A review of Captain Morgan: The man and his limited edition rum

$17.99 / 750 ml

For those who know me, they know that I am a big fan of rum.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of other spirits as well (check out past posts which mostly have been bourbon for the last year), but rum is tops.  I probably was a pirate in a past life, or something.  But for this review, I turn my attention to the real life pirate, Captain Henry Morgan.
Henry Morgan led a historic battle in 1671 off the coast of Panama.  Although he emerged the victor, he lost five ships including his flagship “The Satisfaction”.  In 2010, archaeologists discovered the remains of a 17th century fleet believed to be the ships of Morgan.  In 2012, the team needed more funding and who should have helped fund this little expedition?  None other than the Captain Morgan rum brand.  At the site, numerous items were found: swords, chests and wood barrels that may have once held sherry.  It was this idea that started the wheels turning and at the end of last Summer, Captain Morgan brand announced that they were releasing a limited edition spiced rum with a sherry oak finish to commemorate the findings.

Captain Morgan Limited Edition
Released at the end of last year, the limited edition bottle has a silvery-metallic label with the infamous pirate on the front.  On the backside is a brief recounting of the sacking of Panama City.  The liquid from inside is a deeper amber with red hue color than the traditional light amber/honey color of the original spiced rum.

Unwrapping the top and pouring some into my glass, I am greeted by a cherry-vanilla nose with some hints of oak.  Once I tasted it, I encountered notes of caramel and vanilla, a fruity cherry with a hint of spice as an undertone, and a nice subtle charred oak finish.  It took a minute for the spice to reveal itself and it helped balance the other flavors.   And the great thing is that it finishes smoothly, no burn.

I must admit that when I first saw it on the shelf, I was a bit reluctant because I have not been impressed with Captain Morgan’s unique offerings the last few years.  But I will say that this was quite a find.  It’s a drink that goes down well neat, on the rocks, or mixed.  And with a price point of less than $20, you can not go wrong.  I am going to grab a few more while they’re on the shelves for a couple of upcoming parties.

Captain Morgan Limited Edition

The Hippie

Having grown up in the South, The Hippie was no stranger to tobacco. Although a city boy, his farming cousins were anything but, and visiting them frequently allowed him to watch the process of tobacco grow from seedling to harvest to curing in the barns. Both grandfathers enjoyed a pipe, and that opened up a new door to a more fragrant and sophisticated way to smoke. The smell was intoxicating. Then in the 90s, prominent athletes and actors really started to endorse cigar smoking. Just like pipe tobacco, the smell was unique and enjoyable, and promoted a more cultured way to enjoy tobacco. Remembering Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen smoking cigars after winning another championship for the Chicago Bulls, or seeing actors like Jack Nicholson made cigar smoking mainstream. Friends, too, were enjoying cigars and the passion had started. Everything else is, as they say, history. He was a regular contributor to Tiki Bar Online before being a founding member of Leaf Enthusiast.

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1 Response

  1. July 11, 2014

    […] it commemorates Captain Morgan for the same battle as last year’s limited edition (see review here) although last year’s was simply called limited edition, kept in a clear bottle, and finished […]