I like all sorts of rum. Some of my favorites include cachaca (Brazilian sugarcane rum), elegant French Caribbean rhum agricole and I also enjoy some heavy, aged rums layered with nutty and tropical notes, particularly in a Mai Tai.I also find rum one of the more intriguing spirits because of its global impact and place in history. Rum has traveled all around the world after the Europeans colonized the Americas. The British liked it so much that sailors received ‘rum rations’ as part of their pay. Prior to gin, rum was the drink of the royal aristocracy.Zacapa Rum comes from Guatemala where the soil is both fertile and volcanic, allowing the easy growing and harvesting of wild sugarcane. The sugarcane juice is pressed once, fermented, distilled and then aged in bourbon, sherry and wine casks, picking up slight influences from each. It is then transported to 8000 feet above sea level where it rests at an average of 62 degrees Fahrenheit in charred white oak barrels in the “house above the clouds.”The Zacapa 23 is blended from rums aged in these ideal conditions for 6 – 23 years. I received a sample in the mail, and it immediately became one of my new favorites due to its wonderful aroma and flavor: tropical fruit, a touch of vanilla, and the toastiness of a crackling fire. I am also excited by the fact that Zacapa is overseen by one of only three female Master Distillers in the world, Lorena Vasquez.I highly recommend any rum lover – amateur or aficionado – give Zacapa 23 a taste. Feel free to leave your opinion in the comments section, below. As for me, I’m going to enjoy another sip of Zacapa, in a small glass, with one ice cube, and my tastebuds in the clouds.