Before switching to non-alcoholic drinks, I used to be a frequent spirits drinker. Rum, whiskey, bourbon, tequila – these were my poison of choice.
That is why I am excited to see if CleanCo’s attempt at a non-alcoholic rum will become my go-to non-alcoholic rum.
With its trademark flavor of sweet, toasted sugar from sugar cane juice or molasses and spices such as caramel and vanilla, rum is not an easy spirit to recreate as a non-alcoholic spirit.
So read on to find out what I think about this rum alternative in my Clean R Rum review and where you can buy it.
A Quick Look At CleanCo Clean R Rum
Clean R Rum is a non-alcoholic rum alternative created by CleanCo, a UK-based company specializing in non-alcoholic spirits. The company’s founder, Spencer Matthews of “Made in Chelsea” fame, has contributed to the brand’s success since its launch in 2019.
This is a spiced Caribbean rum with a big Jamaican rum flavor, enriched with warming spices, golden caramel, and cayenne pepper.
CleanCo distills 50% more of Clean R’s key ingredients to produce a powerful rum taste without alcohol. However, the details of the distillation process remain undisclosed.
Like all other CleanCo non-alcoholic spirits, Clean R is vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free. Additionally, it won the Bronze award at the 2021 International Wines and Spirits Competition (IWSC).
CleanCo Clean R Rum Review
Looks
CleanCo Clean R Rum pours a light golden brown and reminded me of a James Beam bourbon.
Aroma
On the nose, this non-alcoholic rum alternative has an appealing sweet fragrance with notes of honey and maple syrup.
For a spiced rum alternative, I couldn’t pick out the spice notes.
Taste: Neat
Unlike the aroma, the taste of Clean R Rum isn’t overly sweet. I did think it was going to be sweeter based on the sweet fragrance, but I’m glad the sweetness on the palate is mellow.
For the flavor notes, I could taste the aged wood notes and some notes of vanilla. I expected more spice notes since it is a spiced rum alternative.
Instead, this non-alcoholic rum reminds me of a gold rum with its smooth mouthfeel, notes of vanilla, some sweetness, and a medium body.
Taste: With Coca Cola
Rum and coke is my favorite combination and I thought Clean R Rum mixed really well with the coke.
The taste reminds me of when I used to mix Captain Morgan with coke – simply delicious.
CleanCo Clean R Rum Ingredients
CleanCo Clean R Rum is made from: Water, Vegetable Glycerine, Natural Flavorings, Citric Acid, Plain Caramel (color), and Potassium Sorbate (Preservative).
Unlike non-alcoholic beers, natural flavorings in non-alcoholic spirits refer to the botanicals. However, CleanCo doesn’t disclose the botanicals they have used to create Clean R Rum.
It’s worth noting that there are no added sugars or sweeteners such as Stevia. That is a positive aspect because some companies may use sugar to compensate for the absence of alcohol.
CleanCo Clean R Rum Calories
CleanCo Clean R Rum contains 12 calories and 2.5 grams of carbohydrates per 50ml shot.
Final Verdict Of My CleanCo Clean R Rum Review
If you’re looking for a replica of rum, you’re going to be disappointed.
While there are some similar flavor notes to traditional rum and it almost resembles Captain Morgan, I found Clean R Rum to be better suited as a mixer for mocktails.
On its own, it is a delicious drink but you won’t be fooled into thinking it is a traditional rum.
As I mentioned, Clean R Rum also needs to be spicier and have more pronounced spice notes to be a spiced rum alternative.
I would drink this again and definitely pair it with some Coke.
Where to Buy CleanCo Clean R Rum
I ordered mine from Proof No More. If you’re in the United States, you can order CleanCo Clean R Rum from our favorite online retailer Proof No More. They have free delivery for orders above $99, or a $9.99 flat delivery fee.
If you’re in the UK, you can order it from Dry Drinker.
We hope you enjoyed our CleanCo Clean R Rum review. If you’re craving even more non-alcoholic spirits reviews, click below:
Reminds me of Captain Morgan, although it needs more spice notes to be a spiced rum alternative.