New Ron Zacapa

Picked up a bottle of the 'new' Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 today at Beltramo's, Menlo Park CA, for $40. (It costs 49 pounds in England, we should consider ourselves lucky.)

The story I got from the buyer at Beltramo's was that Diageo bought the brand, and the "23 year" appelation wasn't to their standard of brand truthfulness. He said also he had met the lady who made the stuff previously.

The new bottle says "System Solera 23" at the bottom, has a narrow straw band, and says Centenario in tiny lettering below the "Ron Zacapa". The description on the back says the contents are between 5 and 23 years old.

So; how does it taste? The stakes are high -- Pele Nani and I had RZ23 on our first date 2.5 years ago and so it has great sentimental value.

Well, it is pretty good. But I am afraid that it is not what I remembered it as. Still sweet, but with a thinner texture? At bit less body, bottom, somewhat less floral? Less rich?

Could it be that after 89 rums on Kill-Devil my taste has evolved? You can't go home again, and you can't put your foot in the same river twice. Does this apply to booze?

What do you all think?

Beltramo's also stocks Barritt's bermuda stone ginger beer for super-authentic Dark and Stormys, but that is a separate matter for another day.

Aloha!

Someone at Sam's here in Chicago told me that Zacapa had a new distributor, and that this new distributor jacked the prices up.

To wit: it used to be about $40 for Zacapa 23 in Chicago, and now it is over $50, sometimes close to $60. Youch!

[ Edited by: tikibars 2011-08-30 12:31 ]

On 2008-10-25 23:26, tikibars wrote:
Someone at Sam's here in Chicago told me that Zacapa had a new distributor, and that this new distributor jacked the prices up.

To wit: it used to be about $40 for Zacapa 23 in Chicago, and now it is over $50, sometimes close to $60. Youch!

I will investigate further to see if what is currently hitting the shelves here is the "solara" variety.

The "regular" non-"Solara" Zacapa 23 went from the fully wicker-covered bottle to the simple band of straw a while back.

The increase in price was the decision of Diageo's, not the distributor. They are repositioning the brand to make it more hi-end, accompanied by a big marketing push and ads in places like Golf Digest to attract Scotch drinkers and what not.

The formula changed once before with the first bottle transition. "23 years old" became "23 Years", which means something else.

It's Solera, not Solara (which is a Toyota), as in the solera blending system used by sherries and some other spirits, including Zacapa (& Matusalem, incidentally.):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solera

IMHO, it's still quite nice.

UPDATE

I've been using RZ23 to fine-tune my classic Mai Tai.

Juice from 2 limes
2 oz RZ23
1/2 oz (1 T) Cointreau
1/2 oz (1 T) Fee's Orgeat Syrup

Shake with ice, and pour into ice-filled souvenir Don Ho "Suck 'Em Up" glass. Garnish with

Fresh mint sprig (which I never have).

Pretty nice! A lot of people would add 1/2 oz simple syrup, but it is sweet enough for me as-is.

So is this "new" Z23 really a mixing of the "old" Z23 and Z15? Because I heard the Z15 is gone for good. This would also explain the "new" having a bit less body as some have accounted.

I tried this at the weekend and I think it's anice sipping rum, very smooth.
The whole 23 years thing means it has been blended with rums between 6 & 23 years old apparently, what they do is take different casks of different ages and add them to each other until they balance out, at least thats how I understood it.
i would still pay 49 quid to have this on my shelf.

I must be the only person who doesn't like Zacapa rum. They all taste like perfume to me.

Love Zapaca 23 - one of the very few rums I've tried that I truly enjoy straight - brought 2 bottles back from Boston after the NETT & both faired unbroken in the suitcase, which I was very happy about :wink:

Zacapa has certianly gone through changes over the last 5 years. On the whole I would say it's still a very nice rum. $60us is a bit pricey, but a tasty rum nonetheless!

Ron Zacapa has been in San Diego about 6 or 8 months. I finally picked up a bottle. Two really. The guy hooked
me up. Two bottles for $50!
It is good. Less sweet than Pyrat, very close to Millionario. I haven't done a side by side with the Millionario yet. Hmm, or Zaya?

Try: Malteco 10,15 and 20 year versions - better price and the 15 year(reserva maya) matches the new Zacapa easily in my opinion. Sells for 24 EUR in Europe