Appleton Estate 21 vs Ron Zacapa 23

[Evangelos]

Last night I tried both of these rums side by side. I have had the RZ23 before so it was no surprise to me how good it was. I was VERY disappointed with the AE21 though. It tasted harsh, had very little sweetness, and was just bland. When I went back to RZ23 I was relieved. I am almost thinking I have a bad bottle or is this what AE21 really tastes like? It was not easy to sip whereas the RZ23 is a beautiful sipping rum and it goes down smooth.

[PR Rum Time]

If you didn't like the Appleton 21, give the Appleton Extra a go. I haven't tried the 21 but I love Appleton Extra.

David

[Ed Hamilton]

The comparison of these two rums illustrates two very different styles of aged rum. Appleton is a much heavier, drier rum. Jamaican is known for its heavier style rums which are distilled from molasses while Zacapa is a lighter body rum.

This comparison also demonstrates the point that you shouldn't get hung up on the age of your rum. Zacapa is aged in warehouses high in the Guatemalan mountains while Appleton rums are aged just above sea level where the temp and humidity are much higher.

[Evangelos]

I am not so worried about the age, but rather the taste. I'll give the AE21 another try and see if I can appreciate it more. Thanks for the feedback.

[scubadoo97]

I second the recommendation of the Appleton Extra. Better rum and better price IMO.