Zafra Master Reserve 21 Year Rum.
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Note: Zaphra was later reviewed (here), for a surprising score. But this article will give you the chops to understand where yet another "Zee" rum orginates...
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Remember Zaya? Remember the mega-marketed Zacapa 23 (which self demoted from "23 anos" to just "23")? And now, uh, Zafra Master Reserve 21. And all tied, in one way or another to the slicked back hair boyz over at Dana Imports. Can you imagine Andy Garcia with a cigar in hand? And what's with all these "Z's"?
Lissen up. It's really pretty simple.
When you see a brand new rum rumoured at $39.95 but opening at $58.95 at of all places, the discount kingdom of Total Wine... When you see the usual suspects, currently the Burr Brothers and the Queen of Rum, spew out regurgitations of the Dana boyz sickeningly slick ad copy (almost word for word, see here)... When the heavy bottomed bottle shouts out "Aged 21 Years", label center...
Grab yer wallet.
I smell marketing. No one is better at this than then the Zee-boyz at Dana Imports and I'm serious. If you follow the link above and check out their ad copy on Zaphra you'll see why. Masterful. Here's a quick list of the red flags I spy:
1. The name "Zaphra". Totally invented, like Viagra. Focus group tested, divorced from family or distiller, and best of all it starts with the now ubiquitous "Z". And purposefully reminiscent of Z-23, except now the shills will be referring to Z-21.
2. The alleged age. C'mon boyz, do you really believe that an unnamed distiller produced a great quantity of superb rum 21 years ago, and then sat on it - year after year, angel's loss after angel's loss for 21 years so they could maybe release it during a worldwide recession?
And have you ever tasted any rum that even borders on 21 years in the barrel? Lemme tell ya, any rum aged 21 years in Panama and you'd be picking oak splinters out of your teeth. Quite unlike the profile promoted by Dana.
3. And how about their heavily promoted "Pancho Fernandez Perez, Master Distiller", alleged to have "an illustrious history of creating among the worlds' best rums"?
We've all heard of Jerry Edwards. Or of Richard Seale. Or of Joy Spence. True master distillers who have indeed produced some of the very greatest rums, namely Mount Gay Extra Old, Seales Ten and Doorly's and Appleton Extra. But Pancho Perez? Missing in action, and kindly name just one of the "world's best rums" produced by him at his unnamed distillery?
4. A careful release of product and ad copy to the usual suspect shills, in this case the Burr Brothers and the Queen of Rum. Shills who will not only regurgitate the copy, almost word for word, as independent "reviews" but who will obediantly promote this magical elixir. Pooh.
5. A paid for play entry into the newly formed "Ultimate Spirits Challenge" where Zaphra received a "95", second only to Mount Gay's 1703 at "97". But before you get too excited keep in mind that that the four semifinalists included Wray & Nephew's Overproof and - I hope you've already had a few tonite - Bacardi 8 Year!
On one hand I commend the "Ultimate Challenge" for attempting to set up a multi-tiered blind tasting method. The problem arises when - in setting up the tasting as a 3 day "competition" - way, WAY too many spirits must be judged in a relatively miniscule period of time. For example, white spirits and rums (over 230 of them by my rough count) were judged on the first day!
What does this mean?
To judge 230 spirits in one day I'd have to guess there were judges aplenty, likely divided into "crews". Different judges tasting - and rating - different spirits, for apparently different and inconsistent results! Although the protocol tries to appear competent, it pales before the real and serious methodology of BTI. As it must.
After all how can you explain Bacardi 8 Year appearing as one of four semifinalists with MG 1703, Wray & Nephews Overproof and (let me be the first) Z-21? How does Don Q's magnificent Gran Anejo get beat out - substantially - by its entry level, comparatively simple Anejo? And Flor de Cana 7 Year over Mount Gay Extra Old? Does this have to do with fragmented judging? Or with the subdividing of the mere 53 rums entered into 17 different categories?
You decide. For now I'm afraid the Ultimate Challenge suffers from a split personality, and an overloaded and fragmented - but incredibly profitable event. At an estimated $465 per spirit, and around 450 spirits entered this 3-day event likely grossed a minimum of $200,000! Not to mention the public/media followup to take place in October.
Whew!
Consider this newly formed effort to be a cross between the entirely legitimate Beverage Tasting Institute and a typical commercial Rum Fest event. Whereas BTI does no "competitions", the Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC) is organized like one. Whereas BTI posts thorough public reviews on all products tested, USC does not, but will provide a private review to the distillers only. And completely unlike BTI, all the "top scoring spirits" are invited to attend an upcoming "Ultimate Spirits and Cocktails" public/media event on October 4th in New York. As they hype this event:
Bottom line: Zaphra's "95" must remain suspect. To date I have found no independent, non-commercial reviews.This spectacular show will be open to the public and media and will showcase all the best products from Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Cocktail Challenge.
6. The packaging. Exquisite, expensive and expensive. A highly produced package and image designed to appear in the Robb Report or perhaps Cigar Afficianado (whose current issue has a cover fold out ad for Zacapa 23). So luscious you almost expect to pour it off the page.
Bottom line:
It is certainly possible Zaphra Master Reserve 21 Year will prove to be honestly labelled and live up to its marketing hype. It is also possible that I will prove to be Superman...
