Gosling Brothers Ltd. is a Bermudan blender and distributor of rum, established in 1806. In 1991 it took the unusual step of registering 'dark 'n stormy' as a trademark in the USA, and it contests the use of that name to describe any drink that is not made with Gosling's rum.
Note that Gosling Brothers' registered version of the name uses only one apostrophe ('N), while the International Bartenders Association uses two ('N').
According to Wikipedia, "The original Dark 'n' Stormy was made with Gosling Black Seal rum and Barritt's Ginger Beer, but after the partnership between the two failed and the companies parted ways, Gosling Brothers created its own ginger beer." Wikipedia adds, "Gosling Brothers claims that the drink was invented in Bermuda just after World War I."
The dark 'n' stormy is often decribed as the national drink of Bermuda. The same is also said of the rum swizzle – which is a completely different drink, made with rum, fruit juice (orange, pineapple and, according to some recipes, lemon) and angostura bitters. The rum swizzle also calls for two different brands of Gosling's rum – Black Seal and Gold Seal – while the dark 'n' stormy is made with Black Seal only.
Gosling's now markets the dark 'n' stormy in a can.
© Haydn Thompson 2021