Zacapa Solera Reserva 23 Rum 700ml

Zacapa Solera Reserva 23 Rum is the Guatemalan sipping rum sold as Ron Zacapa Centenario, made from virgin sugar cane honey rather than molasses. It is a solera blend of rums aged between 6 and 23 years, and it is bottled at 40% ABV.

Buy Zacapa Solera Reserva 23 Rum Online in New Zealand

Virgin sugar cane honey is the first concentrated juice from pressed cane, which gives a richer base than the molasses used for most rum. The spirit then moves through Zacapa’s Sistema Solera, where rums of different ages are blended and rested in a series of casks that have held American whiskey, sherry and Pedro Ximénez wine. Ageing takes place high in the Guatemalan highlands, around 2,300 metres above sea level, where cooler temperatures slow maturation. The 23 refers to the oldest rum in the solera, not the age of every drop. The bottle is easy to spot thanks to the woven petate band around its middle.

It suits drinkers who enjoy a rounded, dessert-like aged rum, and it is a frequent gift for rum and whisky fans alike. The sherry and PX casks give it a dried fruit richness that sets it apart from drier, oak-led rums.

Serve it neat in a tulip glass, or over one large ice cube. It also makes a rich rum Old Fashioned with a dash of orange bitters. Try it alongside dark chocolate, roasted nuts, a cheese board or a slice of chocolate torte. Store it upright, sealed, away from heat and sunlight.