Based from a four-story merchant’s house in central London, the new brand will source, blend, marry and bottle a range of aged Caribbean rums.

Brand director Jonathan Gibson said: “With Merser’s we aim to explore that history, to bring back those lost traditions and to encourage a renaissance of interest in London rum."

The project has also involved the creation of a London bonded warehouse for secondary cask maturation.

James Hayman added: "We have taken great pains to make our London rums the same way they were made here in the past. We do not add sugar, flavours or colour. What you see is a natural product of distillation, careful blending and cask maturation – distilled in the Caribbean but very much made in London.

"For more than 100 years, the streets of London were home to a bustling network of merchant rum blending houses. The merchant’s skill lay not in distilling but rather in the sourcing, blending and secondary maturation of the rum. Our family was involved in the trade for some time – sourcing stock from West India Docks to create our own proprietary blends. We’re proud to play a role in bringing the lost craft of rum blending back to the city."

Merser’s Double Barrel launched in the UK in October at an RRP of £38 with a listing in Waitrose and further blends are to follow over the coming months.