Ron Botran Solera 1893

[Lew Barrett]

I went looking for Angelsword's "First Impressions" post but couldn't find it, so here's an independent kick off for discussion of this rum.

I opened my bottle for a first try today. This is a nice rum! Very much in the style of Zacapa 15 (or vice versa), it promises to be really nice with cigars.
Very smooth, with gentle and easy to like leather/tobacco tones, very nice balance. Nothing not to like here.

[bluewave6]

Botran Solera is one of my top 5 rums. I prefer this to it's cousin the Zacapa 23.

[Lew Barrett]

On first blush, I'd say I agree with that. Zacapa 23 is not my favorite in the family.

[Capn Jimbo]

Lew, you certainly are not alone. At Robert's Guatemalan tasting there were a number of people who preferred the 1893 to 23 (but not to the XO, which was stupendous).

I prefer the 1893, but was curious as to how you'd review the 1893 vs the 23?

[Lew Barrett]

They are certainly a family, Jimbo. But as has been said here before, 1893 bears more similarity to 15 Anos than 23. I like all three alot, so here goes my feeble attempt:

Sweetness, from least to most is 1893, then 15 Anos, then 23. But the big jump in sugar comes between 15 and 23, whereas 1893 and 15 are similar, with the Botran still being noticeably drier than the 15 Anos. All three have similar underlying tones, although I'm terrible at describing tones. I get cocoa, vanilla and...a daring expression for me....a hint of cinnamon from Botran, whereas 15 is all about vanilla and chocolate with coffee riding subtly under it all. What great compliments these tones are! 23 adds a burnt caramel overlay to those flavors, which has the effect of subduing the other tones to my way of thinking. If you like the 15, you will enjoy the 1893, which is a very refined and balanced rum, still very much in the family style. All three have a delightful, long finish and I frankly don't have the ability to say which is better there. I can't possibly see a disappointment with any of them, and the Botran bottle, attractive as it is, adds a touch of class to any collection.

[mcmachete]

I actually had some Ron Botran 1893 Solera tonight. It's excellent stuff but I still prefer Zacapa 23.

[Lew Barrett]

I'm working Zaya over right now and trying to decide if it's my "family favorite" or not. As I said, not a clinker in the bunch.

[RobertBurr]

I'm working Zaya over right now and trying to decide if it's my "family favorite" or not. As I said, not a clinker in the bunch.

here's to all those wonderful Guatemalan rums... a toast!
(testing Zacapa 23 and XO side by side this evening)

[Lew Barrett]

They're all good, eh Rob? Each one is familiar, yet if you try them side by side, each is a bit different. And the packaging is nice too. Those guys have it hammered down.

I need to do another avatar shot. I am now officially out of "table space!"

[primate77]

Very smooth, with gentle and easy to like leather/tobacco tones, very nice balance. Nothing not to like here.

Lew - I've seen this before (a reference to leather). You make note of this as a "tone" which I presume to mean "taste" or are you referring more to aroma as you sense the smell of leather?

I'm very curious about how and where this word leather is used to describe, as I've seen it often on the Tastings site too.

Tobacco tone - I get that, I used to chew different tobaccos, and when I sense even the slightest tobacco taste or flavor in a rum, it becomes very pronounced to me because I readily know that taste, then the "flavor" of that taste I can then equate it to a different chewing tobacco. FOr instance, I earlier made reference to Pyrat XO Reserve, where the taste of tobacco hit me like a wave as it very strongly resembled RJ Gold chewing tobacco.

So, since I've never once in my life have "eaten" a piece of leather, what does the tone of leather mean to you?

I do love the smell of new, fresh leather!

[Lew Barrett]

P77, I'm just picking my way through this myself. Leather to me is a flavor I get when rum tastes like leather smells. I get this not infrequently, but like you, I don't really know what leather tastes like. A good (but strong!) way for me to explain this is with the analogy of uni....sea urchin. To me, sea urchin tastes like the aroma of the sea when the tide is out. Is that what the sea bottom really tastes like? Well, I really hope never to find out!
I am not a great one for successfully describing the subtleties of spirits. Every time I do it here, it falls flat for me. I get the mental image of some flavors, but others I never really experience as some of our better resident "noses" do. And, by the way, I fancy that I have a great sense of smell ....and always have! Last night I luxuriated in the great aroma wafting from my glass of Zaya, but damned if I could really describe it. Or the luscious taste, either. It's rich, it's of a type, it's smooth and yummy. There...that's the most honest description I have given on these pages.
I think, for me, the issue is putting flavors to words and making the nearest comparison that fits. Frankly, I never drank a rum that tastes exactly like Belgian chocolate to me, but I know what I mean when I use the term as a descriptive. Too bad I can't make the transition to explaining it to others.

