How many cocktails do you know of which have their own trademark? The Dark ‘n’ Stormy®, that delicious combination of dark rum (the dark) and ginger beer (the stormy), is legally owned by Goslings Rum. Based in Bermuda, this centuries-old rum distributor was the first purveyor of alcoholic beverages on the island (and the first to make dark rum). Soon after Goslings got established, the British Royal Navy began brewing ginger beer on Bermuda as a cool way to cure back sea-sickness in their sailors. Try the Goslings Dark n Stormy As the island is only twenty miles wide, the two inevitably came together in some sailor’s drink at some point in the nineteenth century. It was only after World War One, when an old sea-dog declared that the drink was the “colour of a cloud only a fool or a dead man would sail under.” that the name “Dark ‘n’ Stormy®” set sail.
With an influx of tourists following the end of the First World War, the cocktail quickly became both an international favourite and the official drink of Bermuda. As the drink advanced in popularity, the protection of its recipe became a priority for Goslings. As the Dark ‘n Stormy® was known to be made with Goslings Dark Rum, their reputation became tarnished by versions of the cocktail made with cheap rum. To advance their brand and protect their reputation, Goslings filed a Trademark on the recipe for their “Dark ‘n’ Stormy®” cocktail in 1988. While other brands can escape copyright by using an ampersand or alternative ingredients, an official “Dark ‘n’ Stormy®” requires exactly 1½ ounces of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, and 4–5 ounces of Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer. Even garnishing it with lime goes against the Trademark!
If you want to try this incredible cocktail at the heart of a curious copyright case, consider buying our Goslings Bundle! With a bottle of their rich, butterscotch black rum and refreshing ginger beer, you’ll be on the right side of the law and the best side of flavour.
Try the Goslings Dark n Stormy. $79.99 with FREE Shipping
