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In eastern Guatemala, 229m above sea level, lies the town of Zacapa. Founded in 1876 as a bustling railroad stop, the resident population was soon joined by travellers from around the world, leaving a legacy that can still be seen today in local surnames. In 1976, the town reached its centenary. To celebrate this historic event, Guatemala's premier rum-producing company decided to create something special. By harnessing expert knowledge gained over many years, a unique premium spirit was born: Ron Zacapa Centenario. Ron Zacapa is cleverly marketed by Diageo as “Sistema Solera” which whilst a perfectly legitimate method of producing rum, immediately leads many to believe they are buying a rum that is 23 years old. This is something which is often frowned upon by rum connoisseur’s and reviewers. Personally, I have never bought a rum based solely on the age of the rum. I have of course bought an older expression, if for instance it is on sale and is less than the lesser aged rum but it is not something which I judge rum’s upon. There are rum’s in my cabinet which I rate very highly and I do not actually know how “aged” they are. The “Sistema Solera” method is described on the cardboard sleeve as….
Zacapa XO | Ron Zacapa Zacapa XO | Ron Zacapa
Matured in a series of casks previously used to store robust American whiskies, delicate sherries & fine Pedro Ximenez wines Upon tasting, the rum is not as sweet as I was expecting. The nosing suggested it could be as sweet as XM or El Dorado. The Zacapa is actually quite dry and oaky. I find the flavour builds if you leave the rum in your mouth for a little longer allowing it to coat the palate. You then get some of the cocoa flavour and a little bit of tropical fruit. However, I’m not getting as much of the fruitier sweeter side I have found with other rums. The rum is very smooth and has very little aftertaste or alcohol burn. It is very pleasant to sip and I can see why it is many people’s choice. I... actually am kinda on the fence about this one. It's like... weirdly thin? But it's also really tasty, smooth and drinkable. There are definitely better Guatemalan Rums out there.We may have similar tastes – also agree with you on Mt. Gay XO, Flor de Cana (just not a lot there), and Appleton 12 year. That last one has amazing flavor but IMO a little burn going down. If I ever saw the 21 year in a store I’d try it. I have tried this rum over a number of sessions. I am pleased I did not review the rum on my initial tasting. This is something I now try to avoid. I find that a lot of the rums I initially enjoy are too sweet for me when I try them the second time around. The rum seems to give you something different each time. I find I am enjoying it more and more. It is a complex drink and something which some rum drinkers will find completely alien as a rum. A commemorative bottle of Ron Zacapa XO Centenario, released to celebrate the brand's Premio Platino award in the 2003 International Rum Festival. One for the top shelf of the rum collection. Our plantation is located on the volcanic plains of Retalhuleu, 350m above sea level in south-western Guatemala. Due to the fertile, acidic soil and year-round sunshine, no other place in the world is better suited to the cultivation of sugar cane. Most rums use molasses, a by-product of the sugar making process, as their base; Zacapa, however, is different. To impart a sweeter, smoother flavour, Zacapa uses only the concentrated first press of sugar cane, known as virgin sugar cane honey. This is the very point at which our rum's remarkable taste and profile begin to develop. Good review. I think I liked it a bit more than you. Delicious, as you note not nearly as sweet as nose suggests, and I get some smokiness. Very enjoyable.
Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 Rum - The Whisky Exchange Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 Rum - The Whisky Exchange
Nose: Calves leather, brown sugar, molasses, bourbon, hints of cedar, pipe tobacco, fruit, chocolate and brandy butter. The rum is a dark amber with reddish hints. To be honest its exact colour is as complex as the rum. Light can make it appear both red and golden and dark at the same time! The rum is quiet viscous almost like a lighter liqueur, rather than a rum. The rum is very sweet on the nose. Another point which is often made about this rum is how much sugar is added. This is a slight which is often aimed at a lot of the newer breed of “Premium Sipping Rums”. Like many rum arguments its not something which either interests or bothers me. I don’t know how to distil, blend or market rum I just enjoy drinking the ones I enjoy. The Zacapa initially gives a bouquet of brown sugar, it reminds me a little of a chocolate or caramel/toffee sauce for ice cream or desserts. Upon a further nosing I am also getting a feeling for the aged rums in the blend with a little oak and cocoa coming through. Greenspan, Eliot (27 February 2007). Frommer's Guatemala. ISBN 9780470047309 . Retrieved 8 August 2015.
