Is Captain Morgan Spiced Rum Gluten Free?

You’re wondering, is Captain Morgan spiced rum gluten free?

Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is essentially gluten-free.

Captain Morgan has confirmed that the spices and flavorants used in their Original Spiced Rum are gluten-free, and the rum base is naturally gluten-free. However, their wide variety of flavored rums are not gluten-free, and their Original Spiced Rum option is not tested for trace amounts of gluten that may come from production in the same facility as their other offerings. 

About Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

Captain Morgan Rum is based on a spice-blended rum from Jamaica, though its manufacture moved to Puerto Rico and eventually the Virgin Islands for tax reasons. The company was founded in 1944 as a subsidiary of the Segram Company (of ginger ale fame), after the CEO of Seagram purchased the recipe for a distinctive Jamaican spiced rum. 

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Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is easily recognizable by its warm amber color and swashbuckling, hand-drawn mascot, Captain Morgan. Captain Morgan has an iconic pose, with his left foot atop a barrel (presumably of rum), his saber at his side, and his cape floating in the fresh sea breeze. 

Why is Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum Gluten Free?

Rum is a distilled spirit that comes from the fermentation of sugarcane. Sugarcane mash is a gluten-free base, unlike the mashes often used for beer, bourbon, and whiskey. 

Furthermore, the distilaltion process leaves essentially no proteins from the original mash. Since Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is an ‘unflavored’ rum, a distilled spirit with no proteins in it, Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is considered gluten-free.

However, as a distilled alcohol, Captain Morgan is not required to disclose allergens, and is not tested for trace amounts of gluten which could (with low probability) comprise a small part of the spice and flavoring mix. Fortunately, the brand has stated previously that their core product, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, is gluten-free. 

The Taste of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum is a standby for mixed drinks, from tropical to fall-inspired. The sweet flavor and subtle spice can easily meld with apple ciders and tiki drinks alike!

One classic drink using Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is the Captain & Cola. In this drink, the mildness of the rum makes the drink super easy to tolerate, and its sweetness makes it frankly delicious. 

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A really great, gluten-free and summery drink that can be made with Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is the Caipirinha. While traditionally made with cachaça sugarcane liquor from Brazil, it can be easily made by muddling a large amount of lime juice with brown sugar and adding rum. It needs to be served on crushed ice for optimal dilution, and this makes a great treat in hot weather.

The Ingredients in Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

The flavors of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum come from a mix of tropical spices, with additional sweetness and flavor from fruits and vanilla beans, all of which are naturally gluten-free. These ingredients also accentuate the warm, golden color of the rum.

The sweet highlights of the rum accentuated by these flavorants are supported by the base– rum is a naturally sweet liquor, getting much of its character from the sugarcane it’s made from.

The full ingredients list of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is not publically available, but is expected to contain:

• distilled sugarcane mash
• natural caramel coloring from sugar or other flavorants
• vanilla
• spices
• other natural colors and flavors, such as apricots, figs, or other essences.

Nutritional Information: