Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala
Ron Zacapa Centenario Solera 23 40%

Produced from Sugar Cane Juice (known as Virgin Honey)
Distilled in a 2 column stainless steel still with copper trays and condenser.
Is technically a blend of spirits aged between 6-23 years.
Initially aged for 3yrs in scraped and cleaned ex-Bourbon, blended with older rums,
blended with older rums, then aged 2yrs in recharred whisky casks, then aged 2yrs in ex Oloroso, blended with older rums, then aged 2yrs in ex Pedro Ximinez, blended with much older rums, then married in oak for 6 months.

Tasted: Apr 2011
Deep, darkly scented aromas of dark toffee/ honey coated dried fruits. Superb complexity with some aged Pedro Ximinez wood producing an almost damp Armagnac-esque rancio along with hints of liquorice, smoke, citrus conserve, nuts and with time a slight perfumed-herbal peatiness.

Off-sweet on the palate. Unctuous in a sort of Diplomatico fashion. Full of liquorice, nuts, dried raisinated fruit and burnt, bitter toffee. Although it seems initially to be quite broad and sweet it has a delightful lightness of touch and a lovely balance, which moves into an agricole-esque, floral, tobacco and citrus peel finish. Superb length with the wood returning with a touch of dusty spices.

A really interesting rum, which seems to bridge the gap between a molasses based rum and an agricole.