The rum around
Rum, for better or worse, has a sense of rebellion tied to it: pirates, buccaneers, revolutions, your first mixed drink — y’know, those sorts of things. The sweet and spicy flavors of darker rums often stir up memories of Caribbean vacations (or at least summers spent mixing amateur cocktails in the backyard). But Ron Zacapa 23 — a premium rum smooth enough to sip and strong enough to give you that warm-inside feeling — is proving that the islands aren’t the only place synonymous with great sipping. Zacapa, an interesting spin on high-end liquor, recently made its US debut. The Guatemalan rum is distilled at the ultra-high altitude of 8000 feet above sea level from sugarcane instead of molasses, setting it apart from other, similar spirits. Zacapa’s Lorena Vasquez is one of just three female master distillers in the world and uses the first pressing of sugarcane before sending the rum to casks “above the clouds,” where it ages with rums ranging from six to 23 years old. Join the revolution by picking up a bottle ($42.99) at V. Cirace & Son (173 North Street, Boston, 617.227.3193) or ordering the Between the Sheets cocktail ($12) — a mixture of Zacapa 23, Pierre Ferrand Ambre, Cointreau, and lemon juice — at RumBa (InterContinental Boston, 510 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.217.5150).
