For some people, a powerhouse brand like Zacapa means reliability and a trustworthy, loyal choice for their home bar. Others might shy away from these large-scale manufacturers and global brands that appeal to a large range of consumers. White, dark or spiced, there’s something for everyone when it comes to enjoying a good bottle of rum. Ron Zacapa 23 is a unique balance of complex aromas and flavors resulting from the special blend of reserve rums. We hand select rums aged between 6 and 23 years for our “Sistema Solera”. Older and younger rums are then blended as they age in a sequence of barrels that previously stored robust American Whiskeys, delicate Sherries and find Pedro Ximenez wines.” Update January 3, 2020: So... after reading through the hydrometer tests, I unfortunately discovered that Ron Zacapa is a company that absolutely loads their "premium rums" with additives like sugars and coloring such. This is something that disappointments me greatly. As noted on my recent review of Zacapa's Edicion Negra, "premium" rums with additives that aren't labeled mean an automatic three points off. That means the highest I can give this now is a 7. It won't go lower because this review is still otherwise true... I do love this rum regardless. Sadly, it's a flavored rum, not a pure rum. Hence the drop in rating.)

This bottle is aged for up to 12 years and combines mostly sweet flavors like fruit cake, rum and raisin ice cream, cocoa, dried ginger, cinnamon, and clove. It’s a dark, golden rum that’s smooth and delicious. Its success is continued through its rum production, with plenty of awards under its belt. Diplomatico Rum Reserva Exclusiva is one of the brand’s mid-range offerings, combining a reasonable price with a huge mouthful of flavor. The bottle alone has won more than 20 awards, making it one of the world’s most-awarded rums. A household name, it’s hard to go wrong with a bottle of Diplomatico. The brand originates from Venezuela and is one of the biggest rum producers in the country.

Crafted in Guatemala, Ron Zacapa distills its rum at 2,300 meters above sea level in the highlands of Quetzaltenango to ensure a unique-tasting spirit. It’s a well-known brand that combines richness, quality, and mastery to create a range of delicious bottles. 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. 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. Havana Club is a famous brand and it’s popular for a reason: it’s a great all-rounder that has spirits for every occasion. The Arechabala family started their rum-making business in 1878 and registered the Havana Club name in Cuba in 1934. It’s an authentic brand that takes the title of “most awarded Cuban rum” with 27 medals in the last few years.

In general, though, this is a very pleasant, very enjoyable rum with a very distinct presentation, gorgeous looking bottle with some extra flair of the Mayan petate band. Chosen to inaugurate the “Rum International Hall of Fame” in the “International Rum Festival 2003” in Canada. 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. Now, I did do something that perhaps might be seen as... erm... wrong? But it works for me and always brings out more flavors in basically any spirit I'm enjoying. It’s a very mellow bouquet with intense aromatics, an intriguing level of complexity, and medium-plus diversity.Given the price tag, this is a more luxurious every-day sip, but the versatility gives you plenty of options to serve and enjoy this rum. Closing Thoughts Once considered little more than a party drink, the spirits world is having its moment and is now home to the best rums, in all styles.