![\"the](\"http:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/durban\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/the-master-blender.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThis ultra-premium rum has just launched in South Africa and rum-lovers and haters alike need to get their hands on it, because trust me, it is deliciously rich and smooth.<\/p>\n
Originating from the highlands of Guatemala, it\u2019s slow barrel-aged for between 6 and 23 years. What I really love about the brand, is while they cater to the upper end of the market, they haven\u2019t forgotten their roots. Each bottle of Ron Zacapa Centenario has a petate band – a hand-woven sash created by a group of 900 Guatemalan women, helping them support their families and communities.<\/p>\n
But enough history. Let\u2019s talk the launch.<\/p>\n
Throughout the night we were entertained, educated and liquored up (I couldn\u2019t think of a third \u201ce\u201d) by the lovely Master Blender,\u00a0Ana Lorena V\u00e1squez Ampi\u00e9. Not only does she know everything there is to know about RZ, but she\u2019s a mean lean drink blending machine.<\/p>\n
Ceviche<\/h2>\n
Scallops and oysters were complemented with avocado, grapefruit and crispy onion \u2013 resulting in a well-rounded combo of salty, creamy, citrusy, earthy.<\/p>\n + The Eterna Primavera cocktail<\/p>\n Smoked Ron Zacapa sprayed into the glass, with Pedro Ximenez Sherry, a sweet date<\/a> reduction and fresh lime to pick up the fruitness of the ceviche. The smokiness picked up on the toasted seeds on the ceviche. All in all, a fresh, but strangely wintery starter.<\/p>\n Served in a light tempura batter, with chilli and toasted fennel seed salt and a lemon butter. I really don\u2019t like soft shell crab, but it was cooked well and the flavours worked well together.<\/p>\n + The Cloud Experience<\/p>\n A glass of Ron Zacapa was smoked with cinnamon wood before serving, this added a sweet smokiness to its slightly fruity, rich date notes.<\/p>\n While the others had smoked paprika pork belly with vanilla creamed corn and a tomato and coriander salsa, us non-pork eaters had Moroccan spiced lamb, served on a bed of couscous, with a fresh cabbage slaw and a techina cream. Magnificent.<\/p>\n + Captivation<\/p>\n This boom boom pow (yes, that\u2019s now an official descriptor) drink, with plenty punch was made using ol\u2019 RZ, with port, a cheery, plum and balsamic shrub (a barrel-aged reduction), pastis and fresh citus.<\/p>\n Rich, dark and decadent, chocolate brownie, with an earthy beetroot swirl.<\/p>\n + reflection<\/p>\n RZ with homemade chai bitters, a raspberry shrub, maple syrup and citrus. This drink was delicious enough to take home, and oh guess what, they made it in little vials so that we could.<\/p>\n At every turn, I was surprised. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Ron Zacapa. I was surprised by by finding myself at a wonderfully intimate, but relaxing dinner, as opposed to a pretentious event. I was surprised that there wasn\u2019t just a brand manager there answering questions, but Master Blender,\u00a0Ana Lorena V\u00e1squez Ampi\u00e9 who lives the brand. I was surprised that rum could be mixed and paired in so many (enjoyable) ways. It was a surprising night of deliciousness that I will remember for a long time.<\/p>\n Give them a like on Facebook<\/a> and on Twitter<\/a> and go on down to Checkers, Spar Tops and Makro to get your hands on a bottle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cHi, we\u2019d like to invite you to the Ron Zacapa launch!\u201d \u201cRon Za-who-ha?\u201d \u201cRon Zacapa!\u201d \u201cOh, ok cool, I love clothes!\u201d \u201cNo, no no\u2026 It\u2019s a type of rum.\u201d \u201cLies\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s from Guatemala\u201d \u201cLies.\u201d \u201cJust come to the launch\u201d \u201cMkay\u201d I toddled into Kloof Street House with zero expectation. I read that it was a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":430,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews"],"wps_subtitle":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=425"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/425\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7411,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/425\/revisions\/7411"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.food-blog.co.za\/joburg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/p>\nSoft Shell Crab<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nLamb<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nChocolate Nemisis<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n