Lucky find?


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BR
Brian Trevelyan πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 0 ratings Author Posted 5 May '17

Hello rum lovers. I thought I'd come on here to tell you about my lucky find yesterday in a local antique shop and maybe pick your brains about it. I make cider and like to store some of it in stoneware flagons. So I'm always on the lookout for cheap examples. Yesterday I found a couple of gallon flagons, one of which was tightly corked, the cork flush with the neck, and covered with some cracked, hard wax or something similar. It was labelled as a 'beer flagon' and priced at Β£3. It had no handle and I almost didn't buy it as I prefer them with. There were no labels or markings on the flagon but the wax on the cork had some almost illegible lettering and numbers stamped into it. The thing is, whatever it contained, it was full. I thought it might be full of sour home brew or turps or something, and joked with the proprietor that maybe it was full of whisky. Ho ho. On getting it home, I immediately went to work on the cork, which was very tight. I couldn't get it out with a corkscrew intact, but it came out in bits. I sniffed the neck and initially thought it smelled like sherry. Maybe someone's old home-made wine. Until I poured some out and tasted it that is. The flagon was full of a very dark, very rich and very strong rum! A whole gallon of the stuff! Not bad for Β£3! It's been suggested that it is ex-Royal Navy rum, from when the rum ration was abolished in 1970, and the remaining stocks were sold off in gallon flagons just like this one. If it is, then I'm a very lucky man indeed! I thought of perhaps selling some or all of it but as it's been opened and there's no provenance or proof of what is is, it's probably not worth much. So I have a healthy stock of excellent rum at my disposal! Unfortunately my wife is teetotal, so I'll have to drink it all myself! Hope you don't mind my coming on here but I thought you folks might appreciate the story and maybe know something about what it might be? Cheers!
TE
Tequilalex πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ | 15 ratings Replied 5 May '17

Hey Brian, Thanks for sharing this really cool story! You were courageous to try it. Do you think you could upload pictures somewhere and link them here? I would love to see the flagon and the rum. Somehow it reminds me of the 80s horror-comedy 'Street Trash'... a liquor store owner finds some old-unknown alcohol and sells it for cheap to homeless people. The result is really funny and gory. Have a nice weekend!
GR
Graham Davie πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 66 ratings Replied 5 May '17

As someone once said, "some guys have all the luck" πŸ˜‰ (R. Plant & R. Stewart). Whatever it is enjoy it mate and if you do discover it's origin, let us know. Cheers graham
BR
Brian Trevelyan πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 0 ratings Author Replied 9 May '17

OK let's see is this works... [IMG]http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa283/yog_sothoth/IMG_0970_zpsanhseozd.jpg[/IMG]
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Brian Trevelyan πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 0 ratings Author Replied 9 May '17

Same stuff? http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/one-last-flagon-goes-under-the-hammer-1-688013 https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/8603/british-navy-rum-flagon-bot1960s https://www.rumratings.com/brands/123-black-tot-royal-navy http://www.tennants.co.uk/Catalogue/Lots/246520.aspx http://www.finestandrarest.com/rumnavy.html
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Tequilalex πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ | 15 ratings Replied 9 May '17

Thanks for the picture and links. This is truly an awesome find. It definitely looks like the product in the tennants auction. Hummm... this glass is mouthwatering (even at 9AM :) )! Enjoy every sip! BTW If that lucky find happened in Canada, the flagon would be likely be filled with delicious maple syrup ;)
BR
Brian Trevelyan πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 0 ratings Author Replied 9 May '17

I have to say, whether it is the navy rum or not, it is an awesome drop! I still can hardly believe it!
KE
Ken πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 0 ratings Replied 26 May '17

Just joined this forum today after reading some reviews recently. Brian, that flagon looks like the Holy Grail find of a lifetime. Definitely looks like the navy rum. Very jealous. Enjoy!