Millennium and changed its line branding.

The dark rum, the main ingredient in the Island's famous drinks the Swizzle and Dark `n' Stormy, has had its logo polished up and updated.

The well-known gold label has been replaced with a smaller sticker -- but still has the famous Gosling black seal balancing a keg of rum on its nose.

Behind the seal is a moon-shaped background with a multi-coloured sunset.

Underneath the seal is a red banner with "black seal'' written on it, above `Gosling's' in gold lettering.

Gosling's black rum was first blended in 1849 on the Island, and it is said the rum still tastes the same today as it did a century and a half ago.

"150 years ago we measured the components of our blend with an old bucket and used an old wooden oar to do the mixing,'' said Malcolm Gosling, vice president of Gosling's.

"Today our modern plant contains a state-of-the-art testing still, stainless steel and electric missing vats and 24 station filler equipment which allows us to produce a consistent product which is second to none.'' Until the First World War, Gosling's rum was known as `Old Rum' due to its distinctive smoothness and was only sold out of barrels.

From here it moved on to being sold in un-labelled champagne bottles recycled from the British Officer's Mess.

The corks were capped with black sealing wax and people began asking for the drink as `black seal' rum.

The first labelled product was produced in the 1950s and for the first time showed the barrel juggling seal.

The simple white labels with black writing stayed almost the same into 1980 when the company decided to export to the United States.

Tourists travelling to the Island had developed a taste for the dark rum, and the export was seen as a way to expand Gosling's market.

US licensing regulations demanded more information on the bottle, and the gold label was produced as what was seen as an `international' look. But the company recently took the decision that after almost two decades, the labelling had to change.

"I remember the bartender in South Beach in Florida describing black Seal rum as one of the best he has ever worked with, but the packaging resembled a lower priced product,'' said Mr. Gosling.

"We knew that we had an award winning product, unique and true to the spirit of Bermuda, but we were presenting it in what was obviously viewed as a substandard product.'' Last year Gosling's and their US importers began looking at how the branding could be changed. They set out with the intention of developing a package which reflected the quality of the product.

All go for logo "However, one thing was for sure...no matter how we would change the label, the barrel juggling seal was here to stay!'' said Mr. Gosling.

Earlier this year the dark rum was awarded a platinum medal at the World Spirits Championships. Judges described Black Seal Rum as: "Deep, assertive and highly flavoured. Very fragrant with a herbal sharpness. At the finish there is softness and elegance. A most complex and unusual spirit.'' SHOWING THE RIGHT SPIRIT Balancing act: Malcolm Gosling, Vice President of Goslings unveils the new branding for Black Seal Rum.

Loco about a logo! The new Gosling's logo