Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold is a spiced spirit drink rather than a straight rum, sweetened and bottled at a soft 35%. It is one of the most familiar names on any back bar, and honesty is the kindest approach here, this is a flavoured, sugary product designed for mixing, not a serious sipper.

The profile is simple and sweet, vanilla, caramel and sugar with a note of cola and a clear alcoholic edge, the same notes running from nose to finish. There is little of the distillery character, ester funk or oak complexity that defines traditional rum, because that was never the point of the bottle. Its job is to be an inexpensive, easy mixer, and it does that job well with cola or root beer at a party. For anyone exploring rum more seriously it is best thought of as a nostalgic starting point rather than a destination.