In the bottle, the new vs. old Zayas are nearly identical. The dark amber color is a near perfect match, and it’s only by holding up to the light and looking carefully that you can tell the old Zaya is slightly redder, while the new is a bit more orange. The bottle structure and labels are also nearly identical, although the script beneath the rum’s name now reads “Imported Rum from Trinidad” rather than the former “Imported Rum from Guatamala”, and the small disc above the tag now bears a tropical coat of arms instead of the previous sun-god looking thing.

To the nose, the difference is much more immediately apparant. Old Zaya smells of bananas, fruit, and sugarcane. It’s cool and clean – not as musky as many darker rums, nor as oaky. In truth, the aroma is distinctly light for a dark rum, but still very rich. New Zaya is a stark contrast – still very sweet, but this time more of raisins. It also smells much sweeter, and more syrupy. It reminds me more of the profile I would expect from an Indian rum, rather than Caribbean.

Of course, with any beverage the ultimate factor is taste – and as usual, taste here neatly follows nose. Old Zaya is indeed very smooth. Its sticky sweetness lacks the heady molasses kick I prefer, but the quality is clear just the same. It doesn’t boast any real burn going down, but a definite warmth is left behind. New Zaya feels still warmer on the tongue, and boasts a sweeter, more candy-like taste. It’s not quite as smooth, and has just a slight “cough syrup” sensation about it, but overall it still tastes of a quality – albeit different – product.

All told, I’m not inclined to declare New Zaya a drastic reduction in quality from Old Zaya. But it is certainly not the same rum. Old Zaya is clearly the more appropriate choice for sophisticated palettes, while New Zaya seems best for those who enjoy higher end flavored rums such as Captain Morgan’s Private Stock, Sailor Jerry, or Kilo Kai. In fact, it could be an excellent transition rum for those wishing to remove the training wheels of the spiced rums. However, those of us already well acclimated to the world of rums – particularly those of us who enjoy a little gunpowder in our swill – will find the new Zaya a stark departure from our prefered tastes.

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Never has a rum looked more dignified. The bottle is tall and elegently marked with its black and gold label. The neck is tightly wrapped in palm, which contrasts beautifully with the rich mahogany, 12 year aged, pure sugarcane rum within. The bottle itself is extra thick, and the additional heft this creates only further lends the impression that this is a rum worthy of note.

Upon removing the cork, the rum itself smells heavy and sweet, and tastes the same. It’s full of contradiction, weighty and aloof, yet surprisingly forward. It’s kind of like meeting a dusky tribal queen dressed from head to toe in rich silks and golden feathers, and when you reach out to politely kiss her hand she instead sits on your lap and liplocks you in front of your bewildered crew. Yeah – something like that.

Projecting a sensation that’s massive yet graceful, this rum receives full marks. Each sip is soothing, warm, shivers straight down the spine, and leaves behind a feeling that now would be a fine time to die happy.