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Kraken Black Spiced Rum
About Kraken Black Spiced Rum
Since I first reached the legal drinking age, there has been one brand I’ve always wanted to try, but never quite had the opportunity to do so. And, since I was looking to make a cocktail that used this particular style of rum, I thought it was the perfect time to finally pick up a bottle of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum.
Kraken Black Spiced Rum is a Caribbean style rum that’s flavored with a proprietary bland of herbs and spices. It was originally released by Proximo spirits, owners of other notable spirit brands like Jose Cuervo, 1800 Tequila, and Tincup, and in 2010 was one of the few options for accessible high proof spiced rum. Although I couldn’t find detailed information about the distillery process, it is currently bottled by Kraken in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Bottle Specs
❖ Spirit: Spiced Rum
❖ Distillery: Bottled by Kraken Rum Co., Lawrenceburg, Indiana
❖ ABV: 47% (94 Proof)
❖ Low Price
Tasting Notes
❖ Color: Dark Brown
❖ Nose: Vanilla Extract, All-Spice, Caramel, The taste generally reminds me of sarsaparilla
❖ Taste: Vanilla, Cinnamon, Caramel, Spice, Banana, Slight Oak
❖ Finish: Short, vanilla, caramel
Cocktail
Perfect Storm
1 Part Kraken Black Spiced Rum
3 Parts Ginger Beer
❖ Add ginger beer to a tall glass filled with ice, and layer the rum on top
❖ Garnish with a lime wheel
One of the reasons I initially wanted to pick up a bottle of Kraken Black Spice Rum was to finally try a Dark and Stormy, which Kraken calls “The Perfect Storm”. I’m not sure why I haven’t had one before, since ginger beer is one of my favorite sodas. I was really curious how all the notes from Kraken would react to the distinct flavor of ginger beer.
This was just as easy to drink as I was expecting. Even with Kraken’s high proof, there’s very little alcohol flavor or burn. I could taste a bit of the oak and yeast from the rum on the finish, but otherwise the flavor was mostly a pleasant mix of ginger, spice, and vanilla. The only thing I might change is the brand of ginger beer. I really like Bundaberg ginger beer on it’s own, but I think it was a bit to sweet when paired with Kraken.
Bottom Line
RATING: 3/5
I’m usually not a fan of flavored spirits, so Kraken Black Spiced Rum was always going to have a tough time winning me over. And while it wasn’t able to fully convert me to a fan, it was still a generally positive drinking experience. The blend of vanilla, oak, and spice notes are well balanced and add a different dimension to simple spiced rum cocktails like the Perfect Storm. And, the recognizable bottle and label design, along with its affordable price, make it a great option for any party.
Unfortunately, the only thing that holds back Kraken Black Spiced Rum from being a necessity for your bar is the flavor. I found it a bit too sweet and artificial to want to drink beyond mixed in cocktails. And, I think I would generally prefer to have more control over the flavor with separate ingredients, rather than an all in one product like Kraken. But, it wasn’t so bad if you are looking for a higher proof spiced rum.
As always, drink responsibly.
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