Zaya Grande Reserva 16-Year

This is one of the worst rums I've had that was $30+ a bottle. Overly sweet. Artificial caramel taste. No redeeming value. Sad because I've had really good Zaya rum, but this is definitely not one.

Definitely has the fruit essence that I like. The taste lingers on your pallet. Dont know if that's good or bad. The smell is an "I'd drink that...". As I learn more I'm sure I'll com back to this one.

Nose: Strong vanilla and a little sweet, and perhaps a bit of artificail banana, but most overwhelmingly vanilla
Taste: The vanilla overpowers what otherwise tastes like a really good rum. For a moment the rum overpowers the vanilla and there is a richness; however, it does not persist, and the vanilla re-emerges and drowns the raw rum flavor. It is more like a flavored rum than a straight rum. It would be hard to mix this in anything but cola. It would taint a pina colada and a mai tai. I have had rums that pair well with dessert; however, this will not be one of them.

Used to be such a good, sweet, caramel rum. Braided neck and cork top. If you can find that buy it.

Nose is VERY sweet smelling. Not much flavor up front but it hits you with caramel, butterscotch, vanilla after you swallow. Fairly smooth but because there's not much flavor on the front end you get a little harshness of the alcohol.
Mixed with cola it give a sweet floral honey, and vanilla

Easy and sweet, vanilla on the nose and taste. Not many layers nor complex. A bit pricey (CAD $65 ) For its quality.

If this is the best they have to offer then I have bought my first and last Zaya rum. Just tastes artificial and sweet. There is sweet and then there is artificial sweet and this is the latter. Certainly not awful tasting rum but, I am sorry, for the $30 I spent there are a lot of much better real tasting rums that come in at a better price. I find it impossible to believe that any more than a tiny percentage of this blended rum has been aged for 16 years.

Zaya is pretty popular within our family, so much my sister's dog is named after it.

I am not sure the 16 year old is worth the extra price over the regular 12 year old. Its still a good rum, but i prefer to mix it with coke rather than just on ice.

Tasted at Laka Lono on 7/9/19. This is the new version and not the old one with the woven thatch neck. Mild. Very mild. Almost like it has been watered down. Massive vanilla aroma. Sickenly sweet vanilla flavor. Too much vanilla. A sad vestige of the original.

Feh. Never tried Zaya and decided to take the plunge. How could I go wrong with the 16 yr old?

How wrong I was. First impression was "So that's what it would taste like if you mixed rum and cream soda". Further tastings did nothing to improve that impression.

Pretty nasty overall, even mixed with copious amounts of Coruba to dilute it, the foul cloying stench never seemed to retreat Makes me reticent to try the 12..