Zhumir Reposado

Take the Time To Savor It

 

In Ecuador it is customary to take the time to enjoy life. Long working hours are not a part of the Ecuadorian lifestyle or culture which is why their most popular national drink also comes close to being their national pastime. Zhumir is what gives the Ecuadorian lifestyle a happy go lucky outlook. The Zhumir Reposado is for those who have spent their time working hard and now have the time to relax. It is marketed to a sophisticated and mature clientele. 'Reposado' in Spanish translates to the adjective “Restful” in English. It is a fitting name for a drink meant to lighten up the mood. It is meant to be an unwinding rather than an energizing drink. But don't let it fool you into taking easy swigs of it. Zhumir Reposado is strong stuff; 80 proof. No wonder the manufacturers want you to take some time to relax, perhaps with your friends, when you choose to drink it.

 

The Zhumir Reposado is liquor distilled from sugarcane. It is a very potent drink usually fermented without the addition of chemicals. Ecuadorians drink it straight out of a shot glass. This sort of drinking practice is not recommended for non-Ecuadorians who are not used to the liquor. The drink falls under the category of Aguardiente or “Firewater.” Tradition has it that in 1780, a man named Francisco Cabeza de Vaca coined the term Zhumir. The drink became so popular that in 1966 an entrepreneur named Doña Hortensia Mata Ordóñez started the first distillery to mass manufacture it. This distillery was called “Destilería La Playa.”

 

Today the distillery is called “Destilería Zhumir C. Ltda” to identify it with Ecuador's most popular liquor. The Zhumir Reposado is one of the premium product lines of this company and comes in two editions – the Zhumir Reposado and the Zhumir Reserva Especiale. Both of them are 80 proof and finely aged liquors.