Captain Morgan is a brand of rum produced by Diageo. It is named after the 17th-century Caribbean privateer from Wales, Sir Henry Morgan. Captain Morgan's slogan is "Got a little Captain in You?"
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History
In 1944, the Seagram Company started producing rum under the name Captain Morgan Rum Company. Seagram CEO Samuel Bronfman purchased a Jamaican distillery named Long Pond from the Jamaican government. Among the buyers of raw rum from the Long Pond distillery was a Kingston pharmacy named Levy Brothers. The Levy family had been purchasing raw rum, adding medicinal herbs and spices, aging, and bottling it. Bronfman liked the rum product and bought the rights to it. In the 1950s the United States federal government and the government of Puerto Rico created a number of economic incentives to create jobs in Puerto Rico. Taxes on rum entering the United States produced in Puerto Rico were less than from other countires outside the United States. At this time both Seagram's, Bronfman, and the Bacardi family built large new plants near San Juan. In 1984, Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum was introduced to the United States.[1] Captain Morgan is, by volume, the third largest brand of spirits in the United States, and the seventh largest world-wide. In 2005, 6.5 million 9-liter cases were sold. Most Captain Morgan rum is sold in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and in continental Europe.[2]
Distillation process
Captain Morgan's Rum is distilled from sugar cane. The combination of the type of yeasts employed for fermentation, distillation method, aging conditions, and blending determines the characteristic flavor of rum. Made with molasses, water, mash and yeast, Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum is distilled in a continuous still. Once distilled, the clear spirit is aged in oak barrels for up to a year, adding a golden color and character to the rum before the flavors and spices are added. The brand’s taste is achieved through a proprietary recipe, which is blended into the rum mixture at the final stages of production, making use of spices indigenous to the Caribbean Islands.
Varieties
- Black Label - A dark rum from Jamaica. 80 proof
- Original Spiced - Mellow aged and enhanced with fruit flavors, spices, and a hint of vanilla. 70 proof
- Parrot Bay - White rum with varieties including coconut, mango, pineapple, and passion fruit. 42 proof (formerly 48)
- Private Stock - Rich, dark and full-bodied, blends hints of island spices with a smooth texture. 80 proof
- Silver Spiced - Aged in oak barrels for over a year, with a smooth taste and a well-rounded, vanilla character. 70 proof
- Tattoo - An extra-dark rum with fruit flavors described as berry or citrus, introduced to compete with Jägermeister for marketshare. 70 proof
External links
See also
References
- ^ Diageo Company History. Retrieved on 2007-04-13.
- ^ "Captain Morgan." Diageo. August 2, 2007 <http://www.diageo.com/en-row/ourbrands/ourglobalbrands/captainmorgan/>
