Captain Morgan Spiced Gold goes alcohol-free

Diageo has unveiled Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0%, the first dark ‘spirit’ in its non-alcoholic portfolio.

Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0% is an alcohol-free alternative to the brand’s Original Spiced Gold, which has been developed over the past two years by Diageo’s innovation team.

The ‘spirit’ is said to offer a spiced flavour profile similar to that of its alcoholic counterpart, with ‘intricate layers of flavour’ starting with rich notes of caramel, molasses, vanilla and warm brown spices.

Amanda Brown, liquid scientist at Diageo, said: “It’s been an exciting journey working on Diageo’s first alcohol-free dark ‘spirit’.

“When creating Captain Morgan 0.0%, we went through more than 400 recipes before we were able to capture the iconic rum and spice flavour of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold, but without the alcohol.

“Captain Morgan 0.0% has been created by layering flavours that deliver the complexity and depth that consumers know and love.”

Diageo said the launch has been timed to tap into ‘the increasing popularity of rum’, with Captain Morgan seeing global organic net sales growth of 2% in the firm’s full-year 2023 preliminary results.

Samori Gambrah, global brand director at Captain Morgan, commented: “With a resurgence of rum as a drink of choice and the global alcohol-free ‘spirit’ market set to increase, Captain Morgan 0.0% is perfectly placed to not only meet growing demand but also give those looking to moderate their consumption a new alternative.”

Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0% will initially launch in Great Britain from September with an RRP of £15 (US$19).

Launches in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia will follow later this year, with further roll out across Europe planned for 2024.

The expression joins Tanqueray 0.0% and Gordons 0.0% in Diageo’s non-alcoholic ‘spirits’ portfolio.