“Got a little captain in you?” has been the catchy slogan of this rum brand, primarily known for its spiced rum. In this review, you will discover Captain Morgan White Rum as I cover the following topics:
- Review Formula
- Spirit Overview
- Robe & Appearance
- Nose & Aromas
- Palate & Mouthfeel
- How To Drink Captain Morgan White Rum
- Cocktail Suggestions
- Recommended Pairings
- Overall Experience & Value For Money
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Drink Overview
- Distillery: Captain Morgan Rum Distillery
- Expression: White Rum
- Variety: White Rum
- Region: U.S. Virgin Islands
- Age: NAS
- Casking: Ex-Bourbon
- Cask Strength: 37.5% ABV
- Pricing:
- Parent: Diageo
While most people are well-familiar with Captain Morgan’s spiced rum, the company’s white expression is a lesser-known but crisp, clean, and fresh interpretation of the category – perfectly suitable for mixing rum cocktails or Caribbean long drinks.
Captain Morgan White Rum’s Robe
- Hue: Colorless
- Clarity: Crisp
- Viscosity: Medium
There’s not much to be said in terms of Captain Morgan White’s color, obviously. The viscosity is medium, with heavy legs running down the side of the glass rather swiftly. I’m pretty sure there’s quite a bit of sugar, hence the viscous nature.
Captain Morgan White Rum’s Nose
- Notes: Coconut, green banana, vanilla
- Nosefeel: Warming, eucalyptic
The first nose is fresh, clean and green with grassy undertones, but also an abundance of vanilla sweetness, coconut flakes and cream of coconut.
It is soon met by a nuance of green, unripe banana, which has a funkier, ester-heavy smell, almost reminiscent of a typical Jamaican rum. The second layer reveals a darker, richer caramel, with roasted coconut flesh.
There is a hint of American white oak as well, indicating a charred wood component that is not overly prominent, but just ever so slightly detectable. It brings maturity and depth to the entire profile but soon fades into a crisp and minimalistic crescendo.
Overall, the olfactory sensation is straightforward, crisp, and rather refreshing without being complex or overly intricate.
Captain Morgan White Rum’s Palate & Mouthfeel
- Primary Taste: Sweet
- Mouthfeel: Lively, prickly
- Opening: Caramel, grass, lemon peel
- Heart: Green banana, white oak, vanilla
- Finish: Medium [lime zest, oak char, caramel]
Keeping in mind that this is 37.5% alcohol, the impact on the palate is very light. The first sips are fresh and clean with only minimal hints as to the molasses base material. Nevertheless, I can detect an alcoholic burn that feels a bit out of place, given the strength level below 40%.
The company does not disclose any of the individual components of the blend, my guess would be that pretty much all of what ends up in the bottle is column-distilled. The predominant characteristic is sweetness. There’s a bit of tanginess and a sharp, alcoholic note that fortunately fades quickly and turns into a zesty, lively citrus peel, white and green banana.
This is a mixing rum, simple, clean, with a short finish, and without overcomplicating matters for the light-hearted palates.
How To Drink Captain Morgan White Rum
This rum makes me think of a white canvas to paint on. It won’t offer much by itself, but it allows you to create new artistry by applying all sorts of other colors and materials. Whether that’s a fizzy filler, fruit juice or other cocktail modifiers is entirely up to your creative ingenuity.
Captain Morgan White Rum Cocktail Suggestions
As mentioned above, this is an easy-to-mix rum. However, we can specifically suggest the following cocktails with Aperol:
- Daiquiri
- Dark & Stormy (or Rum & Ginger Beer)
- Cuba Libre
Sometimes the simple things are best. Grab some fresh limes, castor sugar or simple syrup, and you’re off to the races. It won’t need anything else. That said, if you want some more suggestions, check out our guide to the best rum cocktail recipes!
Best Pairings With Captain Morgan White Rum
Since I mentioned green banana a few times during the olfactory and gustatory evaluation, I wanted to snack on some dried banana chips whilst sipping this white rum. It makes for a lovely combination and fun pairing with Captain Morgan White.
The banana chips provide a touch of extra sweetness, tanginess and a musky, roasted character. That alone will give the experience more length, complexity and depth.
Because of the lower alcohol content, this rum makes for a trusted combination with zesty, invigorating cigars. Alternatively, creating a contrast with a meaty, dark wrapper, offering some sweetness and leather notes, will work very well.
I paired this rum with Davidoff’s Dominicana, which features vintage tobaccos from the 2014 crop. It brings a lot of complexity and the rum acts simply as a blank sheet underneath, almost like a flavor enhancer without contributing all too much by itself.
Overall Experience & Value For Money
This is a very affordable bottle. It’s perfectly suitable for a pool party in summer when you’re hanging out with your best friends and just need a simple, easy uncomplicated mixing rum.
Closing Thoughts
While it’s not something that I’ll probably reach for on a regular basis, I can appreciate Captain Morgan White for what it represents. After all, it isn’t intended to be a complex sipping rum, nor does it try to be one. Captain Morgan White delivers exactly what it promises to, at a reasonable price.
"A superbly fresh, simple value-for-money rum, made for light-hearted occasions and zesty cocktails."
Further Reading
Once you’ve finished reading our review, feel free to peruse our wide range of related content such as the following resources:
I place this liquor in the same category as Southern Comfort; a “mixer” enjoyed just as well on the rocks. A “comfort” drink, for the moments when you enjoy your own company, preferably with some laid-back music coming from the speakers (not from the earbuds).
Neither Spiced Gold nor Southern Comfort might be held in high regard, but that’s part of the charm. A working man’s escape when he tires of ordinary beer, ordinary hard liquor and other working class heroes.
When you’re not in the mood for the pub, the honky tonk, the club or the saloon, but needs a stiff sip nonetheless; kick off those shoes, spin some Chet Baker or Jimmy Buffett, place your butt in the recliner and enjoy some Morgan’s or Southern Comfort on the rocks.
And; don’t hurry. Cherish the glass until the ice is gone. The world will turn nonetheless.