Goslings flagship Black Seal Rum is a combination of
triple-distilled pot-still and continuous-still rums that were aged
independently in ex-bourbon casks, then blended together according to the
secret family recipe from the 1850s. Its name comes from the champagne bottles
that Goslings used for their Old Rum which were sealed with black wax. The rich
and complex rum has received numerous awards, including a Gold Medal at the San
Francisco World Spirits Competition among several other gold and platinum medal
wins.
The story of Goslings Rum is a serendipitous one, dating
as far back as 1806, when James Gosling ventured out to sea at the request of
his father. Gosling was heading towards Virginia, equipped with wines and
spirits worth 10,000 pounds Sterling. 91 days into the trip the charter on the
ship Mercury ran out, forcing Gosling to settle in Bermuda. Eventually, he
decided to open a wine and spirits shop on the island. The rest, as they say,
is history.
Upon his return to England in 1824 James Gosling opened a shop with his brother
Ambrose, which has been in the Gosling family ever since. Their first rum, the
Black Seal, was produced nearly half a century later in 1863. Produced in
Bermuda, the Black Seal is synonymous with the island. Today, the family
business is in the 7th generation of Goslings, who continue to lead the company
as the largest exporter of any Bermuda-made consumable product. Goslings is
also the only company that blends and bottles on the island.