The Rum Zacapa was first created in 1976 to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of Zacapa, the city in Guatemala where it is produced.

The warm and humid climate of the region, along with the volcanic soil, provide the ideal conditions for cultivating the best hand-harvested sugarcane using a special machete. Unlike industrial products obtained from molasses, Zacapa rum is produced from the fermentation of pure first-press sugarcane juice, known as "miel virgen", which makes it incredibly smooth and velvety. Once distilled, the rum embarks on a long journey to the "House above the clouds", a magical place located 2,300 meters above sea level, to be aged. At these altitudes, the air is cooler and experiences fewer temperature fluctuations, allowing the rum to mature slowly.

The final factor that makes Zacapa a unique rum in the world is the use of the solera method, used in the production of Sherry, where the blend of rums from different vintages passes through four different types of barrels, before completing its aging in barrels that previously aged Pedro Ximenes Sherry.