Lamb's Navy Rum is a sugar-cane based Caribbean

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced i ...

popular in the UK and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. In 1849, 22-year-old Londoner Alfred Lamb, son of wine and spirits merchant William Lamb, blended 18 different rums from

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

and

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

to produce Lamb's Navy Rum. His company took the name Alfred Lamb & Son. The use of the term "navy rum" dates back to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

issuing a daily ration of rum to its sailors. It had previously given its sailors French brandy, but the 1655 conquest of

gave it access to rum, which it quickly exploited. Lamb's was never an official supplier to the Royal Navy. The 1970 decision of the British Royal Navy to end issuing daily rum rations to its sailors inspired the brand that year to adopt the advertising campaign, "Join the Lamb’s Navy." Alfred Lamb & Son was bombed out of its London premises on Great Tower Street in World War II. Its competitor, White Keeling Rum Merchants, was bombed out of its premises, too. Portal, Dingwall & Norris took them both into its premises at 40 Eastcheap, London, inspiring the three companies to merge in 1946 to form United Rum Merchants. In 1952, Canadian company

Corby Distilleries Corby Spirit and Wine Limited is a Canadian alcohol manufacturing and distribution company. It was founded in 1859 in Corbyville, Ontario. As of 2008, the company is 46% owned by Pernod Ricard. The company distills several Canadian specialities, ...

signed an agreement with United Rum Merchants to bottle the brand under licence in Canada. Lamb's became part of the Allied Lyons portfolio in 1984, which itself was acquired (as Allied Domecq) in 2005 by French drinks giant

Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard () is a French company best known for its anise-flavoured pastis apéritifs Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis (often referred to simply as ''Pernod'' or '' Ricard''). The world's second-largest wine and spirits seller, it also produ ...

. As part of the deal, Pernod Ricard had to sell off some brands, and Lamb's was acquired by Corby, which became an affiliate of Pernod Ricard by virtue of the Allied Domecq purchase. Corby Distilleries bottles Lamb's in Canada for the North American markets. Outside North America, it is also bottled by

Halewood International Halewood International or Halewood Artisanal Spirits PLC are UK-based distiller and distributor of artisanal spirits. They are one of the UK's largest independent artisanal spirits distillers which exports to 95 countries. Structure Hale ...

in England, which distributes it in Europe, Africa and Asia. In 2009, Halewood International launched a spiced version aimed at international markets. This failed to meet sales expectations, so it was reformulated in 2014.

References

Rum brands British brands Sugar industry of the United Kingdom {{distilled-drink-stub