Champagne, yes please. Clear liquor, sure. Dark liquor, maybe. Sorry but that’s just my palette. It is very rare when a dark liquor stands out as something I would purchase. Zafra Master Reserve 21 Year Old Rum happen to fit into that category.

Meaning “harvest”, this Panamanian premium rum is aged for twenty years in bourbon barrels. The bottle immediately stood out because it resembled the packaging traditionally used for single malt scotches.

Upon pouring I found the nose quite delightful. It was a pleasant mix of rich fruit. The color was a rosey brown.

My first sip was interesting to say the least. The body is very smooth but there wasn’t an overbearing sweetness which I was expecting. It was very clean and interesting enough it reminded of bourbon. With the finish I got a touch of spice that lingered but didn’t bother.

Only after the second and third sip you really get to understand Zafra’s subtle complexity. Priced around $40.00 dollars, I would recommend this bottle to any rum lover. For the smokers I would suggest a mild to medium smoke for pairing; maybe a well aged Rocky Patel Vintage 1992. Bravo.