Last Updated on February 14, 2022
Today, we’re going to be answering the question: is spiced rum gluten-free? And taking a look at some popular rum brands you may like to enjoy when following a gluten-free lifestyle. When you first receive your diagnosis, you’ll quickly learn to look out for the warning signs in foods, but for a long time, I didn’t even consider that drinks could contain gluten – particularly alcoholic drinks. But they can, and it makes it even more tricky as alcohol does not need to list any allergens. So is rum gluten-free? Let’s take a look.
Gluten-Free Rum Brands
If you’re intolerant to gluten and looking to satisfy your craving for rum – you’re in luck. There are plenty of options which are gluten-free – and plenty of flavors too! Let’s take a look at some of the easiest gluten-free rums available to us.
Bacardi
The following flavors of Bacardi are considered safe for those who are gluten intolerant or live with celiac disease.
- 151 Bacardi
- Añejo Quatro Bacardi
- Black Bacardi
- Coconut Bacardi
- Dark Bacardi
- Gold Bacardi
- Gran Reserva Diez Bacardi
- Gran Reserva Limitada Bacardi
- Reserva Ocho Bacardi
- Spiced Bacardi
- Superior Bacardi
- White Bacardi
Malibu
If you’re looking for a selection of gluten-free flavored rums, that you’ll know are safe, Malibu is the rum to go for! These flavors are considered gluten-free and safe.
- Rum Malibu
- Original Malibu
- Watermelon Malibu
- Lime Malibu
- Strawberry Malibu
- Mango Malibu
- Pineapple Malibu
- Passion Fruit Malibu
- Tropical Banana Malibu
- Red Malibu
- Black Malibu
You can find Malibu’s selection of flavored rums here.
Captain Morgan
As mentioned earlier, with Captain Morgan rum, it’s best to stay away from their flavored rums. However, they offer several unflavored rums which are considered safe. These flavors include:
- Original Spiced Captain Morgan Rum
- White Captain Morgan Rum
- 100 Proof Spiced Captain Morgan Rum
- Silver Spiced Captain Morgan Rum
Havana Club
Havana supply non-flavored rums and their gluten free offerings include:
- Añejo 3 Años Havana Club
- Añejo 7 Años Havana Club
- Cuban Dark Rum Havana Club
- Selección de los Maestros Havana Club
Mount Gay Rums
Mount Gay rums are one of the oldest rum companies still around. They offer six gluten-free options, including:
- Black Barrel Mount Gay
- Eclipse Mount Gay
- Extra Old Mount Gay
- Master Select Mount Gay
- Original Mount Gay
- Silver Mount Gay
Brands like Bacardi and Malibu are open about their ingredients and confirm that none of their flavored rums contain gluten. However, that is not the case for all brands. So if you’re looking at flavored rum and you can’t be sure whether it’s gluten-free – it’s definitely best to avoid.
If you’re unsure whether a brand is gluten-free and still want to try it – try reaching out to the company themselves. Companies are often more than happy to help with any queries you have and it’ll be worth it to put your mind at ease.
Is All Distilled Alcohol Gluten-Free?
The answer to this question is still up for debate. Some say yes and others say they still have gluten symptoms when having distilled alcohol which is “gluten-free”. More recently, the FDA allowed companies to label food and drinks products as gluten-free, even if made from gluten ingredients.
Previously, the rule was that it could not contain gluten at any point in the process. However, now it’s thought that the gluten is completely removed during distillation or fermentation, so it can safely be labeled as gluten-free.
To summarize, if you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, distilled alcohol will be safe to drink. However, I have a separate oat allergy and have been glutened by a beer that contained oats that had been distilled/fermented – so that’s definitely something to be wary of.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped to answer the question: is spiced rum gluten-free? And helped you to become more familiar with which brands are safe for us to consume when following a gluten-free lifestyle. Alcohol is relatively easy to still enjoy when you receive your diagnosis. I’m a wine girl myself, so never have any problems there!
Do you know of any other gluten-free rum? Or have any thoughts on the distilled alcohol being gluten-free debate? Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
FAQs
Can Celiacs Drink Rum?
Rum is made from sugar (either sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice). Therefore, in it's purest form - rum is completely gluten free. Some celiacs worry about the distillation process but it has been confirmed that most liquors are safe after this. The only reason rum wouldn't be gluten free, is if it has any additives or flavorings, so this is definitely something to look out for.
What Kind of Rum is Gluten Free?
Pure, distilled rum is naturally gluten free and not something you'll need to worry about when drinking. Whether it's a light rum or a dark rum, if there's no flavorings or additives - it'll be gluten free. Most rums available will be gluten free, so it would probably be easier to list the rums that were not gluten free! Bacardi and Havana are two leading brands that are gluten free - we'll be looking at more in this article.
Is Captain Morgan Spiced Rum Gluten Free?
Yes. Captain Morgan is probably the most famous rum brand available, and guess what? It's safe for celiacs and gluten intolerants! The Gluten Free Bar (one of my go-to websites to check whether something is suitable) rates Captain Morgan rum 8/10 on their "safety" scale. This is because they produce some flavored rums too, which may contain gluten. As they don't have to disclose ingredients, there's no way of knowing without reaching out to the company yourself. They advise sticking to the original Captain Morgan rum.
Is Malibu Rum Gluten Free?
Another leading brand of rum is Malibu. And more good news, Malibu rum is gluten free - and all of it's flavors are also gluten free! This is one of the few brands that offers 100% clarity on their ingredients, and all flavors of Malibu rum are gluten free, and safe to consume.
Hi, my name’s Zoë. I’m 28 years old and live in London, UK. I work full time as a freelance writer and critic for West End theatre. Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I spend most of my free time at the theatre, or at conventions. I’m married to the love of my life, and live in a small apartment with my fur baby, Lillie. I run two of my own blogs: No Safer Place and Stage to Page: both of which have won awards. I also have a YouTube channel where I talk about all things stagey.