Awards for Ron Zacapa 23
In the “Sistema Solera”, art and tradition encourage the blending of rums of different ages and personalities so that they may continue to mature in select barrels. This dynamic and artisanal process culminates only after the complexity of aromas and flavors confirm that unique, mature rum has been created” There are bottles of the 15 year old out there, but the marquee Ron Zacapa is easily its 23 year, an age that seems geriatric for a “starter” bottle (and like lost youth for the rest of us). Because it’s aged at such elevation, the aging process itself is a lot gentler —consistent cooler temperatures and lower atmospheric pressure ease the natural molecular exchange between spirit and barrel. We compare it to spending your 30s in a quiet spa versus in an over-sugared kindergarten classroom that just banned naptime. The rum is 23, but also 6.
Ron Zacapa Centenario Royal Rum | Master of Malt
Ron Zacapa Centenario is a premium rum produced in Guatemala by Rum Creation and Products, a subsidiary of Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala and distributed and marketed by Diageo. Zacapa was created in 1976 to celebrate the centenary of the foundation of Zacapa, a town in eastern Guatemala. Chosen to inaugurate the “Rum International Hall of Fame” in the “International Rum Festival 2003” in Canada. In the highlands of Quetzaltenango, 2300m above sea level, lies The House Above the Clouds. This stunning location - one of the highest ageing facilities in the world - is where Zacapa Rum slowly develops its complex flavour and character over time. Here in the mountains, the cool temperature slows the ageing process, while the thinner air and lower atmospheric pressure helps intensify the infusion of flavours from the barrels. Only in this precise spot can Zacapa's exceptionally deep aroma, full colour and rich palate emerge to reach perfection.
A lot of bottle swag is exactly that — swag, the final touches of branding. In other words, bizarro decoration from a marketing team groping at authenticity with kitschy regional signifiers. But the woven rings on Ron Zacapa 23 are the real thing. Another of Lorena Vásquez’s passion projects to showcase and financially empower local communities, the rings are made from dried palm leaves and hand-woven by local indigenous women in the petate-style of the Guatemalan Maya. The distillery developed a hybrid machete. This means two things. Firstly, that the sugar cane used to make Ron Zacapa rum is actually harvested by hand, which leads to a smarter yield at greater discretion of the harvester (as opposed to mechanized efficiency that also can’t selectively recognize perfect ripeness). Additionally, the company is so committed to efficiency and quality that it developed a custom tool to harvest sugar cane at its freshest. And said tool is a hybrid machete. A hybrid machete. It is special from the very start. Zacapa 23 is a super-premium rum made from a blend of rums aged between 6 and 23 years old. It is made from only the sweetest first crush virgin sugar cane honey, rather than molasses, and is aged in a series of casks that previously held American whiskies, Oloroso Sherry and Pedro Ximenez wines in a unique process called the Sistema Solera. The secret of Zacapa is the slow ageing process that takes place at high altitude (2,300m above sea level) in the cool air of the Guatemala highlands. This helps slow the ageing process, which creates the final balance between the aromas and flavours extracted during a slow process. Zacapa has been awarded first place five times in a row at the international Rum Contest* and is the only luxury rum in the Rum Hall of Fame. In January 2012, Zacapa was named one of the “World's Top 100 Most Valuable Luxury Brands” by the World Luxury Association. Sangster, Rob. Traveler's Tool Kit: Mexico and Central America. Menasha Ridge Press, 2008. ISBN 0-89732-984-8 This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services.
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