Guatemalan Rum

[grillboy]

Have any of you had the pleasure to drink Zacapa Reserva rum from Guatemala? It is aged 23 years and is oen of the best rums I have ever had. A close second is the 15 year old Barbencourt rum from Haiti. I used to live in Guatemala (2.5 yrs) which is how I knwo the rum. I have never seen it for sale outside of Guatemala however.

[Jason Perlow]

Its one of the most discussed rums on this board, mainly because of how hard it is to find. It is an exceptional rum.

Zacapa is made by La Nacional distilleries in Guatemala. La Nacional also makes Ron Botran Anejo, a 12 year old, as well as Ron Zaya (also a blended 12) and now Montecristo 12 (which also has more of the 23 year old in it, see my post on this board), which apparently is going to be very widely distributed.

Zacapa is an excellent sipping rum and pseudo-brandy but its no good for mixing. Its not something you can drink every day.

[grillboy]

I had the chance to vist the distillery in Zacapa in 1998 right after hurricane mitch. It was an interesting tour. I know the Botran family from my time in Guatemala. Their rums are good but the Zacapa is exceptional. Every time I have friends or family visiting Guatemala, I ensure that I get a bottle or two for my private stock.

Around the 2000 they stopped making the rum in straw bottles and put them in designer "limited edition' clear glass bottles. I agree that it is more of a sipping rum than mixing. Good to know that a lot of people know about the rum. It is truly a great liquor.

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

I've a bottle now, doesn't do it for me. Nice presentation, though.

[grillboy]

I have seen the quality drop in the last couple of years. I just enjoy the unique flavor of the rum. Is your bottle one of the straw ones or one of the glass ones? I really don't like the glass presentation myself.

When I lived in guatemala, we would drink the rum warmed in snifters. Sometimes we would smoke some avalino lara handrolled torpedo cigars and the graycliff cigars from the bahamas on.

That is why I enjoy this rum so much.

[Thomas Secor]

For any of the London folk who pick up on this thread and want to taste that which is causing all the hoopla, you can find Zacapa at many of the Match related bars, including the much maligned Milk and Honey. As far as I am concerned, the Zacapa alone is reason enough to become a member.

I am fortunate enough, however, to have a wife whose family is Guatemalan, thereby ensuring a steady supply of two or three bottles or so a year, which are tucked away like treasure.

[Kikujiro]

If you're in London and can't face Milk and Honey, I'm fairly certain I've seen Zacapa on sale in Gerry's Wine and Spirits in Old Compton St. Haven't bought a bottle myself yet so don't sue me if I'm wrong.

When I was in Guatemala I thought I'd buy my Zacapa on leaving at the airport. Idiot, idiot.