Rum
Zacapa Rum

Founder: The Botran family
Year Founded: 1976
Year Founded: 1976
DISTILLERY LOCATION
Tulula, GuatemalaVISITOR CENTERS
There is no visitor center.MASTER DISTILLER/BLENDER
Lorena Vásquez, Master Distiller

TYPES OF ZACAPA AVAILABLE:
Zacapa 23
Zacapa XO
HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:
- Straight
- With cola
- In cocktails (Mojito, Pina Colada, Dark and Stormy, Daiquiri, Mai Tai, Planter’s Punch, Zombie)
FAST FACTS:
- Zacapa’s rum is aged in warehouses 8,000 feet above sea level where the temperature is about 62 degrees year round. Master Distiller Lorena Vásquez calls the facility the “house above the clouds.”
- While most rums are made from molasses, Zacapa is produced from fresh crushed sugarcane.


I have in love with Ron Zacapa since i lived a short while in Guatemala back in 2005. An let me start by saying that in comes in 4 versions; the 15yo, 23yo, the XO you refer to here I assume would be the 25yo. Also known as Ron Zacapa Centenario XO Solera Gran Reserva Especial. Then when I was back to visit friends in 2008 I visited the office of Ron Botran at the Villa los añejos in guate city. I there picked up a couple bottle RON ZACAPA 30 ANIVERSARIO (same style bottle as the XO but with a blue lable).
In my opinion the 15yo and 25yo are very nice decent rums, while the 23yo was the best and most balanced rum I ever had before the 30yo caught me by surprise.
One really needs to put all four of them on a row and feel there differences. I don’t know what Lorena and the others do up there in the mountains but pure gold is what comes out in them bottles.
I live in Sweden and since a year or so back, the 23yo have been showing up in better bars here in Stockholm and of course the bar Sjögräs (seaweed) always had it amongs many other good ones. I love it when it’s available for everyone. But good times it shore was when I had a bunch of botellas and not everyone;)
I agree with “j” – but a little less dramatic – no need to shoot someone for mixing it with coke. A good (verbal) beating would be enough. Maybe.
I agree with the comment below. This should not be drank with cola. Any mixing of this drink should not wash out the flavor. It is such a good rum, that it is easily enjoyed straight.
Now I can’t wait to try it!
If you drink this with cola you should be shot. Zaya is also a very good rum.
I tell that. But dont drink
My favorite bartender introduced me to Zacapa this summer…before she left town. Best rum ever. Rum is my liquor of choice, but because of the unavailability of higher quality brands in bars, I tend to drink vodka and Canadian whiskey when I’m out. However, wherever I can find Zacapa, I’m drinking.