Updated June 2026.
Captain Morgan Original Spiced is 35% ABV (70 proof) in the United States — a flavored/spiced product, not the 40% rum floor. A 1.5-ounce pour is about 0.88 US standard drinks (NIAAA: 14 g alcohol). Diageo owns the brand. We will not reprint a 2021 price grid. The store tag is the price.
US rum as a class must come from sugarcane or cane by-products and be bottled at ≥40% ABV (TTB). Spiced and flavored SKUs can sit lower. White Captain, 100-proof, and private-label lookalikes are other necks. Read the label. See rum buying guide and rum drink count.
How to read the Captain shelf
| Expression | Typical US ABV | 1.5 oz as std drinks |
|---|---|---|
| Original Spiced (US) | 35% / 70 proof | 0.88 |
| White / silver rum SKUs | Often 40% — confirm | 1.00 if 40% |
| 100-proof / higher-proof lines | 50% when labeled 100 | 1.25 |
| Flavored extensions (Cannon Blast, etc.) | Label-dependent, often below 40% | Do the math from the neck |
A 750 mL of 35% is about 15 standard drinks; the same bottle at 40% is about 17. Caramel color and spice oils are legal in the flavored class; they are not a dessert-spoon of sugar we will invent a gram count for. Four 35% pours are about 3.5 drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Unopened high-proof spirits do not spoil like beerdoes rum go bad.
Sources
- US Original Spiced label: 35% ABV (flavored/spiced class). Other SKUs differ.
- TTB rum identity: cane source; ≥40% ABV for rum as a class.
- NIAAA standard drink (December 2025). No 2026 MSRP.