The Solera and XO expressions bring 500 years of blending tradition, Mayan heritage and a world of music, art and fashion to South Africa

Diageo announced the launch of Ron Zacapa in South Africa, introducing the Zacapa Solera and Zacapa XO to a market that is increasingly turning to premium spirits that deliver craft, provenance and a story worth sharing. The range will be available at Liquor City, Makro, and Norman Goodfellows .

Born in the highlands of Guatemala, Ron Zacapa is a rum made for those who see drinking as an experience rather than a routine. It is aged 2,300 metres (7,545 feet) above sea level in a place known as the “House Above the Clouds,” where the cool, moist mountain air slowly develops the deep aroma, full colour and rich flavour that define the spirit.

At the heart of every bottle is the Solera System, a method first developed more than 500 years ago in Spain for ageing sherry. Rums of different ages and personalities are blended, then returned to selected barrels to continue maturing. Master blender Lorena Vásquez selects casks that previously held robust American whiskeys, delicate sherries, fine Pedro Ximénez wines and French oak, and personally oversees each stage of blending to ensure consistency, quality and depth of flavour.

The range includes:

• Zacapa Solera: The Gran Reserva expression, made from virgin sugar cane honey and blended at altitude in selected oak barrels.
• Zacapa XO: The Solera Gran Reserva Especial, blended at high altitude and finished in selected cognac barrels, presented in a sculpted, gold-crowned decanter.

Every bottle of Ron Zacapa is wrapped in a hand-woven Petate band, an artisanal palm-leaf matting that dates back to 1400 BC. In the Mayan worldview, Petate symbolises the unity of the universe and is an icon of royalty, its interwoven pattern representing the union of earth and sky, sun and moon, and the physical and spiritual realms. It is a tangible expression of the creativity and heritage behind the liquid.

The name itself carries history. Ron Zacapa was created in 1976 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the town of Zacapa in Guatemala. Its name comes from the Nahuatl language and means “on the river of grass.”

Zacapa connects with consumers by inviting them into a place of awe and elevated experience through the liquid, music, art and fashion. In South Africa, this will come to life through launch activations, creative partnerships, curated tasting experiences, collaborations with local artists and musicians.