Captain Morgan vs Bacardi: What’s the Difference?

Updated July 2026.

Captain Morgan Original Spiced and Bacardi Superior are not the same TTB class. US Original Spiced is 35% ABV / 70 proof — a spiced/flavored rum, under the 40% rum floor. US Bacardi Superior is typically 40% ABV white rum. A 1.5-ounce Superior pour is one NIAAA standard drink; the same pour of Original Spiced is 0.88 drinks. Export Bacardi is often 37.5% — read the neck. Diageo owns Captain; Bacardi Limited owns Bacardi.

Captain Morgan White, Black Spiced, and Private Stock are other SKUs with other proofs. Bacardi Gold / Añejo / Reserva are still rum if they meet 5.151. Related: Captain Morgan, Bacardi, Gold vs Superior.

Spiced 35% vs white 40%

SKU Typical US ABV 1.5 oz drinks
Captain Morgan Original Spiced 35% / 70 0.88
Bacardi Superior 40% / 80 1.00
Bacardi Superior, some export 37.5% 0.94
Other Captain SKUs Label Not the Original number

A 750 mL Superior is about 17 standard drinks; Original Spiced is about 15. Four 1.5-ounce 40% pours are four drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. No 2026 MSRP. Pour math: rum drinks.

Sources

  • US Captain Morgan Original Spiced 35% — current US labels / prior batch flag. Confirm the neck.
  • US Bacardi Superior 40% — trade-standard US; EU 37.5% exists.
  • TTB 27 CFR 5.151. NIAAA standard drink (December 2025). No invented ranking.
  • (27 CFR 5.151)

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