In 1849 when Alfred Lamb set sail for the Caribbean in search of the finest rums the world had to offer, he did so by sea. Originally given to sailors in the Royal Navy as rum rations, Lamb’s Navy Rum has forever had a strong association with the waves.
Indeed, the slang term ‘Grog’ originated from rum’s effect on sailors, as so appalled was an Admiral of the Fleet in days gone by as a result of the generous rum rations, that he insited the twice daily tot be watered down. The Admiral was famous for wearing a cloak made of Grogum and was dubbed ‘Old Grog’ by the deckhands. ‘Old Grog’ became the name the rum and water measure became known by and the phrase endures today.
Here are some more nautical phrases and their origins for your interest:
SHAKE A LEG
Sailors often smuggled women aboard ship, so before setting sail an officer would go along the rows of hammocks shouting “shake a leg”.
Each sailor would stick out a leg from the covers to prove it belonged to a man. Luckily, there’s no mistaking Lamb’s Navy Rum with its perfect blend of Caribbean rums creating a unique, smooth taste that’s always welcome aboard.
I LIKE THE CUT OF YOUR JIB
In the 1800’s a ship was identified by its jib, a sail on the front mast. English ships usually had one and French ships two, meaning a captain could easily tell friend from foe.
Similarly, your good old friend Lamb’s Navy Rum can be easily identified, not only by its unique six-sided bottle, but also the smooth blended Caribbean taste that sets it apart
FEELING UNDER THE WEATHER
In days gone by, when a sailor was feeling ill, he would be placed below decks, and therefore kept “under the weather”.
In the 1800’s, Lamb’s Navy Rum was kept under the River Thames. This provided the ideal temperature needed for blending together carefully chosen Caribbean rums, creating the unique, smooth taste of Lamb’s.
FREEZING THE BALLS OFF A BRASS MONKEY
Brass triangles called Monkeys were used to store stacks of cannon balls on a ship’s deck, but in freezing conditions the brass would shrink sending cannon balls rolling all over the deck.
Fortunately, the unique six-sided Lamb’s Navy Rum bottle would have stacked securely on board ship, whatever the weather. |
