Ron Zacapa XO Rum

Sweet and a hint of oak

Tried neat. On the nares I get almonds, vanilla, pecan, orange, amaretto. On the palate it’s smooth and nutty with notes of cherry, crème brûlée. And give me almonds baby

Nose of vanilla, pineapple, sugar cane, cake icing, wood and crème brûlée. Toasty on the palate, oak, char, caramel, vanilla. Spicy finish.

I'm a pretty big fan of Zacapa 23, even though it is a bit sweet, I think it's a solid rum for a decent price. I had high hopes for the XO, however, I wouldn't exactly say it reached my expectations. On the nose it's evident that this will be sweet, with dark chocolate and a hint of orange peel. The palate is rich, with plenty of sweetness and oak. I was hoping for a bit more, but the sweetness sort of got in the way. The finish is actually pretty long and has almost no burn. I do think the XO is better than the 23, however, for the price, which is pretty much double the cost of the 23, I'm not sure it's worth it. When I initially had this, I was just getting into rum and I thought this was the gold standard, but after trying many others over the years, I don't think that can be said anymore. Still solid and if you are new to rum or have a sweet tooth, this rating could be bumped up to a 4, but it's just too sweet for my liking.

Two years after my initial taste of Zacapa XO... my opinion is the same. This is one of the best rum, the best value, and the best taste that I had the opportunity to taste. Now, this is not as heavy and complex as Appleton Estate 21, but still a great sipping rum, for one of those nights that you just want to chill and listen to your preferred music... Latin, Jazz, etc...