Ron Zacapa 23

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.

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Distillery: Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala

Bottler:   Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala

Region: Guatemala

Still: Column

ABV: 40%

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Nose: Caramel, honey, vanilla

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

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

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Final Score: 2/10

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.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect