medal: “Deep, assertive and highly flavoured. Very fragrant with herbal sharpness. At the finish there is a softness and elegance. A most complex, unusual spirit.” Goslings were pleased, but hardly surprised. 

This is an excellent rum to create cocktails and food dishes, we have provided some recipes. 

Sponsor of the Louis Vuitton America Cup 2017

The Gosling's Black Seal Rum and the Gosling's Ginger Beer were a very visible participant in the prestigious yacht race held in Bermuda in June 2017.

Bermuda Rum History

The history of Black Seal Rum and the Gosling family started in the spring of 1806 when James Gosling set out from the UK with GBP 10,000 in merchandise bound for America. After 3 months of navigation on calm waters the boat docked in St. Georges, Bermuda. James was joined by his brother Ambrose and in 1824 they opened their iconic first shop on Front Street in Hamilton and it remains in the same location today. The first barrels of distillate rum arrived in 1857 and the brothers experimented with various blending techniques to produce their world famous Black Seal Rum 3 years later.

They didn’t call it Black Seal at first, in fact up until the First World War it was sold from the barrel, and folks brought in bottles for a fill up of “Old Rum”, so called because of its distinctive smoothness.

Eventually the black rum was sold in champagne bottles, reclaimed from the British Officer’s Mess, and the corks sealed with black sealing wax. Pretty soon people began to ask for the “Black Seal”. Many years later a play on words and images gave birth to the little, barrel juggling “Black Seal”

Gosling’s Black Seal Rum was awarded the PLATINUM MEDAL at the World Spirits Championships in 1999. Scoring 96 out of a possible 100 points and recognised as a Best Buy. Black Seal was described as “superlative”. This is the largest international spirits judging in North America, with all tastings sponsored by the Beverage Testing Institute, Inc. (BTI). The judges said “Deep, assertive and highly flavoured. Very fragrant with herbal sharpness. At the finish there is a softness and elegance. A most complex and unusual spirit”

It is Bermuda's most widely exported product and considered the nation's national drink.

The Gosling business is the oldest business in Bermuda today and is still owned and managed by the seventh generation.