Kraken to launch 'Unknown Deep' Rum this October

Kraken UK are collaborating with competitive freediver Beci Ryan, because the drinks company has announced that it is opening its first underwater ‘Dive Thru'.

Beci Ryan has been tasked to freedive the depths of the National Diving & Activity Centre in Chepstow, to salvage bottles from a treasure chest full of 'Unknown Deep' rum.

Project AWARE

There is an additional twist to this product launch—Project AWARE has teamed up with Kraken UK, and that's good news. The ocean conservation charity that encourages scuba divers to litter pick underwater and remove marine trash, has confirmed that a £1 from the sale of every bottle of 'Unknown Deep' will be donated to Project AWARE. Whilst this is a new initiative, it is not a new concept. Over the years, Project AWARE has teamed up with various non-diving partners to help raise funds and awareness about marine debris.

Kraken Rum has a rich history of supporting marine life. Danna Moore, Project AWARE

Danna Moore, Project AWARE’s Global Operations Director stated “Marine debris is a complex and vast issue to tackle. Partnerships, along with a groundswell of community support, are two critical ingredients necessary to drive change. Kraken Rum has a rich history of supporting marine life, so we’re proud to join forces to raise funds and awareness for the plight of our ocean and its wildlife.”

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Distinctive Bottle

Alcoholic drinks bottles tend to fall into two camps. There is the straightforward, plain bottle. A practical ordinary vessel that holds the liquid, and does not excite or thrill you. Then there is the limited edition, exclusive, collectible bottle that catches your eye because it is so attractive. Some bottles are modern and funky, and some take their inspiration from historic flasks.

For instance, St Peter's Brewery in England has a signature 500ml bottle that is based on an 18th century gin bottle from Gibbstown, Philadelphia. Proximo Spirits, who distil Kraken Rum, have also looked to the history books, and in particular a bottle from the 19th century. Today's distinctive Kraken bottle has two round handles because it is a replica of a Victorian-style rum bottle. Traditionally, these handles were used to hang rum bottles on the wall during choppy sea voyages. Apparently, the design of the ‘Unknown Deep’ bottle "is is steeped in sea lore and themed around the story of a brave crew that discovered the Kraken’s treasure while on an ambitious deep-sea dive expedition." The gold and coin-encrusted Kraken bottle is the first in a new series of deep-sea inspired limited editions.

Get your hands on a Bottle

If you would like the chance of owing a Kraken Unknown Depth bottle retrieved from the deep by Beci Ryan, you should visit the The League of Darkness website. Simply buy a bottle and hit the 'claim' button. Your name will then be entered in the prize drawer. Alternatively, you can pre-order a bottle via Amazon UK on 18 October 2020.

A freediver went to sea sea sea⁠

To see what she could see see see⁠

But all that she could see see see was bottles of rum in the deep blue ... quarry

Beci Ryan

Beci Ryan sits on the British Freediving Association (BFA) committee and is an active member of the association. She has competed in national, European and world freediving championships. In April 2018, she achieved 174m / 570ft for Dynamic, and 149m / 488ft for Dynamic no fins in the Bristol Blue Freediving Competition. (This is where the diver travels lengths of a pool underwater, propelling themselves with the use of a monofin or bi-fins (dynamic) or just their arms and legs, similar to breaststroke (dynamic no fins). The distance that the diver achieves is measured from where the diver descends and surfaces).

This is not the first time that Beci Ryan has dived NDAC. In March 2016, she described to scubadiving.com what it was like to freedive the sunken bus. "I couldn’t see the bus at all, so I had to go down relying on faith. I recognised the nerves as nothing more than voices in my head, so I relaxed my breathing—and then the bus appeared out of the gloom, and I was transfixed."

The medal-winning diver explained that for her, an attraction of freediving is that it slows time. “When you prepare to freedive, you slow your heart rate with a few deep belly breaths,” she says. “Your body literally slows down, and everything slows down in a way.” Which makes the two minutes of submersion stretch to a longer dream sequence of sorts. “I wish I could have stayed longer—I wanted to hop in the driver’s seat.”

It's very obvious that Beci Ryan is at home in the water, and is dedicated to her sport. In 2019, she worked with underwater cinematographer Daan Verhoeven on an adorable and charming vignette involving another popular beverage entitled 'Cup of Tea'. It seems that Beci planned to have a nice cup of tea and it didn't quite go according to plan.

Beci Ryan and Daan Verhoeven teamed up again to shoot this Kraken 'Dive Thru' film. Paul Sutton of Saltfree Divers was Head of Safety and support was provided by Neil Arkash and Morten Solemsi.