I need zacapa info

[RonJames]

I just purchased a couple of bottles of Zacapa Centenario 23 anos in the old palm leaf weave coverings. I've liked the 15 and 23 before but have never had it in the old bottle which if memory serves me right they've discontinued. The questions I have are...

1. Is there a taste difference between the old bottle and new?
2. Is it blended with a solera method?
3. Is there a cork or screw cap? (I can't tell without tearing into it)

Thanks guys.
James

[Count Silvio]

1. According to a lot of people, yes there is. The blend is always changing but according to the comments the blend changed quite a bit between the old and new versions.

There is even a notable difference between the GREY neck labeled new style Zacapa bottle and the BLACK neck labeled new style Zacapa bottle.

2. I believe it has always been advertised as a solera.

3. If memory serves correctly the full weave bottle has a plastic diffuser and a screw top. In some countries there is no plastic diffuser.

PS. If youre interested in the differences between grey and black neck label check out my review. (http://www.refinedvices.com/Ron-Zacapa-Centenario-23)

I think the full weave Zacapa is what raised Zacapa to its current status, I would be very interested to try this version but it seems to be very difficult to find one. The newest blend is just too sugary for me.

[rumdog007]

I just purchased a couple of bottles of Zacapa Centenario 23 anos in the old palm leaf weave coverings. I've liked the 15 and 23 before but have never had it in the old bottle which if memory serves me right they've discontinued. The questions I have are...

1. Is there a taste difference between the old bottle and new?
2. Is it blended with a solera method?
3. Is there a cork or screw cap? (I can't tell without tearing into it)

Thanks guys.
James

RonJames, this thread has a good bit about the older Zacapa.

http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2172&highlight=zacapa

On my palm leaf covered bottles, there is no claim of it being a solera rum. In fact, after Diageo struck the deal to distribute Zacapa, one of their changes was to clearly state the word "Solera" more prominently on the label.

[srnadel]

I've heard many people say the taste is different, but I'm not sure I agree. Zacapa was bought by Diageo and changing the blend would cost them a great deal of time and money. I also got a visit from the founder and he confirmed it's the same. Actually, he was a little shocked that people are saying it tastes different. However, there is somthing to be said for everyone saying it tastes different.

In regard to the other questions, I agree with Count Silvio.

[rumdog007]

Seth, if you are ever in Costa Mesa, CA, swing by my place and try them in a blind test. When I did my little test, which is toward the end of the aforementioned thread, I used only new unopened bottles. While I believe that they may be striving to keep the taste the same, over 20 years they are not working with the same rums of which to blend. Also, look at all of the other factors (climate, yeasts, barrels/casks, etc.) which cannot be exactly controlled. I can understand his surprise if speaking of the newest interation and the one before that one. They are so very close. glass.gif

[Arctic Wolf]

The new bottles of Zacapa 23 anos are a blend of rums produced in the solero method (according to their website). The age of rums varies from 7 yrs to 23 yrs so it is not strictly speaking a 23 yr old rum rather it is a 7 yr old rum with rums up to 23 years in the blend. (It is reasonable to believe the website information as truthful as we have no indications to the contrary.) As time has went forward it is believed that the average age of the blend has decreased over time, although the folks who produce Zacapa claim the flavour has been very consistent over time.

I believe that the recent sale of the brand name Zaya was done in part to maintain stocks for the production of Zacapa. The company unable to maintain both brands at the current demand level due to diminishing aged stocks.

My new bottles of Zacapa have corks rather than screw tops, and based upon my experience the flavour of the new blend is better than the old. (It is starting to taste very similiar to the original Zaya which seems to have been a younger blend than the original zacapa 23.)

[rumdog007]

Arctic Wolf and others, I hope that I did not come across as negative. I like the new 23 very much. I gave a bottle to a colleague last month that was completely thrilled with the gift. :)

[RonJames]

I think the full weave Zacapa is what raised Zacapa to its current status, I would be very interested to try this version but it seems to be very difficult to find one.

You just might get your wish, I plan on storing these for awhile. If our paths meet at a rum fest I couldn't think of a better person to share one with. Besides I probably owe you a dram or two for all the info I have gleamed from your rum reviews.

Thanks to the count, seth, and Rum dog. Interestingly enough, it doesn't say solera ANYWHERE on the bottle, which is ok with me. And I am actually happier that it doesn't have a cork. Refined vices and the previous post were VERY informative as well as the info that diageo bought them out. Thanks guys again and Im off to store the rum before I forget.thankyou.gif

[srnadel]

I never argue with people who say it tastes different. It's your palate and you should trust it. I just believe these companies have master blenders who do their best to come up with a consistent taste. It has to be as close as possible. I've had customers come to me and say the taste is completely different. They meant it in a bad way. I do have a hard time believing it's completely different. Variations...absolutely. I still think it's great rum!

[Count Silvio]

You just might get your wish, I plan on storing these for awhile. If our paths meet at a rum fest I couldn't think of a better person to share one with. Besides I probably owe you a dram or two for all the info I have gleamed from your rum reviews.

