Ron Zacapa Sistema Solera 23

So generally speaking I don't like rum.

I probably had one too many "capt'n and cokes" in college or something and I'm not giving rum a fair shake; but when I think rum, I think, "daiquir", I think "punch", I think "sweet monstrosity", and mostly I think "headache".

On the recommendation of Geoff I'm working my way through a bottle of Pusser's rum and it's Okay. This summer Sioux and I went on a caprihina jag fueled by a bottle of Beleza de Minas Cachaça,but frankly that's in a whole other category. Mostly, I just don't like rum.

That was of course until I was introduced to Ron Zacapa.

The bottle I'm working on right now is a blend of rums aged between 6 and 23 years in a cave on the side of a volcano in Guatemala... Seriously.  Okay, I'm not sure about the cave thing.

This is not your common rum.

First: It's made from sugar cane honey (the first pressings) not molasses. I honestly have no idea what impact that makes, but home brewing has drilled into me the concept that fresh ingredients are of the utmost importance. Freshly pressed cane honey has to be fresher than molasses. Molasses were basically invented as way to store and transport the sugar portion of sugar cane... that and pay for slaves...*

Second: it follows the solera method of aging. A process often used in aging sherry. (Remember the blend of between 6 and 23 year old rum?)

This helps to explain tasting experience. The color is darker than your typical college-drunk-fest-rum; it's somewhere between cherry and mahogany. The nose makes it seem like it might be a bit hot on the alcohol side, but it almost reminds me of a very light highland scotch, but no heather. The flavor on the other hand lands about squarely between that of a port, and a cognac. If you can get past the burn of it (it is 80 proof) it's best enjoyed as a sipping liquor taken neat, but I did drop a jigger of it into about 4 ounces of eggnog for Sioux this evening and the girl who is generally anti-hard liquor, seemed to enjoy that. (it was pretty good actually--I had one too)

As booze goes, I'm rating this 4.8 stars. There must be something better out there, and I'm certainly not an expert on rum, but I plan to keep some of this in the liquor cabinet moving forward. It spend-your-own-money, worth the $40 good. I'll post back soon with reviews on the other two rums I mentioned.

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* fine before you spam me: it's actually a by-product of sugar, which more directly promoted the triangle trade.