More Zhumir - Paute and Pina Colada

This weekend I sampled two more Zhumir products and am quickly becoming fond of this  Ecuadorean company. The Paute is a spirit made from sugar cane juice - which is harvested in the company's plantations in the Paute Valley in south-center Ecuador. It possesses sweet honeyed aroma followed by a sugary profile like Cachaca. The tail hints of a burn, but is quite smooth. The Pina Colada is exactly what it says - a pre-mixed Pina Colada fortified to 30 proof. This was quite delicious, far superior to any overly sugared pre-mixed or machine made version. They even include coconut bits mimicking our favorite Bahamian recipe. Nicely done. Pair with the talented Carlos Rodrigo.

Ecuadorean Surprise: Zhumir Maracuyá

Anyone ever tried a Zhumir product from Ecuador? Their flagship brand is SECO made from sugar cane juice - which is harvested in the company's plantations in the Paute Valley in south-center Ecuador. SECO shouldn't be confused with rum, it has more of a cachaça flavor and I've enjoyed on the rocks or as a part of a home grown Caipirinh. This weekend we have out-of-town guests and one just happen to bring a bottle of Zhumir Maracuyá, a flavored SECO. Maracuyá translates to passion fruit, so this liquor is slightly sweet with a citrus-mango flavor. It is smooth - very smooth and I preferred neat rather than on the rocks; seems like the water exposes even more sweetness. And I'm sure mixologists would be able to concoct several interesting recipes. Here's to experimenting....