Thanks to the count, seth, and Rum dog. Interestingly enough, it doesn't say solera ANYWHERE on the bottle, which is ok with me. And I am actually happier that it doesn't have a cork. Refined vices and the previous post were VERY informative as well as the info that diageo bought them out. Thanks guys again and Im off to store the rum before I forget.thankyou.gif

Would be happy to buy one from you! Thank you for your kind comments RonJames. You don't owe me anything, it is enough to me that you just enjoy the website :).

[JMac]

My .02 cents worth is that I found they taste the same and the old bottle I had had a plastic diffuser in it...

[gatomalo]

I just purchased a couple of bottles of Zacapa Centenario 23 anos in the old palm leaf weave coverings.

My question is how the hell did you manage to find those?

[curoswiss]

My question is how the hell did you manage to find those?

Look on Ebay that's where I've bought them in the Past.

[RonJames]

My question is how the hell did you manage to find those?

Thank god for white trash towns my friend. I was visiting my uncle (same age somehow) to watch the redsox (I stole your cricket idea) and we went out to grab Pizza and Beer (he studied in germany and knows his beer). I saw them on the shelves and thought "No, that can't be!" Later last night I said "thats it, gotta have 'em" so this morning I pulled into the parking lot, same guy was just opening up, I ran in, bought 'em, and ran out.

[curoswiss]

Later last night I said "thats it, gotta have 'em" so this morning I pulled into the parking lot, same guy was just opening up, I ran in, bought 'em, and ran out.

I bet you ran out... I can only imagine what you paid...

OK so what did you pay? I wish we had smile for 'jealous'...

[curoswiss]

drooling2.gif This comes close...

[gatomalo]

Look on Ebay that's where I've bought them in the Past.

Unfortunately I've not seen one on ebay for a long while.

Thank god for white trash towns my friend. I was visiting my uncle (same age somehow) to watch the redsox (I stole your cricket idea) and we went out to grab Pizza and Beer (he studied in germany and knows his beer). I saw them on the shelves and thought "No, that can't be!" Later last night I said "thats it, gotta have 'em" so this morning I pulled into the parking lot, same guy was just opening up, I ran in, bought 'em, and ran out.

That, I have to say, is a brilliant discovery! I'm extremely jealous! Enjoy!

[forrest]

Here (http://www.refinedvices.com/forum_/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=343&p=2180#p2180) is some good info on Zacapa, with more forthcoming. . .

And to quote The Rum Ambassador, from an interview with Master distiller Lorena Vasques of Zacapa,(quoted from RV chat)" *]The original royal palm wrapped rum was supoosedly a minimum of 23 years old but aged reserves started to run low so the solera method was employed for the new rum..."

Which would indicate a (and easily explain the) distinct difference between the "Palm Weave" and the later iterations of Zacapa 23.

[RonJames]

That makes sense Forest, thank you. As to what I paid I gladly forked over $75 US for the 2 bottles. Don't think that Im rich, but the price didn't matter too much in my thinking.

[Matusalem]

This topic always interests me. In my personal experience (and I think I stated here before), I experienced changes in the taste before the actual packaging conversion was complete. In my presence many persons stated that the full palm leaf wrapped Zacapa bottles do not have a firm 23 Años age statement, but indicate something along the lines of a blend up to 23 years in age.

I have at least 1 full dressed bottle that does indicate 23 years of age. On top of that, before the switch I noticed some bottles had different print coloring (more black vs. red and visa) on their labels (?) not sure if these were simple printing differences or indications of differing blends, batches, perhaps differing bottling/labeling facilities or what???

Seth, good to see you here! I think the sudden change from "A blend up to 23 years of age" to "23 Años" did little to prevent perceptions of change, just as much as the packaging modification. JMHO

Aside from all the above, my personal view in as follows. The terms "blend change" / "alteration" are over-played. For me, the thought behind blend change or alterations (KIM, my own viewpoint) relates to purposeful changes - a decision made with the expressed intention of changing an established profile. As was pointed out, the rum over the years is not going to be exactly the same. So some change in inevitable for a multitude of reasons - but that isn't what I'd define as "blend changes".

Rather than expensive blend changes etc. the fact of the matter is rum has grown quite a bit more popular recently and Zacapa grew to notoriety in this expansion period. Forget blend tailoring, my take is much simpler. The distiller is using what it has on hand to fill ever increasing demand... demand which surely stresses or shaved something off the availability to maintain the selectivity exercised during periods when demand was lower.

Purely a guess on my behalf, but this (for me) would be the logical conclusion as to why Zaya lost its Guatemetecan ron source.

[vincennes1897]

Although I've tried all three on different occasions I cannot recall much of a difference between them. This may have to do with my insensitive pallet. Either way, it would be much easier to tell if one was able to taste all three at once. If I recall correctly, I think rumdog actually posted a review of all three somewhere on the forum.

Regardless, recent rumors around the sugarcane plantations in Guatemala suggest that Zacapa has indeed changed its system somewhat. I just got off the phone with a friend who sold last harvest's crops to Zacapa and does regular business with them. He said that they changed the brewing process to last only 180 days instead of one year which had been the case previously. This successfully decreases cycle time for manufacturing but, according to him, is the likely cause of the halt to Zacapa's winning streak for a few different awards that it had been wining annually. If anyone else has any information about this I would be glad to know.