Captain Morgan Rum has just expanded their range of spiced rums to include a new “Black” spiced rum. I suspect that the recent success of the Kraken Black Spiced Rum has motivated a move in this direction in order to garner a segment of this market. Of course the launch of the Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum was accompanied with a slick media campaign which you are probably aware of already, but in case you are not, I shall relate a little of the information here.
The newest addition to the Captain Morgan Brand was apparently inspired by the story of Captain Morgan’s burial on the shores of Port Royal Harbour, Jamaica in 1688. As it was related to me, an earthquake struck Jamaica, just after the good Captain was buried. His casket was dislodged from its tomb and washed out to sea. It was never recovered, and to this day it has been suggested that perhaps his spirit lives on haunting the seas of the Caribbean searching for his lost remains. The imagery of the background story is captured in the bottle presentation. As the bottle empties, images of Captain Henry Morgan’s casket and skeleton are revealed inside the bottle on the backside of the front label.
In addition to the background story, the promotional information sent to me by the PR firm for Captain Morgan Rum tells me
“Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum is a mature and carefully crafted spirit that is meant to be savored like a fine whiskey or enjoyed in a classic cocktail. We believe this bold, interesting and unexpected new offering has the potential to make Captain Morgan the preferred spirit among a segment of consumers we don’t currently reach with our existing portfolio.”
In keeping with that claim, the Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum was constructed from a base of Caribbean Blackstrap rum and selected ingredients which include clove spice and cassia bark (cinnamon). The rum was also finished in double charred blackened oak to add additional smoothness and character.
I have been told that this black spiced rum has a bold, edgy look and feel, and is considered to be a complete departure from the Original Spiced Rum. The marketing campaign and the rum are designed a to bring to life the darker, more mysterious side of the real-life brand icon, Captain Henry Morgan. Of course, I cannot confirm nor deny any of the claims as to the quality of the spirit or whether this rum is truly something different…, yet.
However, samples are on the way, and you can expect a detailed review soon after they arrive. In the meantime, perhaps you could enjoy my reviews of the rest of the Captain Morgan line-up:
BTW: Although I have not received my sample as yet, Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum is apparently already in stores now. If anyone has tried some, feel free to give me feedback.
Cheers everyone!
The Captain Morgan Rum Company traces its history back to 1945 when Seagram’s CEO, Samuel Bronfman, negotiated the purchase of the Long Pond Distillery from the Jamaican Government and formed the Captain Morgan Rum Company. The company’s iconic rum brand, Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum was based upon a recipe purchased from two local Jamaican pharmacists, the Levy Brothers, who had developed the recipe using rum from the Long Pond Distillery.
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