Zafra Master Reserve 21

Equilibrado, suave, cálido... todo lo que se puede esperar en un ron. Me sorprendió gratamente al tratase de un ron panameño, pero se ve que por allí están haciendo las cosas bien. Aromas a chocolate y naranja. Muy buen ron

This the rum that changed my perspective on drinking rum. After Zafra I realized I knew nothing of the potential of a great rum. Caramel notes with a dark amber color, smooth, great for sipping before or after dinner.

god i love this rum. it's got some great bourbon barrel spice, and its a beautiful aged rum. the sweetness is just right. i love it neat or iced. really tremendous.

Similar in taste to Zacapa 23 to me. Very good, easy to sip for people that arent into rums.

Se saborean los años en cada trago. Es ciertamente un manjar y sin dudas el Nr. 1 de Panamá. Dulzura exacta y un balance perfecto de madera y vainilla.

Due to the many reviews comparing this one to a bourbon, I was very hesitant to try it. Also, ever since finding out that Don Pancho was not the Master Distiller and that his name was only used to promote it, I was really turned off. His name is not even on my bottle, so that is very much telling.

I had planned on driving 40 miles to a well stocked rum bar to try it because I truly did not think that I would like it. However, between the dreaded thought of driving to the outskirts of a bad neighborhood and knowing that one just cannot judge a rum from one ounce at a bar, I picked up my own bottle this morning. Now if that first sip at a bar is terrible, then there is very little chance that the rest of the bottle will taste better.

This is a very dark rum that happens to be semi-dry with 15 gpl of added sugar (thanks to another reviewer for this info). The aroma is almost nothing. My first taste really impressed me, but later sips not so much, hence my rating of 7. I can't pinpoint the taste, but it is definitely not bourbon. If you want a rum that tastes a lot like bourbon, look no further than Porteno Solera 8 from Columbia. This Zafra is not even that close to a bourbon. All I can say is that this Zafra has a rich taste and after taste that is quite complex. I am glad that I bought this bottle, but at $49, my decision to buy another one will have to wait until this one finally gets finished off. It is good to know that it will last for more than 4 months due to it having less than 20 gpl of added sugar.

For those of you who like very strong and complex flavors to sip a few drops at a time neat, this one is for you. As for me, I have to enjoy it on the rocks to mellow things out. Mixing a rum that costs this much would be unthinkable.

My first rum ever. Sure to please. Smooth with a great aroma and not too sweet.

Just one of the best rums I have had. Sweet, but not too sweet.
Very smooth. Wish I could afford to always drink this

Cocoa and wood, a sign of good barrel maturation. Not harsh at all.

Caramel and coffee on the nose. A full mouth feel with a lot of flavor, coffee, oak, caramel, and just a bit of sweetness and a medium finish. Pairs well with a cigar or a good steak.