Ron Zacapa 23 Year

Review #1072; Rum Review #400

I thought about how for rum review 400 maybe I should seek out something special, noteworthy. Instead I settled on this, Ron Zacapa 23, a rum that seems to be everywhere and come recommended highly in some circles. This rum is created by Rum Creation and Products which is distributed and marketed by Diageo. Despite the big 23 on the bottle this does not correspond to any age as it claims to be a solera system. Let’s see how it is. Note that this is dosed with 25 grams per liter of sugar added and likely color additives as well.

Distillery: Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala

Bottler:   Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala

Region: Guatemala

Still: Column

ABV: 40%

Nose: Caramel, honey, vanilla

Palate:     Thin mouthfeel, cola, caramel, honey, vanilla, slight metallic tinge

Finish: : Thankfully short, vanilla, honey, cola, caramel

Conclusion: I can see why this had wide appeal, it is sweet, it is marketed as a premium product, and it has little burn due to the low proof. This bottle represents everything wrong with the rum category as a whole.  A big number on the label that doesn’t mean anything, added sugar that makes it tastes really sweet, premium marketing, no disclosure of the sugar. It really does represent everything I don’t like about rum. I get that it is a starting point for people, but there are much better intro offerings out there that aren’t all of these terrible things.

Final Score: 65

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

Published by The Auditor

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I have drank my fair amount of single malt but got started writing reviews about Single Malt and Bourbon in 2018. Over 1000 total reviews later and I focus mainly on Sugar Cane Spirits now. However, single malt is a still a spirits category I enjoy greatly as is Agave and Brandy. I wouldn’t go as far as to call myself an expert but I am the resident Rum obsessed writer for Malt Runners.

One thought on “Ron Zacapa 23 Year”

  1. I was not too fond of this rum, and I’m still mad that I got suckered into buying it by a Binny’s guy.

    He swore it was way better than I was saying it wouldn’t be.
    I’m glad to see you didn’t like it for the same reasons I didn’t, it’s way too flipping sweet. It has become mixer juice for us, and it’s almost gone.

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