I should probably just go back to "Me Like," Me No Like." But that wouldn't be in the spirit of this forum:D

[primate77]

Here here!!!:) I can truly relate and appreciate everything you just said!!!

For me, it's like a green light or red light. Me like, or me no like!

I have mentioned before I can usually discern only one, maybe two flavors in a alcohol (be it rum, bourbon or tequila). Beyond that, it all gets lost for me. I can honestly probably tell you I might taste a hint of orange or tobacco or vanilla in a rum as a dominating flavor, and a secondary one if present, but beyond that, I really almost laugh when I see these professional tasting reviews from people who go on and talk about five different subtleties they find in the alcohol! Maybe they truly have gifted palates - they must as their opinions are sought and well-respected!

I'm a simple guy; I pick it up, I sniff it, I drink it. I'll pick it up again and drink some more if I like it. If I don't, I swash it down the drain.

I don't feel I have a sophisticated palate. I have a fairly poor sense of smell, so usually I can only detect the one dominating aroma. I'm not bad on describing mouth feel - dry, oily, satiny, syrupy, etc. Tastes on the mid-palate seem to stand out for me, and unless you are dead, anyone should be able to discern "burn" or "smooth" going down the hatch!:D

I only know this - this forum, and you good people have enlightened me so much on rum, that I find it truly fascinating, and I really, really enjoy it (so much I went crazy at the mart this week)! I find the variances from one to the next to be so brilliant and wonderful, it makes for a great "hobby" to have!

P.S. When I was out this week, I had a glass of the D'Aristi 10 yr from Mexico which intrigued me. It's funny, but I couldn't sit here and honestly tell you what I tasted other than to say it had a peppery taste going down, and if anything I could only say... "burnt caramel"??? I guess?

I can say this - the smell of this rum was entrancing. I sat there and just sniffed and sniffed and sniffed. In truth, this was just as pleasurable as drinking.

So if you asked me to tell you about D'Aristi, all I could say is - "smells great, dry mouth feel, a light burnt caramel on the mid-palate, with a fairly strong peppery burn at the finish, and it lingers for a significant period of time".

That might say a lot - that might say nothing. That might be totally different than what the next person gets out of it (and I'm sure it's also dependent too on what you just ate for dinner)!

All I can tell you is D'Aristi was a "green light" in my book - I like!

[Bluehammer]

Found this rum at Hitimewine, but no where else. Price per bottle is good, but shipping almost doubles the deal. Is this worth close to $40 a bottle? I really like the old Guat Zaya and am looking for something to fill its place. This may be the ticket, but not sure. Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Matusalem]

Found this rum at Hitimewine, but no where else. Price per bottle is good, but shipping almost doubles the deal. Is this worth close to $40 a bottle? I really like the old Guat Zaya and am looking for something to fill its place. This may be the ticket, but not sure. Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.Some might but I don't think I'd label the Botran a Zaya replacement. I don't find it to be as sweet or ropey as Guat. Zaya or Zacapa 23.

I think it is a solid ron, not sure about about the shipping cost issue. Is it possible to drive down / mitigate some of the per bottle shipping by getting multiple items?

[forrest]

Found this rum at Hitimewine.

i wouldn't use it as a replacement--'per say', i actually 'prefer' it to the Guat Zaya-- dryer, darker wood tones, little more spice-- a winner in my book.
One easy way to offset the shipping problem is get a few-- then the cost is absorbed over more bottles, rather than on one.

[Bluehammer]

One easy way to offset the shipping problem is get a few-- then the cost is absorbed over more bottles, rather than on one.

A true businessman!!! And who can argue with ordering MORE rum? I will have to put together my list and include several of the Botran Solera.

[Lew Barrett]

Since initially posting this my whole approach to taste and in fact, my taste itself, has changed dramatically for the better. I think familiarity and practice is a key to describing the notes and coming to grips with explaining in words the product of one's senses.
And one more thing, the more I experience different rums, the less likely am I to be impressed simply by sweetness. Just a comment after re-reading the thread, especially my own comments from some months ago. Like anything, practice makes perfect!

[Duffman]

A friend of mine who is a photographer dropped by the other day and spied my still-to-be-opened bottle of Botran. He loved the look of the bottle and said he had to get some shots of it (I confirmed that he meant photos, not shots of the rum). So, feeling a little uneasy, I let him take it with him.

Here's one of the shots to get you through the day:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn319/duffmanBC/webBotran_URB8308.jpg

[RonJames]

That looks like a marketing photo, one nice shot, photo or rum either waycheers.gif