Captain Morgan Prices & Buyers’ Guide

Captain Morgan is a spiced rum made by Diageo, who purchased the brand in 2001. It was first introduced to the US market in 1984. Captain Morgans is a “Spiced Rum,” which means it has spices and flavorings added after distillation. Although the production location has moved around over its history, today’s Captains are made in the US Virgin Islands. A well-known marketing campaign has helped make Captain Morgan one of the most widely recognizable rum brands on the market, asking “Got a little Captain in you?” while characters and endorsers strike the Captain’s iconic pose.

Captain Morgan’s Rum Price List 2022

Below are the latest Captain Morgan prices, along with their ABV and bottle sizes.

Is Captain Morgan Worth the Price?

I wouldn’t consider Captain Morgan a decent rum. Personally, I think the category of spiced rum is one where the best value is in making it yourself. Most recipes calling for rum don’t require spiced rum, so if you’re stocking a home bar or planning on making cocktails, you’re better off with other styles of rum. 

In terms of rum, simply buying Bacardi Carta Blanca is already better than buying Captain Morgans. Captain Morgans has a lot of added sugar and flavoring to cover up its poor quality. If you like your rum with coke, then this isn’t much of an issue, and Captain Morgan is fine. If you prefer a classic daiquiri, or any other classic rum cocktail, then you can do much better than Captain Morgan. 

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Almost any other rum on the market is going to offer better value. Specifically, the Plantation line of rums, Bacardi, Don Q, and Appleton Estate are all in a similar price range and are superior. While none of these are spiced, you could use them as a base for a homemade spiced rum, or just enjoy them in your favorite rum cocktail.

Alternative to Captain Morgan in a Comparable Price

• Sailor Jerry

Sailor Jerry is a spiced rum produced by the legendary tattoo artist Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins’s proteges, Ed Hardy and Mike Malone. Bottled at 46% ABV, it hits harder than Captain Morgan and is a less sweet product as well. A solid alternative, with a cool label featuring one of Norman Collins’s classic tattoo flashes.

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• Kraken

Named for the legendary beast, Kraken spiced rum is a black spiced rum produced in Trinidad and blended with 11 spices after aging for 1-2 years. It is a good alternative to Captain Morgan’s Black Spiced Rum.

• Plantation

While Plantation doesn’t make spiced rum, they do make excellent rums. If your goal is quality, you’re better off buying an aged rum from Plantation and infusing it with your own spices (or enjoying it as is) than buying Captain.

Reviewed: Captain Morgan Product Line

• White rum

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Captain Morgan White, priced at $10.99-$15.99 for a 750ml bottle, is a perfectly adequate white rum. While not spectacular, it holds up well against competitors who’ve been at it much longer, like Bacardi. It’s made from cane molasses, aged for a year, and filtered five times.

• Black Spiced Rum

Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum (not to be confused with Captain Morgan Black, a different product available in select markets) is a blackstrap rum with added cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, cassia bark, and other spice flavors. Aged in charred oak barrels, it is marketed to compete with brands like Cruzan and Kraken. Like most Captain Morgan offerings, the sweetness and color are affected by additives.

• Private Stock

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Similar to the original captain’s blend, the private stock is aged longer and has a smoother, softer flavor to it. It’s still a spiced rum at heart, but it had some of those bold spice flavors subdued for a nicer sipping experience. Notably, it has a very mild finish with little burn. If you love Captain Morgan, give it a shot; for the money, there are many better-sipping rums out there.

• 100 proof

The same original Captains’ rum, but bottled at 50% ABV for an extra kick and sold at a price range of $16.99-$21.99 for a 750ml bottle. If you’re drinking a Captain and a Coke, this is the bottle you want. That extra heat and alcohol content are going to punch through the sweetness of cola and make for a much nicer drink. Add a bit of lime juice too!

• Flavored Rums

Captain Morgan offers a range of flavored rum products, including coconut, pineapple, Sliced Apple, orange vanilla, and gingerbread. These rums are flavored with additives after distillation and are bottled between 30% and 35% ABV. It’s a bit of a stretch to call these true rums, as they are more like flavored rum liqueurs.

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• Shots

Captain Morgan also produces pre-mixed flavored liqueurs designed to be used in shots called “Captain Morgan Shots”. Currently, there are two flavors: apple and coconut. It’s bottled at 20% ABV.

Cocktails with Captain Morgan

Personally, spiced rums are a category I usually avoid for cocktails. Most classic and tiki cocktails were created before spiced rum made its way out of the Caribbean and into the mainstream, so it isn’t often called for in older recipes. I find using an aged rum and adding my own spices via infusion, syrup, bitters, tincture, or cordials yields a better experience when mixing most cocktails. That being said, there are plenty of drinks in which a spiced rum like Captain Morgan can play its part.

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Daiquiri

Many of us may be used to frozen, blended, fruity resort-style daiquiris, but the original is simpler and, in my opinion, a better cocktail. A classic daiquiri is a great showcase for the chosen rum, and it’s usually the first cocktail I make when testing out a new bottle.

• 2 oz Captain Morgan White Rum
• .75 oz Lime Juice
• .75 oz simple syrup
• 1 dash angostura bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge. Feel free to adjust the amount of lime or simple syrup for a sweeter or more sour cocktail.

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Mai Tai

The Mai Tai, like the Daiquiri, is another rum cocktail that’s gotten done dirty by beach bars and hotels around the world. You’ve probably had a mai tai before that involved 2 or 3 fruit juices and maybe even amaretto. The real Mai Tai is a thing of beauty; these beach bar bastardizations, not so much. I wouldn’t personally use Captain Morgans in a classic Mai Tai, but if it’s what you like, or what you have, it’ll do in a pinch.

• rum of your choosing ( Rhum Agricole or Jamaican Rum work well to add flavors not found in a spiced or Spanish style rum.
• .75 oz fresh lime juice
• .5 oz Dry Curacao or Triple Sec
• .25 Orgeat (Almond Syrup)
• .25 Demerara simple syrup

Shake and strain over crushed ice. Garnish with a spent lime half and a sprig of fresh mint.

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History and Production

Captain Morgan rum was first produced by Seagrams in 1944. Named after the famous Welsh pirate Henry Morgan, Captain Morgan was originally produced in Jamaica. In the 1950’s, the USA offered tax incentives to companies who operated out of Puerto Rico, so Seagrams moved their production and licensed the Captain Morgan name and product to a Puerto Rican distillery.

Captain Morgan is distilled from sugarcane and molasses using a continuous still distillation method. It is then aged for one year in oak barrels before being blended. Finally, a mixture of spices and other flavorings is added to the rum to give it its signature flavor. Captain Morgan involves no animals in its production or testing and is vegan.

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