New Booze: The Kraken Spiced Rum

I don't think of the spiced rum category as anything too special- it's just rum flavored with things like caramel, vanilla, and chocolate. Todd Thrasher's recipe makes it sound more complex and actually spicy- his homemade version includes ginger, peppercorns, and nutmeg. But honestly I'd rather have additives mixed in the glass rather than the bottle.

Of brands on the market I've tried Captain Morgan's, Kilo Kai, and Sailor Jerry. I can't say I love any of them, but then again spiced rum is basically designed to be mixed with Coke and I rarely drink that (and never in a bar).

New to the market is The Kraken Black Spiced Rum. It has a more pronounced coffee and bitter coco flavor to it that I can appreciate so much more more than vanilla and orange. It doesn't feel like it's going to give me a toothache and it's okay for sipping. For the few spiced rums I've tried, it's my favorite by far. 

But the branding, I love. Sea monsters are awesome, a close second only to pirates (and above ninjas) for things that are cool to my internal 15-year-old. I even sent away for the free poster from the website. Not surprisingly, this brand comes from Proximo Spirits who also has the cool 1800 Tequila street art bottles.