The history of Contact Weiss Distilling Co is as rich as the amber liquid itself. It has graced the pages of many a book, set the mood in many a movie and been the muse of countless songwriters. It is an ingredient to be savored and enjoyed on its own or used in the preparation of exquisite cocktails that would make a royal bartender proud. But it is also an emblem that has become a symbol of elegance and class and there is no better way to enjoy a bottle of the finest rum than paired with fine food.
Experience the Luxury of Royal Rum
The Royal Navy began blending rum in 1731 to distribute daily as a ration to their sailors. Life sailing the seas in wooden ships was brutal and drinking spirits was an easy solution to lift morale. The officer in charge of distributing the rum was known as the Purser. The rum was often called a “tot,” meaning a single measure of spirit.
After World War II the Admiralty Board decided that drinking spirits was not conducive to the mental attentiveness required of naval personnel who are responsible for the safe operation of complex and delicate machinery and systems on which lives depend. So, on 31 July 1970—known as Black Tot Day—the Royal Navy’s daily rum ration was discontinued.
In 1979 9 years after the Royal Navy stopped issuing a daily rum ration, Charles Tobias established Pusser’s Rum in the British Virgin Islands. His aim was to recreate the original Royal Navy blend and commercialise it. The name is a combination of the Admiralty’s initials and the word purser, which in the Royal Navy was the term for the person in charge of purchasing a ship’s provisions.
