What it tastes like
Dark molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, vanilla, and a long warm finish. Almost black in the glass. The 47% ABV pushes the spices through any mixer.
Sweeter than Sailor Jerry, fuller than Captain Morgan, much darker than both. Genuinely characterful, even if it isn’t subtle.
How to drink it
Kraken and cola, Kraken Mule, Kraken with apple cider. The spice and sweetness need a mixer that can argue back.
Skip it neat: too sweet, too spice-loud. Skip it in tiki where you want real Caribbean rum behind the curacao.
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The brand that won by branding
The Kraken launched in 2010 as a clear act of marketing brilliance. Proximo Spirits picked the kraken (the legendary sea monster) for the label, mocked up the bottle to look like a Victorian apothecary jar, and turned the whole thing into a costume. The juice followed the look.
The juice itself is a blend of Caribbean dark rums plus eleven spices. Not artisanal, but consistent and characterful in the right way.
Why The Kraken sells
The bottle is the product. It looks great on a shelf, photographs well on Instagram, and tastes like Halloween. The drinkers who bought it for the bottle stayed for the cola drink. Decent business model.
Best cocktails to make with The Kraken Black Spiced
The Kraken wants cola, ginger beer, and apple cider. The dark spiced default for cosy weather drinks.
How it stacks up
How The Kraken compares to other spiced and dark rums.
| Rum | Character | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| The Kraken Black Spiced | Dark, sweet, cardamom, 47% | Cola, ginger beer, dark drinks |
| Sailor Jerry Spiced | Drier, fuller, cinnamon | Mule, spiced Daiquiri |
| Captain Morgan Original | Sweet vanilla, soft | Cola |
| Goslings Black Seal | Dark, dry, no spice | Dark and Stormy |
| Bumbu Original | Sweet, vanilla, beach-bar | Sipping, dessert cocktails |
Substitutions and swaps
Kraken is the dark, dramatic spiced rum.
Kraken is the dark pick. Sailor Jerry is the drier alternative.
Kraken is sweetened and spiced. Use Goslings or Mount Gay if you want unsweetened.
Sailor Jerry is drier and stronger. Almost as much body.
Kraken plus apple cider plus a squeeze of lemon is a sleeper autumn drink.
Mount Gay XO or Diplomatico Reserva are the upgrades.
You want a craft cocktail rum. Kraken is meant for casual drinks.
You want a balanced, complex sipper. The sugar and spice make it heavy at room temperature.
You’re making tiki. Real dark rum (Hamilton, Plantation OFTD, Lemon Hart 151) does that job.
Where to buy The Kraken Black Spiced
Where to buy
The Kraken is at every bottle shop and most supermarkets. The bottle is half the appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people ask about this bottle.
What is The Kraken Black Spiced rum?
The Kraken Black Spiced is a Caribbean black spiced rum blended by Proximo Spirits. It is a blend of dark Caribbean rums with eleven spices, bottled at 47% ABV. Launched in 2010.
Is The Kraken good rum?
For dark spiced rum, yes. It is loud, characterful, and consistent. Not a craft cocktail rum, not a sipping rum, but a brilliant cola drink in a bottle that looks great.
What does The Kraken taste like?
Dark molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, vanilla, long warm finish. Sweeter than Sailor Jerry, fuller than Captain Morgan, darker than both.
Kraken vs Sailor Jerry?
Kraken is darker and sweeter, with more cardamom and clove. Sailor Jerry is drier with more cinnamon and vanilla. Kraken for cola; Sailor Jerry for cocktails.
Why is The Kraken so dark?
Caramel colouring is added on top of the naturally dark base of aged Caribbean rums. The brand wants the bottle to look as dramatic as the marketing.
Can you drink The Kraken neat?
You can but it will feel heavy. The sugar and spice load doesn’t reward room-temperature sipping. Stick to mixed drinks.
Is The Kraken gluten-free?
Yes. Sugarcane-based, no grain.
What is the best cocktail to make with The Kraken?
Kraken and cola: 50ml Kraken, top with cola, big squeeze of lime, in a tall glass over ice. Or a Kraken Mule with ginger beer and lime.
