Kraken Black and 6 more spiced rums to try, and how to drink them

Kraken Black is distilled in Trinidad & Tobago and infused with over ten herbs and spices; Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum has flavours of vanilla, with hints of cloves and cinnamon; and Two Swallows is orangey, sweet and salty.

A spiced rum is lot like regular rum. It is usually even matured for the same amount of time as the latter. The ‘spiced’ in the name comes from the addition of spices, from cardamom and cloves to vanilla, nutmeg and orange peels. Spiced rums are pretty unpretentious — they are made for mixing (ginger beer, tonic water, fruit juice), but there are also some stellar examples that you can simply sip as well. Here, we look at some interesting examples from both across the world and closer home that you should get your hands on:

1. Kraken Black Spiced Rum

Named for the mythical sea monster from Scandinavian folklore, Kraken, owned by US-based Proximo Spirits, is distilled in Trinidad & Tobago and infused with over ten herbs and spices. The rum — 40% ABV and imported into India by Mumbai-based Monika Alcobev—is rich and spicy on the palate and has a long, lingering finish. And that giant-squid-inspired bottle is totally cool as well. Rs 4,280 to Rs 6,740.

2. Two Swallows Citrus and Salted Caramel Spiced Rum

In 1875 Captain Matthew Webb became the first man to swim the English Channel. Over 100 years later, his descendant, British drinks entrepreneur Thomas Hurst, paid tribute to the naval captain with Two Swallows. The name is inspired by a tattoo favoured by veteran sailors, and the interestingly-flavoured rum, distilled in Guyana, is orangey, sweet, and salty. GBP 24

Also read: Make space for these four new spirits from Amrut, Greater Than, Piccadily Distilleries in your home bar

3. Rock Paper Indian Spiced Rum

Lalit Kalani’s family once made rums that were found in Armed Forces canteen stores across the country; now, he is into small-batch spirits such as the recently launched Rock Paper rum, which comes in two variants: Coastal White and Indian Spiced. The triple-distilled Indian Spiced Rum uses cinnamon, clove and vanilla, and at Rs 1,500, is a cheap and cheerful way to end a Sunday evening.

Also read: Old Monk chai, and India’s love affair with dark rum

4. Sawai Chai Spiced Rum

A rum inspired by chai is exactly the kind of stuff that gets our ears to perk up. The makers of Sawai, named after the north Indian honorific, use spices from India and rum blended in the Caribbean to create the spirit that is distilled and bottled in Britain. The spices that are infused into the rum include green cardamom and star anise, and the tea, ethically sourced, comes from the Mancotta Estate in Assam. GBP 35

Also read: Foursquare Mark XX 'Isonomy' rum and 5 more spirits to buy on your travels abroad

5. Foursquare Spiced Rum

Foursquare is the Rolls-Royce of the rum world. HQ-ed in southern Barbados, in the midst of a former sugar plantation, the Bajan distillery makes exceptional and highly regarded sipping rums. These include the Mark XX ‘Isonomy’, a single blended rum aged for 17 years in ex-bourbon barrels. The nose is predominantly star anise and cinnamon, and, according to the company, “on the palate, fresh anise comes through prominently, developing into a complex array of sweet Caribbean spices with great balance between the spices and herbs; finishes with a slight ginger kick.” The barrel-aged spiced rum does not contain sugar or artificial flavours and can be had neat or used in cocktails that call for milder rums. About $25

6. Sailor Jerry

Sailor Jerry, owned by Scottish drinks group William Grant, is one of the world’s most popular rum brands and sells over a million cases a year. Their regular spiced rum, distilled in the Virgin Islands, has “flavours of vanilla and oak with hints of clove and cinnamon spices”, and the Savage Apple adds the fruit into the original mix. About $20

7. Earth Rum

Earth Rum, which is made in Goa, largely uses pepper, star anise, and cinnamon, and is an easy-drinking rum that goes well with mixers such as ginger ale. The brand prides itself of its eco-credentials: it uses biodegradable materials in its packaging. Rs 1,350