Captain Morgan is one of the most popular and well-known rum brands on the market. With its distinct spiced flavor profile, Captain Morgan has become a staple in bars and liquor cabinets across the world. However, with so many different types and styles of rum available, many people wonder what other rums may compare to the taste of Captain Morgan.
The Flavor Profile of Captain Morgan
Before exploring rum alternatives, it’s helpful first to understand what gives Captain Morgan its signature flavor. As a spiced rum, Captain Morgan gets its robust and sweet taste from a blend of spices and other flavorings added to the rum during production.
Some of the key flavor notes in Captain Morgan include:
- Vanilla
- Caramel
- Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg
- Oak flavors from barrel aging
- Molasses and brown sugar sweetness
The combination of vanilla, oak, and spices gives Captain Morgan a bolder and more complex taste compared to many traditional white or gold rums. The added sweetness from molasses and sugar also makes it very mixable in cocktails and drinks.
Spiced Rums
Since Captain Morgan is a spiced rum, one of the most direct alternatives will be other brands of spiced rum. Spiced rums like Captain Morgan undergo a secondary fermentation where spices and flavorings are steeped or infused into the distilled spirit. This gives them a stronger, bolder taste than traditional unflavored rums.
Some quality spiced rums that can substitute for Captain Morgan include:
- Sailor Jerry – Made with vanilla and a blend of Caribbean spices, Sailor Jerry has a bold, balanced flavor ideal for sipping or mixing in drinks. It’s slightly higher proof at 92 compared to Captain Morgan’s 70 proof.
- Kraken – Aged for 12 months and blended with spices like cinnamon, clove, and pepper. Kraken has robust vanilla notes and a very dark color.
- Bacardi OakHeart – Bacardi’s take on spiced rum, OakHeart is aged in charred white oak barrels to give it bold oak and vanilla flavor. It’s lighter and sweeter than some spiced rums.
While no spiced rum will exactly replicate Captain Morgan’s flavor profile, these all make for quality substitutions in cocktails or as a spirit to sip neat or on the rocks.
Aged Rums
In addition to added spices, another distinguishing factor for Captain Morgan is that it is aged after distillation. The aging in former bourbon barrels contributes some subtle oak and vanilla flavors to Captain Morgan.
Trying an aged or oak-aged rum is another good way to get a spirit with a bolder, more complex flavor profile reminiscent of Captain Morgan. Some great options include:
- Appleton Estate Reserve – A premium Jamaican rum aged for up to 12 years in former bourbon barrels. Appleton Estate has excellent balance between oak, spice, and fruit flavors.
- Mount Gay Black Barrel – This rum from Barbados blends aged column still and pot still rums. Aged in charred bourbon barrels for a rich, woody taste.
- El Dorado 12 Year – An aged Demerara rum from Guyana. The 12 years in bourbon casks impart notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and caramelized sugar.
The length of aging can vary quite a bit between different brands, from around 5 years to over 12 years. In general, longer aging will impart more oak, vanilla, and layered complexity reminiscent of Captain Morgan’s flavor.
Coconut Rum
In addition to their core spiced rum, Captain Morgan also has a popular coconut rum in their lineup. Captain Morgan Coconut Rum mixes white rum with coconut liqueur, imparting a sweet and tropical coconut flavor.
If you enjoy coconut rum but want to explore some alternatives, here are some highly-rated coconut rums to consider:
| Brand | Tasting Notes |
|---|---|
| Malibu | The most popular coconut rum, with notes of vanilla and a creamy coconut flavor. |
| Bacardi Coconut | Made with real coconut water. Has a light, clean coconut taste. |
| Coco Reàl | Distilled and infused with fresh coconut. Robust real coconut flavor. |
While not a direct 1:1 substitute, coconut rums can provide a similar fun, tropical flair in cocktails if you enjoy flavored rums like Captain Morgan Coconut.
Gold Rums
While it lacks the spiced flavoring, Captain Morgan does start with a base of gold rum before spices are added. So sipping a quality gold rum on its own can provide some similar flavor notes.
Gold rums get their color and mild flavor from being aged briefly, around 2-3 years typically. This imparts some subtle vanilla and caramel hints from the barrel aging. Some great gold rums to try include:
- Appleton Estate Signature Blend
- Mount Gay Eclipse
- Flor de Caña 4 Year Extra Dry
Aged longer than white rum but without added flavoring, gold rum retains a light and clean rum flavor with hints of oak. This makes it similar in some ways to the base spirit used in Captain Morgan, before spices come into play.
Mixing Other Rums in Cocktails
While no rum will replicate Captain Morgan exactly, you can still approximate the flavor by mixing different rums together in cocktails. Try using a split base of 50% gold rum and 50% spiced rum to get a drink with deeper oak flavors balanced by warm baking spices.
