I always get excited meeting the person behind a spirit. They not only know more about that spirit than anyone in the world, they have such a passion for creating it – miles beyond just building a business. For Lorena, Rum Zacapa is her life and her love. In fact she told us the brief of how she ended up in Guatemala at the distillery (she’s Nicaraguan and fell in love first with a Guatemalan and then with Zacapa).  She’s a vibrant and energetic storyteller and she welcomed us into 25 Lusk to teach us a bit more about the spirit and enjoy it paired in delicious cocktails (thank you Danny Valdez) with an incredible meal (thank you 25 Lusk).

We were joined with other media and some of Lorena’s local San Francisco friends as she walked us through tastings of Zacapa along the way to it’s well known taste.  We tasted the white un-aged rum and then each rum that is aged in different barrels that is all mixed together to create 23 Zacapa.  Just to make your mouth water, here’s the menu of the evening…Zacapa_Twenty Five Lusk Dinner Menu.

If you’ve never tried Zacapa, you’re missing out.  It’s one of the worlds great rums – both as a sipper and mixed up in all sorts of cocktails.  If you ever get a chance to meet Lorena – one of the worlds leading women distillers (in an industry dominated by men), give her a big hug for us.