Notes: This rum is a private label mix of 3-5 rums from Trinidad and Tobago selected and blended by a master blender. Double distilled in copper pot stills, the rum is aged in used once whiskey and bourbon barrels, and the youngest of the mix is 12 years old.

Appearance: A dark bronze nicely rich color, beautiful clarity. On swirling, leaves a very thin coat on the glass with long thin legs slowly forming with drops sliding down the side of the glass.

First Impression: Vanilla and spice bouquet with some char/leather notes, dark fruits, spice cake, sugar cane, and molasses.

Taste: Slightly sweet entry followed by vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg notes, spice, with char and leather notes intermingled with barrel oak pepper. Medium-bodied, medium-to-long lingering, slightly dry finish. Nice, but please, this is a spiced rum, no way is most of this natural to the rum itself.
I’m also getting a fair amount of sugar cane juice and caramel also. Much more substance, structure, and complexity than the Bacardi 8-year-old.

Drinks: Great for sweeter Tiki drinks calling for a spiced rum or rum and spices.

Cigars: Nothing too heavy. Something with a natural wrapper that is relatively simple so it doesn’t compete with the rum.

Bottle/Packaging: Cylindrical heavy bottomed clear glass bottle with a rectangular label with vertical orientation. Black neck wrap with palm wrap and real cork closure. Thankfully it does not have the South American anti-refill device fitted in the neck of the bottle unlike some of its competitors.

Final Thoughts: A nicely done and for a spiced rum, an understated and nicely done expression. However, I find it rather disingenuous that they are not saying this is a spiced rum- bordering on false advertising. Most definitely spiced and additives. But nice for all that – just state it and let people know what they are in for.

Web site:http://www.infiniumspirits.com/brands/zaya/

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