The Shout Magazine (New Zealand)

International Dark ‘n Stormy Day – June 9

Friday, June 9, is International Dark ‘n Stormy Day.

The highball cocktail was created in an accidental collaborative effort by a family of Bermudian rum makers and some seasick sailors, according to nationaltoday.com.

Reportedly, members of the British Navy stationed on Bermuda in the 1920s brewed ginger beer as a remedy for seasickness.

Some sailors began adding a dash of the Gosling family’s locally-made Black Seal Rum to the ginger beer, transforming an upset tummy remedy into one of the most popular cocktails to date.

The drink allegedly got its name from an old sailor who compared the drink’s murky hue to the colour of storm clouds.

The Dark ‘n Stormy is now the national drink of Bermuda, and while the recipe calls for Gosling Black Seal Rum you can try it with any simple mixture of dark rum and ginger beer.

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