Some more creative combinations to approximate Captain Morgan include:
- White rum mixed with coconut rum + a dash of bitters
- Gold rum with blackstrap rum + vanilla syrup
- Aged rum mixed with a spiced rum liqueur like RumChata
Getting the right balance and ratios will take some experimentation, but blending two styles of rum together can let you create a custom flavor profile close to Captain Morgan’s taste.
Rums with a Sweetness Similar to Captain Morgan
One distinctive trait of Captain Morgan compared to many other rums is its sweeter taste. This sweetness comes primarily from added sugars and molasses during production.
If you enjoy sweeter rums similar to Captain Morgan, here are some to look for:
- Ron Zacapa 23 – This premium Guatemalan rum uses virgin sugar cane honey for sweetness. Deep, complex flavors with a smooth, slightly sweet finish.
- Pyrat XO Reserve – Aged up to 15 years in oak barrels, Pyrat has bold citrus and maple syrup notes. Its smooth sweetness makes it great for sipping.
- Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva – A Venezuelan rum made from molasses and sugar cane juice. Aged 12 years for complex flavors with a hint of sweetness.
While these rums get their sweetness from sugarcane, molasses, or added syrups rather than artificial flavoring, they still retain an appealing sweetness reminiscent of Captain Morgan.
Rums with Higher Alcohol Content
At 70 proof (35% ABV), Captain Morgan has a relatively average alcohol content for rum. Some spirits drinkers may want to explore rums with higher alcohol content for more potency.
Some rums to try with an ABV comparable or greater than Captain Morgan include:
| Brand | ABV |
|---|---|
| Plantation Original Dark | 40% |
| Appleton Estate Signature Blend | 43% |
| El Dorado 15 Year Old | 43% |
| Santa Teresa 1796 | 40% |
While alcohol content itself doesn’t directly impact flavor, a higher proof rum may provide more of the warming sensation or “bite” some people enjoy from Captain Morgan and other spirits.
Factors that Differentiate Rums from Captain Morgan
While the rums mentioned above can make solid replacements, there are still several factors that differentiate other rums from the exact flavor profile of Captain Morgan:
- Spice blend – Captain Morgan uses a proprietary blend of spices and flavorings. Other spiced rums use their own spice mix, so the flavor balance will differ.
- Sweeteners – Captain Morgan adds flavorings like artificial vanilla, as well as sugars/molasses for sweetness. Other rums may use different or more natural sweeteners.
- Aging – Captain Morgan is aged for around 2 years. More expensive aged rums can be matured for 10+ years, impacting flavor complexity.
- Base distillation – Captain Morgan starts with a relatively light, mild molasses-based gold rum before flavoring. Other rums may use pot stills, blackstrap rum, wild fermentation and other processes that affect the base spirit flavor.
While no rum will be an exact 1:1 match, understanding what makes Captain Morgan unique helps narrow the search for a comparable rum. Focus on spiced rums, gold rums, or aged rums with sweeter flavor profiles to get as close as possible to replicating that Captain Morgan taste and experience.
Finding Your Own Rum Style
Rather than finding just an exact replacement, sampling a variety of rum styles can help you discover new flavors and types of rum you may enjoy. Use Captain Morgan as a starting point, but don’t be afraid to branch out and experiment with new rums and brands.
Here are some tips for rum exploration beyond just Captain Morgan:
- Try spiced rums from different regions and with different spice blends
- Sip aged rums side-by-side to compare how aging impacts flavor
- Mix gold, white, blackstrap, and flavored rums into creative cocktail recipes
- Explore overproof and cask-strength rums for new tasting experiences
- Branch out into premium sipping rums aged 12+ years
Captain Morgan is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wide world of rum. Sampling an array of styles helps develop your palate and appreciate the full diversity that rum has to offer.
Conclusion
With its sweet and spicy flavor profile, Captain Morgan has become one of the most popular spiced rums around the world. While no other rum can exactly replicate Captain Morgan’s taste, several comparable options exist:
- Other premium spiced rums like Kraken, Sailor Jerry, or Bayou Spiced Rum
- Aged and oak-flavored rums like Zaya Gran Reserva or Ron Zacapa 23
- Sweet rums using added sugars or molasses like Pyrat XO or Diplomático Reserva
- Blending gold, white, spiced, and flavored rums together into cocktails
The key to finding a close rum match is looking for a balance of spiced flavor, oak or vanilla from aging, and a smooth sweetness in the rum’s finish. While Captain Morgan’s exact proprietary blend of flavors is distinctive, exploring other spiced and aged rums can reveal delicious new tastes to enjoy.