Since arriving in Bermuda more than 200 years ago, the Gosling family and their barrel-aged rums have made their mark on local households, bars, and international markets, with their flagship Goslings Black Seal Rum becoming an iconic symbol of the island.
Black Seal is celebrated around the world for its award-winning flavor, versatility, and value, making it an essential household staple this holiday season — for pouring and for gifting.
Here are six reasons (with a few recipes) to stock up on Goslings Black Seal Rum before the festivities begin.
1. Even Your Lazy Guests Can Work the Bar
At bars around the world, Goslings Black Seal is perhaps known best for its crucial role in the Dark ’n Stormy® cocktail, first created in Bermuda with Black Seal and ginger beer. The company famously trademarked the Dark ‘n Stormy name, ensuring no matter where the cocktail is ordered, it has Black Seal at its base, delivering the classic and intended taste. To make this especially easy for home bartenders, Goslings also produces Stormy Ginger Beer, which balances spice and sweetness in a perfect ratio. When entertaining this season, put a bottle, some cans, and a bowl of lime wedges out and let guests pour their own — or simply serve some chilled ready-to-drink Dark ‘n Stormy cans.
2. Upgrade your Rum Punch Game
Another cocktail with strong ties to Goslings lore is the Rum Swizzle, a Bermudian favorite that is a delicious swap for that tired rum punch you make every year. While there are no hard-and-fast rules, a Rum Swizzle is usually made by briskly stirring up a couple of rums, in this case Black Seal and Gold Seal, with fresh fruit juices. “Black rums are bold in flavor with notes of molasses and dried fruit,” says Goslings Bermuda Brand Director Andrew Holmes. “Gold or Amber Rums [are] technically dark rums, with delicate spice and hints of vanilla. Combining both black and dark rums allows for a more complex cocktail.” Here, Goslings’ signature swizzle recipe:
Rum Swizzle
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
4 ounces Goslings Black Seal Rum
4 ounces Goslings Gold Seal Rum
5 ounces pineapple juice
5 ounces orange juice
¾ ounces Grenadine or 2 ounces Bermuda Falernum
6 dashes of Angostura bitters
DIRECTIONS
Fill a pitcher a third of the way with crushed ice. Add all the ingredients and then churn vigorously with a long wooden spoon, until frothy. (Can also mix in a cocktail shaker.) Strain into glasses over crushed ice.
3. Hot Rum Drinks Will Warm Your Outdoor Parties
As we all lean into outdoor entertaining, crossing fingers the weather will hold a little longer this year, many holiday gatherings will take place outside and guests will appreciate concoctions that warm them from the inside out. OG holiday drinks, some of the oldest known rum cocktails, are classics for a reason. Whip up a spiced hot buttered rum or creamy eggnog, served chilled or in the form of a warm Tom and Jerry. Black Seal’s richness will smoothly enhance these recipes as well as other holiday staples like hot toddies, hot, spiked apple cider, or rum punch with cranberry and cinnamon.
Hot Buttered Rum
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
1 750 milliliter bottle Goslings Black Seal Rum
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch salt
Boiling water
DIRECTIONS
In a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Refrigerate until almost firm. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of butter mixture into 12 mugs. Pour about 2 ounces Black Seal Rum into each mug (filling about halfway). Top with boiling water (to fill the remaining half), stir well, and serve.
4. Make Old Recipes New Again
Goslings Black Seal Rum has proven that it not only deserves a place on the bar, but in the kitchen, too, where its robust profile can add warmth and intensity to cold-weather and holiday dishes, as with brown sugar-rum glazed ham or rum-lacquered turkey with even a little Goslings stirred into the gravy. Swirl some Goslings into rich Bermuda pumpkin soup with Stilton and chouriço sausage or add a decadent touch to sweet potatoes with a rum-infused glaze.
Black Seal Rum & Maple Sweet Potatoes
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
5 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ¾-inch chunks
4 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
¼ cup Goslings Black Seal Rum
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Juice of a lime
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine sweet potatoes and oil in large bowl; toss. Divide sweet potatoes between baking sheets, spreading evenly. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until almost tender, turning occasionally, about 35 minutes depending on size. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature.)
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine Goslings Black Seal Rum, maple syrup, lime juice, and cinnamon and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Drizzle over sweet potatoes, toss to coat. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender and syrup is reduced to glaze, about 10 to 15 minutes. After sweet potatoes are done roasting, pan drippings may need to be further reduced separately to achieve glaze. Serve hot.
Recipe by Chef Edward Bottone.
5. Give Dessert a Kick
Adding Black Seal Rum, with its warm notes of vanilla, caramel, and fruit, will elevate sweets such as creamy bread pudding or succulent poached pears. Or, as a parting gift, give guests takeaway bags with boozy rum cake or rum balls, like these made with high-proof Black Seal 151.
Goslings 151 Rum Balls
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup Goslings Black Seal 151 Rum
1 ½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs
¼ cup honey
2 cups ground walnuts
Confectioners’ sugar for rolling
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients except sugar. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Store in a tightly covered container.
6. It’s All About Family
Goslings has been a family-owned business since it was founded back in 1806. In more recent decades, seventh generation rum-maker E. Malcolm Gosling has introduced exciting super-premium options, including Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum, with elegant red, gold, and black foil stamping on a wax-sealed Champagne bottle, and the limited-edition, single-barrel Goslings Papa Seal Bermuda Rum, any of which would make an ideal gift this holiday season.
This article is sponsored by Goslings Rum.
