PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Zacapa was born in Guatemala in 1976, created to mark the centenary of the town of Zacapa, and over five decades it has become one of the best-known aged rums in the world, noted for its sweet, smooth, dark profile and its signature woven-palm-band bottle. For its 50th anniversary, Master Blender Lorena Vásquez has done something new for the brand: Zacapa’s first limited-edition innovation outside its core North American range, and the first time the house has used a finishing barrel of this kind.
The foundation is the Sistema Solera, Zacapa’s method of blending older and younger rums as they age through a sequence of casks that previously held American whiskeys, sherries, and Pedro Ximénez wines, along with re-charred American oak, high in the Guatemalan mountains, where the cooler climate slows maturation. For the 50th Anniversary Edition, Vásquez built a blend of rums aged between 8 and 24 years, then gave it “a distinctive final maturation in American white oak barrels specially charred with cacao and Cobán chili peels, imparting notes of roasted cacao and spice to the wood.” Cacao and Cobán chili are both Guatemalan ingredients, so the finish ties the rum to the country’s food and farming. The blend then rests for several months in oak vats before bottling at 40% ABV (80 proof).
The tasting notes: the nose opens with “vanilla and caramelized fruit,” and the full profile moves from “toasted vanilla beans, dried fruit, and caramelized sugar” to “oaky wood, sticky toffee pudding, baking spices, cacao, and chili peppers.” The label itself promises “notes of cacao and chili,” and the creamy canister is decorated with cacao pods, flowers, and chili peppers. Select bars are pouring it in the GuateMai Tai, with orange liqueur, orgeat, fresh lime juice, and aromatic bitters.
It was released on October 15, 2026, in select markets in New York, California, Texas, and Florida. No independent reviews have been published yet. It’s a gift-ready bottle for rum drinkers, a natural for Zacapa fans, and, at 40%, a soft, sweet, spiced sipper, with chocolate and warm-chili notes that make it a good choice for after dinner. Enjoy it neat or on the rocks, and a GuateMai Tai works well when you want a cocktail.
Ron Zacapa Centenario 50th Anniversary Edition is produced by Zacapa in Guatemala, created by Master Blender Lorena Vásquez: a blend of rums aged 8 to 24 years in the Sistema Solera, with a final maturation in American white oak barrels charred with Guatemalan cacao and Cobán chili peels, rested several months in oak vats. 40% ABV / 80 proof, 750ml. Limited edition, presented in a commemorative canister.
No independent critic reviews or scores are published yet for this release.
Zacapa (tasting notes):
“On the nose, Zacapa 50th Anniversary Edition opens with aromas of vanilla and caramelized fruit.” Further notes include “oaky wood, sticky toffee pudding, baking spices, cacao, and chili peppers.”
Nose
Toasted vanilla bean, caramelized fruit, dried fruit, and caramelized sugar.
Palate
Oak, sticky toffee pudding, baking spices, roasted cacao, and a warm chili thread.
Finish
Long and warming, with cacao, spice, and a hint of chili.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Aged Rum — Guatemalan, Solera, Limited Edition |
| ABV / Proof | 40% ABV / 80 Proof |
| Blend | Rums aged 8 to 24 years, Sistema Solera |
| Finish | American white oak barrels charred with Guatemalan cacao and Cobán chili peels |
| Master Blender | Lorena Vásquez |
| Packaging | Commemorative canister |
| Release | October 15, 2026; select markets in NY, CA, TX, and FL |
| Critics | None yet |
| Style / Identity | A sweet, smooth, spiced, cacao-and-chili-finished Guatemalan rum |
| Aromas & Flavors | Vanilla, caramelized fruit, toffee, baking spice, cacao, chili |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Neat or on the rocks — to taste the cacao and chili.
GuateMai Tai — the 50th Anniversary Edition with orange liqueur, orgeat, fresh lime juice, and aromatic bitters.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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