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had this rum recently
Trinidad and Tobago | Aged | 40% ABV | Column Still (5+)
Zaya Gran Reserva Rum is a blend of molasses-based rums distilled in a five-column still and aged in white oak barrels for up to 12 years.
Zaya rum was initially distilled by Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala in Guatemala. The brand was acquired in 2008 by Infinium Spirits and is now produced in Trinidad and distilled by Angostura.
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Posted
almost 4 years ago
A lot of people like this one so I bought it with a lot of expectation. Nope. Even mixed I could barely swallow. Got to try them all. Right?
Posted
almost 4 years ago
This is a thin, watery, sweetened vanilla bomb that's overpriced at 30 dollars. I'm not sure how much of the flavor is authentic to the 12 rums blended in this stuff 'cause it's pretty clearly been doctored with added sugar and flavorings.
Posted
almost 4 years ago
I drink this neat and on the rocks. On the rocks with a slice of pineapple, and again with a stalk of sugar cane.
Not bad but not my first choice. It will work in a pinch.
Posted
almost 4 years ago
Smooth and sweet but not overpowering. Heavy vanilla tones. Great with a medium to full-bodied cigar.
Posted
4 years ago
Great on the rocks! I tend to like Bambu as a sipper, but also include Zaya on my sipper list.
Posted
4 years ago
I am a fan of Whiskey~Bourbon, but in saying that, I am not sure I want my rum to taste like it. It is super long on the finish, smokey and definitely has the oak there. There is a fruit taste as well as some caramel and vanilla so it's not bad. Just reminds me too much of something else. I have not tried it since they allegedly changed the recipe and I do not think that I will. If you like Whiskey...or maybe even Hennessey, then you will love this.
Posted
4 years ago
I love the Zaya brand. Sophisticated, good label. And very tasty rums!
Posted
4 years ago
More spice and bite than I generally like but very good for the price.
Posted
4 years ago
Yes, itโs sweet. Yes, when sipped beat the flavors seem a little off. But if youโre given a bottle of this as I was, accept the sweetness and go with a diet cola. It marries rather well.
Posted
4 years ago
This and the 16 year are both great sippers, easy introductions to rum and a great price (under $25 where I am). Heavy on the sugar, so bear that in mind... it's definitely not unadulterated, but that may fit your palette well or not.
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This was my third and final test of sipping rums as one shot neat for each from a well stocked bar. If you can separate yourself from the thought of what it used to be when it was distilled in Guatemala, you just may wind up enjoying it. On the other hand, the Guatemalan version must have rated as a 10 instead of a 7 here. Then again, maybe my first two stronger samples of different rums prior to that clouded my judgment.
The aroma is incredible and the taste is smooth and sweet with no burn on the tongue or throat. It has a very pleasant and unique artificial after taste which I cannot describe. It can be used as an affordable sipper at about $27 per bottle, but my shot ran me $9. I am on the fence about buying a whole bottle since I already have enough great rums in my collection. It is a decent rum, but not great. And believe me, I went searching all over some forgotten liquor stores for any remaining bottles from Guatemala with the straw on the neck and having a real cork. My shot was the version from Trinidad.
Update several weeks later: After researching how the parent conglomerate company has slowly degraded the quality of this rum since it was produced in Guatemala back in 2008, I won't be buying an entire bottle. The memory of some artificial taste in that one sample was enough to have me thinking that I would regret buying a whole bottle and having to finish it while paying a penalty each day after drinking it. Comparisons to Sailor Jerry have been made, how both start off deceptively appealing and then the next day it's "Gotcha!". That happened with my first and last bottle of Sailor Jerry. By the way, the bar where I had my glass of Zaya also has Sailor Jerry to sample because that is what the mostly hipster patrons want. I initially gave this Zaya a rating of 7 at best, but have now lowered it to a rating of 5 to match my empty bottle of Sailor Jerry. Any rum that I rate less than a 6 is one that I cannot wait to get rid of, either for bad taste or ill effects the next day.