Like a proud father and his child, Mitch Wilson was finally back in La Maison du Whisky Singapore yesterday evening with his favourite Black Tot Rum on tow, including this year’s 2025 Master Blender’s edition.

Most of you would probably be familiar with Black Tot and its Master Blender’s Reserve, but for those who don’t, the latter was the result of a blunder in 2020 when Black Tot created an artful blend of rums in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Black Tot Day - the fateful day that the rum ration was abolished in the Royal Navy. A rather incredulous mistake by the bottlers led to a larger blend than initially planned, and what was meant as a once-off then became a perpetual blend of sorts, with a third of each year’s blend being carried over to the next.

The 2025 edition harkens back to Black Tot’s original roots, a blend crafted to resemble that of the Royal Navy’s original rum ration, and at the same time the 50th Anniversary Blend, a profile favoured by its founder Sukhinder Singh underpinned by the richness of Demerara rums (39.5% of the blend), and Oliver Chilton’s secret stash of 50th Anniversary blend that has been left aging in an ex-sherry cask since 2020 (12.8%).

The nose carried an interesting top note of fresh, sharp greenness, instantly portraying the blend as a bright and grassy one, alongside ripe-ish fruits such as white guavas, and a light scent of varnish too. But with the blend leaning towards those long, tropically aged Demeraras, underpinning it all were the deeper, richer notes of chocolate, light toffee, and that unmistakable waft of warm toffee.

The palate was a rather interesting one, kicking off with bright, grassy, and herbaceous notes. But almost immediately, the blend developed a deep, rich oiliness that reminded me of the Demerara rums of old, musty, with a slight rancio, followed by flashes of savoury brown sauce, very light hints of purple fruits, dried prunes, and ending with lingering burnt toffee.

The 2025 Master Blender’s Reserve was remarkably delicious, one that resembled those 70s Demeraras that I so adore, and perhaps only behind the 50th Anniversary when it came to resembling the Royal Navy rums of yesteryears. Perhaps I’d need some heads up whenever the blends are made to Sukhinder’s liking! But jokes aside, the Master Blender’s Reserve has always been so well-crafted by Ollie, the balance, the complexity, and every year brings a new range of flavours, and a fitting tribute to Black Tot Day.

| Find Black Tot 2025 Master Blender's Reserve here at Drink-X!