🥃 Kraken Rum
Kraken black spiced rum: molasses base from Trinidad, cinnamon, ginger and clove; 40% ABV (a 47% version exists); owned by Proximo Spirits.
Kraken Rum is a black spiced rum brand run by Proximo Spirits from Jersey City. The name honours a mythical giant sea monster. According to Difford's Guide, the base rums are made from molasses and distilled in Trinidad, and the finished drink is 40% ABV. Under EU rules it counts as a flavoured spirit drink based on rum.
History. According to the available data, the brand appeared in 2010. The label says "Product of United States", not Trinidad and Tobago. So the origin needs careful reading: the base comes from Trinidad, while blending and bottling are American. It is therefore not "rum from Trinidad" in the strict sense, but a drink built on Trinidadian rum.
How it is made. According to Difford's Guide, the molasses base is distilled at Angostura Distillery in Trinidad, and the rums are aged for one to two years. They are then blended with spices: cinnamon, ginger and clove. The producer's website also mentions natural flavourings and caramel colouring. Blending and bottling, according to the same guide, are done by MGP Lawrenceburg in Indiana.
Range. The main version is Black Spiced Rum at 40% ABV. A stronger 47% ABV bottling (94 proof) also exists, and the official site gives an overall range of 35 to 47%.
Why it matters to you. This is not simply "rum": under EU regulations, rum cannot be flavoured, so a spiced drink falls into a different category. Check the strength and the country of origin on the label. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 2010 (according to available data; Proximo Spirits) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787: flavoured spirit drink based on rum (not 'rum' under category 1) |
| EU category | flavoured rum-based spirit drink (not category 1) |
| Raw material | cane molasses (Trinidad), cinnamon, ginger, clove |
| Distillation method | Angostura Distillery, Trinidad; bottling by MGP, Indiana (per Difford's) |
| Minimum maturation | base rums 1-2 years; no age statement |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV; a 47% version exists |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Kraken Rum → kind of → 🌴 Rum and sugarcane spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Sugar cane and molasses
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Rum, 🌴 Rum and sugarcane spirits
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Captain Morgan 100 Proof Spiced Rum, 🥃 Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold, 🥃 Flor de Caña, 🥃 Flor de Caña, 🥃 Mount Gay, 🥃 Mount Gay, 🥃 Angostura 1919
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Kraken is made in Trinidad?
Partly. According to Difford's Guide, the base rum is distilled in Trinidad, but the label names the United States, where it is blended and bottled.
Which spices are in Kraken?
Cinnamon, ginger and clove, according to Difford's Guide.
What is the strength of Kraken?
40% ABV for the main version; there is also a 47% ABV (94 proof) bottling.
Who owns Kraken?
Proximo Spirits, Jersey City, USA.
Why is Kraken called black rum?
The name "black" refers to the colour of the drink; the producer mentions caramel colouring.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🥃 Mount Gay — Barbados rum brand; the oldest written evidence is a purchase deed of 20 February 1703; pot still and column stills; bourbon casks; Rémy Cointreau.
Similar
🥃 Bundaberg · 🥃 House of Angostura · 🥃 Barbancourt · 🥃 Flor de Caña · 🥃 Diplomático · 🥃 Tanduay
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: The Kraken Black Spiced Rum, 40 % (Proximo Spirits; MGP Lawrenceburg, Indiana; base rums from molasses at Angostura, Trinidad, aged 1-2 years; cinnamon, ginger, cloves)
- Difford's Guide: The Kraken Black, 47 % (94 proof)
- Kraken Rum (official site: Proximo Spirits, Jersey City, black spiced rum, 35-47 %)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I, category 1 (rum: min. 37.5 % ABV, no flavouring)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)