Zaya Gran Reserva 12-Year

I was looking forward to try Zaya 12 after reading the good impressions on this site and other, so I choose to buy a bottle instead of Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva that I know and love. Must say Zaya is a very smooth rum, but I´m real disappointed that a rum costing around 80 $, here in Denmark, doesn´t have more to offer. I tasted it up against my Plantation 20 Anniversario, Eldorado 12 and Millonario 15 Reserva Especial, where Plantaion cost the same and the two other are cheaper. They all 3 have fine complexity and the afterburn is good compared to zaya 12 that almost has none other than a sweet taste. Maybe zaya is cheaper else where in the world or they have cut down quality to fulfill demands. To me Zaya 12 is sweet, smooth, anonymous and way to expensive. I will buy good old Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva next time, that´s for sure.

Zaya is a rum I love to go to when I want richness with a hint of spice and nothing more. Not much complexity but still a great rum on it's own. In cocktails the strength and taste holds up but without complexity it becomes just a backbone.

My wife was given a bottle of Zaya Gran Reserva as a gift a few years ago. At the time we only drank Bacardi as a mixer. I had a feeling this rum was above just mixing with something. I put a couple ice cubes in a glass and that’s where I started to enjoy rum all by itself.

Great starter rum. This is what you buy for a good beach day rum!

I don’t know if I would call this rum. Too sweet, and it has the consistency of a liqueur more than a rum.

The old style in the corked bottle with thatched weave at neck was perfection, the new variety in a screw top cap with printed neck label is swill. So sad that they screwed up what was such a great rum. My rating is an averaged 5, 10 for the old mix, 0 for the new which you shouldn't waste your money on.

I was always a rum and coke drinker. About 20 years ago I wanted to move up from mixed rum drinks. I tried drinking the mixing darks neat but it never worked. One day I was at PF Changs. I sked the bartender if he had a sipping rum He suggested Zaya. I was hooked. The over sweet flavor gets tiresome after a while. But its is a smoot rum that will convince many none rum drinkers that there are smooth rums available.

Had this rum 15 years ago, and it was fantastic. Zaya now is not the same. To flavourful for mixing with a cola, ok for sipping neat, or on the rocks, although it mixes perfectly with an Orange/Pineapple juice as a summer cocktail.

Nice and sweet but not too sweet. Definitely has a taste of caramel and maybe some vanilla. Had this neat at a bar and it was smooth.

Zaya is a decent offering. Sweet nose with heavy vanilla. Smooth finish with very little alcohol burn. I would always drink this one neat. Similar to Ron Zacapa but not as good.