Initial Thoughts
I’m trying to become more well rounded when it comes to different spirits available out in the marketplace. Last week I had my first Scotch, the Glenlivet 12, and I was instantly hooked. Now I’m trying to get more involved in the rum world as well. I was recently contacted about doing some reviews of this Diplomatico Reserva Rum. I had never heard of it, nor seen it on the shelves at my local liquor store, so I wasn’t exactly sure what I was in store for. However, I agreed to do the review and tasting and that’s what you’re about to read! I’m still new to rums and still trying to learn how to pull out all the flavors possible and describe the experience, but hopefully I get all those points across to you and you’ll be able to enjoy this ride alongside me. So here we go.
According to the fact sheet on this rum:
“Diplomático rums, some of the most awarded in the world, are produced in Venezuela by Distilerias Unidas S.A. (DUSA) and are ranked consistently among the finest South American rums. With a total of seven stills (three pot and four column), the distillery has been producing top-quality spirits for more than 45 years and has achieved significant global success.
Launched in 1989, Diplomático Reserva is a rich brown rum distilled from fermented molasses. Reserva is blended from 50 percent continuous and 50 percent pot still rums and is aged for eight years in used whisky and bourbon barrels.”
This Diplomatico Reserva Rum is first distlled in column still and then again in copper pot stills. After that it barreld in used bourbon and whiskey casks for eight years. We all know that I love some bourbon and whiskey so I’m glad they’re using those casks instead of wine casks or anything like that. So that’s pretty much all I have as the background on this rum. Let’s dive into and see what all I experience with it.
Looks
The bottle containing this Diplomatico Reserva Rum is very elegant and classic looking. I love the orange labeling and the firmly stated 8 anos, which means 8 years in Spanish, incase you’re not as fluent as me. The label also has a black and white painting of someone’s headshot, turns out this is Don Juancho. You can read all about this story here, it’s pretty interesting and worth the read. Personally I love the big bold Diplomatico stamp in the middle of the label. It’s a black box with some sort of postage stamp press cut around the edge of it. Very interesting branding, I’m digging it. Well enough about how it looks, we all want to know how it tastes. So lets dive a little deeper into it and see what all it has to offer.
Reviewed Neat
Nose
Right out of the gate this Diplomatico Reserva Rum is bringing a fairly intense alcohol note. I know that seems fairly obvious, but it’s not just the liquor it’s a very strong sense of alcohol. Once I let some air get to the glass it calms down the alcohol and some other flavors begin to appear. The first thing I pick up on is some peach aromas. Then I begin to pick up on some soft woody notes. Probably from the casks that this was aged in. I can pick up on some hints of spice, probably vanilla and cinnamon if I had to guess, but I’m not exactly able to pinpoint them. That’s about all I can pick up thus far. Time to take the first sip!
Palate
I’m drinking this Diplomatico Reserva Rum out of my snifter glass. I’m not sure if that’s approriate for rum or not, but it helps me concentrate the flavors and aromas so I can really pick up on more of them. The first thing that hits my palate when I take a sip is the dominate sweet velvety toffee note. It’s an incredible mouthfeel that coats the top and my mouth and just has this thick buttery feeling that’s fantastic. Once the toffee disappears I pick up on some hints of chocolate and a bit or orangy or citrus flavors towards the back end. It offers some nice complexities to round everything else out.
Finish
On the finish is where spirits earn their money. What sort of lasting impression does it leave you with? That’s what makes us come back for me. This Diplomatico Reserva Rum had a decent finish. It was smooth and somewhat lingering. It left me wanting more so that I could experience it on my palate and try to pick out more of those flavors. The finish was very enjoyable leaving a nice coating until the next sip. I could see how this would pair very well with a cigar. It leaves behind that coating and then by taking a puff to infuse the flavors of the rum and the cigar in your mouth could bring out some exciting flavor combinations!
Diplomatico Reserva Rum: 8/10
Going off of my previous scale for the Pyrat Rum and giving it a 9. I’m going to have to give this Diplomatico Reserva Rum an 8. I enjoyed it, and it was really tasty, but for me personally I enjoyed the Pyrat more. This rum has plenty of good things going on with it, especially the price point of $25. It’s hard to beat that! So if you come across this rum give it a try and see for yourself what you like / dislike about it. I think most people will enjoy it.
