I’ve returned from Guatemala…back to reality! One of the best aspects of the trip was the quality time we got to spend with Zacapa’s Master Distiller Lorena Vasquez, one of only three female master distillers in th world! She’s been part of the brand for over 20 years and definitely a big part [...]

I’ve returned from Guatemala…back to reality! One of the best aspects of the trip was the quality time we got to spend with Zacapa’s Master Distiller Lorena Vasquez, one of only three female master distillers in th world! She’s been part of the brand for over 20 years and definitely a big part of the heart and soul of the product. One evening Lorena and crew put together a spectacular tasting of Zacapa 23 and XO (XO is currently available in Florida and hopefully on its way to the rest of the country soon!)

The night started with beautiful atmosphere at Casa Santa Domingo, complete with rum barrels, clouds and plenty of Zacapa!



We started off with Zacapa 23, which Lorena describes as “like reuniting with an old friend” because is always comfortable but you are constantly discovering something new. The 23 is initially sweet, courtesy of the virgin sugar cane honey they use instead of molasses. It quickly explodes into a spicy and woody flavor. Zacapa 23 has heavy chocolate and vanilla notes, along with hints of ripe fig, almond and clove. The 23 has a long finish that leaves you with a taste of smoked spice. We then moved onto the XO, which has an extra aging step in French oak cognac barrels. XO is a more sophisticated, well-rounded rum. It drinks like a cognac, and doesn’t have the initial sweetness of the 23. Instead it has more dried fried notes and a more earthy profile. We all noticed hints of tobacco, dry wood and cognac. XO has a lingering finish, and when we paired it with some Godiva chocolate notes of apricot and dried cherries became more apparent. This trip was the first time most of had tasted XO and it seems all were very impressed.

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