Historically, adding spices and fruit to a blend of rums was used to mask undesirable qualities in the spirit. Today, however, spiced rums are proving very popular, thanks to the huge variation in flavours. It is quite common to see Captain Morgan rum’s bashed online much like Bacardi. I concede that I cannot abide their Golden Spiced Rum. This is partly why I haven’t reviewed it as yet. I really don’t want to have to taste it again. Mixing rum seems to be where Captain Morgan want their rums to be – good solid party mixers. Captain and Cola as they say. Our panel – made up of 10-accredited spirits experts and rum-loving consumers – put 35 spiced rums to the test, spanning supermarket steals to big-brand bottles.

Rum can span the full spectrum of colours, from the light and mild white rums (which are perfect as a mojito base), through to aged golden rums that have developed a more complex taste. You’ll often find these styles are sweeter thanks to the addition of tropical fruit — banana, pineapple and orange — with plenty of spice coming from the likes of warming cinnamon and punchy ginger. How we test spiced rum

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