This delightful product may have continued indefinitely as a nameless rum except for the influx of American servicemen to Newfoundland during World War II.
As the story goes, a visiting American WWII serviceman downed the rum in one quick toss. His howls of distress caused a bystander to rush to his aid, roaring “What the cripes was that ungodly screech?” The taciturn Newf simply replied, “The screech?” ‘Tis the rum, me son.” As word of the incident spread more soldiers began trying this mysterious rum, adopting it as their favorite. Thus a legend was born.
The funny name stuck, and today the rum and its place in Newfoundland’s culture have become legendary.