Review: Captain Morgan Apple Smash (Flavoured Rum)  65/100
Review by Chip Dykstra (Aka The Rum Howler)
Published September 28, 2018

A few weeks ago I was sent a bottle of Captain Morgan’s newest flavoured rum, Captain Morgans Apple Smash. The product was described to me as a gluten-free flavoured rum which arrives in a nifty scratch and sniff (apparently apple scented) round rum bottle similar to the bottle used for the previously released: Captain Morgan Loconut, and Captain Morgan Watermelon Smash Rums.

Apple Smash is bottled at 30 % alcohol by volume and was apparently is designed to be served as a chilled shot, mixed with cinnamon whiskey, or in a cocktail with ginger ale.

These new ‘shot style’ flavoured rums have been a bit of a hit or miss affair as far as my reviews have been concerned. I gave  Captain Morgan Loconut a big thumbs up with a score of 87/100; however Captain Morgan Watermelon Smash did not fare so well with a thumbs down score of 68.5/100. The only thing to do is to open my bottle, take a few sniffs and a few swallows, make a few cocktails, so I can report my feeling on the new Captain Morgan Apple Smash Rum.

In the Bottle 5/5

Whether the flavoured rum inside the bottle receives a thumbs up or a thumbs down (or something in between) the bottle itself receives a huge thumbs up. It  is designed to resemble a green apple and if you scratch the surface of the label, it even carries a realistic green apple scent.

As you can see from the picture to the left, the green apple peel is cracked in several places (apparently because the rum inside is bursting with apple flavour). In fact, the iconic Captain Morgan figure has his left leg is perched upon a small chest and beside the chest is written, “BURSTING APPLE SHOT“.

In the Glass 6.5/10

When I poured the spirit into my glencairn glass, I practically gasped with surprise. The Apple Smash is a brilliant neon green colour! To be honest, I was put off. In fact I think I heard the Imagine Dragons in the background:

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I hope you like the song. It kind of reflects my thoughts on the bright green colour of the flavoured rum in my glass. But it is not just the colour that puts me off, the aroma isn’t quite right either. I notice a sticky sweet candy apple aroma; but I do not notice much of a rum accent. I think it’s there, but the rum is certainly obscured by that candy apple sweetness.  What is bothering me is that the spirit seems artificial and unnatural in the glass. The neon green certainly isn’t a natural colour and this automatically gives me the impression that the apple scent probably isn’t natural either. (I could be wrong, but those are the impressions which I gathered as I looked and smelled the spirit in the glass.)

In the Mouth 38/60

It is recommended that the spirit be consumed as a chilled shot so that is how I begin. I was hoping my impressions in the glass would be overturned as I sipped, but instead they are reinforced. Even well chilled the spirit is too sweet to enjoy on its own. There is a nice apple tartness, but this tartness doesn’t cut through the sweetness well enough to give the spirit balance. I openly wonder who the product is targeted towards. This is the kind of tart sweetness that reminds me of sour sweet candies that elementary and junior high kids might enjoy. It does not strike me as an adult beverage at all.

I thought perhaps that a few of the mixing suggestions which had been forwarded to me by the Captain Morgan Media Team might be helpful, so I started by adding a touch of cinnamon whisky to my glass. One taste and that was the end of my first tasting session as the combination did not appeal to me at all. I guess I was hoping for an Apple Pie like impression to be formed, but the combination of tart apple, overly sweet sugar, and hot cinnamon just seemed out of place.

The other two recommendation from Captain Morgan worked out better (see recipes below). They are both hi-ball style recipes where the aim of the mixologist appears to be to dampen the flavour of the Apple smash as much as possible. I dislike being so negative, but I cannot see myself serving the Captain Morgan Apple Smash to any of my friends. It just isn’t appealing.

In the Throat  9.5/15

The finish is cloying with the mixture of tart apple and sweet sugar which makes me feel like I am sucking on a Jolly Rancher candy instead of sipping a flavoured Rum.

The Afterburn  6/10

I hate writing reviews like this one. Generally I like to be positive, and I like my reviews to reflect that positive nature which I imagine I possess. However it is really hard to be positive about the Captain Morgan Apple Smash. My final score is 65/100 which puts the flavoured rum firmly into the category of spirits which I would not serve to friends. The spirit looks artificial and unnatural, and no part of my tasting sessions gave me any reason to shake that initial impression.

Score this one a Miss!

If you are interested in comparing more scores, here is a link to my other published Rum Reviews.

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Suggested Recipes:

Captain Morgan Apple Smash & Soda

1 1/2 oz Captain Morgan Apple Smash
4 oz Club Soda
Ice
Mint
Lime

Muddle mint leaves in a mixing glass with Captain Morgan Apple Smash
Strain into a highball glass filled with ice
Complete with Club Soda and stir
Garnish with Mint and Lime

Enjoy Responsibly!

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Captain Morgan Apple Smash & Ginger

1 1/2 oz  Captain Morgan Apple Smash
4 oz  Ginger-ale
Ice
Lime

Fill a tumbler with Ice
Add Captain Morgan Apple Smash
Complete with Ginger-ale
Garnish with Lime
Enjoy Responsibly!

Note: If  you are interested in more of my cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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As usual you may (loosely) interpret my score as follows.

0-25 A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49 Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59 You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69 Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74 Now we have a fair mixing Vodka. Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79 You may begin to serve this to friends, again for cocktails only.
80-84 We begin to enjoy this Vodka in shots, although cocktails are preferable.
85-89 Excellent! Shots or cocktails!
90-94 You may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+ I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal scale as follows:

70 – 80 Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
81 – 89 Silver Medal (Recommended for shots and mixing)
90 – 95 Gold Medal (Highly Recommended for Vodka Shots and Sublime Cocktails)
95.5+ Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)