Ron Zacapa XO

Since Zacapa was the first real rum I purchased, I partial to this stuff. Generally, my dive buddies and I figure if it has an XO in the name, worth a try. I scored this on sale for about $81. Since I live on an island, my rum choices are limited. The rum is a beautiful color, sweet smell, and with time, opens up nicely. Can be a little strong at first, but after about 10 mins in the glass, it becomes quite nice. I have not yet tried on the rocks and the bottle is 1/2 full. Not sure I’d be willing to pay full price, but will definitely buy again on sale.

Une belle complexité dans l élaboration du produit. Un produit haut de gamme

Smooth tasty rum, with chocolate, vanilla and a cognac finish.
A clear favorite !

I will do a cross tasting with other Zacapas.
Let me describe the nose and the taste first, I will then compare it to other editions.

The nose is dominated by caramel, with dry fruits like ripe banana, date and raisins. Of course with the typical Zacapa herbs. This note in combination with caramel is pure magic.
Slightly in the background are dry orange peels and some heavy notes like wet barrel and earth.
The taste starts with caramel and ripe bananas, raisins, dates. Of course there are the typical Zacapa herbs and at the end also a cognack note.
The rum gets warm in my mouth and I'm thrown in the middle taste. I have the caramel again and peach ice tea on my palet. Further the herbs, dry fruits and some heavy notes -> wood and tannins. It tastes like dry orange peels, but without much orange.
The finish starts with some spice, burned sugar, caramel and herbs. At the end are notes of a wet barrel and earth.

While the Zacapa 23 is young and impetuous, the XO unfolds wonderfully harmoniously.
Both clearly have the same mother, master blender Lorena Vasquez.
You can easily say that XO is more mature and mild. It has also more flavors.
This is a masterpiece, the balance is perfect.
XO is not as old as the 30th aniversary version, but still much older than zacapa 23. XO is also more fresher in the taste than the 30th one. This is my favourite, the price is good and the smell/taste are amazing.

Profile: sweet, balanced, caramel, dry fruits (date, raisins), herbs, barrel

Nose is already familiar with aromas from Zacapa 23, but milder, wonderfully balanced.
The taste is wonderfully harmonious. You want to keep it in your mouth longer and longer.
I love especially the combination of herbs with the caramel. This is a fantastic taste.
Would rate it with 92 points.

Smell: caramel with burned sugar***, dry fruits (ripe banana, date, raisins)**, herbs/plants**, dry orange peel*, barrel/earth*
Taste initial: caramel, dry fruits (ripe banana, date, raisins), herbs, sherry note
Middle: caramel, ice tea -> peach, herbs, dry fruits, barrel with some tannins (dry orange peel)
Finish: some spice, burned sugar, herbs, wood, barrel/earth
Aftertaste: caramel, burned sugar, some molasses, some sherry notes, mandarine

Country: Guatemala
City: Quetzaltenango, 7,544 ft (2,300 M) "The House Above the Clouds"
Age: Solera, 6 to 25 years
Material: In an effort to impart a sweeter and smoother flavor, Zapaca uses virgin sugar cane honey.
Barrels: American white oak (bourbon), sherry casks, Pedro Ximénez wine casks, finished in French cognac casks

Sweetness: 3/5
Spice: 2/5
Fruit: 4/5
Mildness: 4/5
Complexity: 3.5/5
Value (72€): 5/5
Experience level: beginner to experts

What's special:
"They use a strain of yeast extracted from pineapples, which produces unique flavours."

like a huge cognac crown on a bourbon's muscular body, and man's skin lotion.

Sweet and chewy, with even more depth than the 23. Warm and long-lasting

It's good but for this price you could get 3 bottles of significantly better rum.

The extra aging in Cognac barrels adds a new complexity to the rum. Sipping it neat now and loving the long finish.

Väldigt mild och god, inget ont att tillägga på denna.

I think of this rum like water through divine hands. It is incredibly smooth and I would say the best I have had to date. I find it hard to justify the cost over Zacapa 23 at 2x the cost, but it is superb.