Antilles Treasures

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

Distilled by Distilerias Unicas, S.A. – Venezuela
Distilled from fermented molasses in Copper Pot stills, then aged for 12 years in white oak barrels. 40% alcohol by volume. 
Price $32
Awards Won
Gold Medal – Premium Rum – 2009 Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition
Gold Medal – Premium Rum – 2007 Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition
Gold Medal – Premium Rums – International Sugar Cane Spirits Tasting Competition Ybor City 

 
How I found this rum
I found this 12-year old rum while on a business trip in Orlando. I was looking for another brand but the liquor store I was in said that they had never heard of it. This bottle was sitting with a bunch of other topshelf rums and it drew my attention for a couple of reasons. The first was packaging, It was displayed in front of a cardboard sleeve that it was to be tucked into for sales. The second was the rums it sat among, I was very familiar with those and enjoyed them so I asked the clerk about the rum. I was in luck as he wasn’t just the clerk but the owner of the store as well and said this was a personal favorite. After reading the package and small card attached to the bottle I decided that this could be my backup rum in case I couldn’t find the other one…and I never did find the other one so this was a good choice.
Initial Thoughts
When I first opened the bottle there was an aroma of a molasses, quite sweet and appealing. I poured it into a glass and found the coloring to be rich and dark, somewhat of a chestnut brown. This rum is thick enough that it will coat your palate with its flavors, which is rewarding as it has a wonderful sweet finish that lingers a bit longer than most. The aroma was a blend of whisky, chocolate and honey. Only thing I wasn’t happy with was the upfront alcohol smell was a bit stronger than we liked and it carried over to the taste as well.
Taste
This rum has enough differing flavors to satisfy all of your taste buds. It starts with a hint of caramel and citrus then shifts where you can taste the alcohol leaving a bit of an oily but that is replaced quickly with the finishing flavor and that my friends is smooth! The finish is where you can taste the molasses the most and I certainly found the finish to be the most pleasant surprise of the entire experience and would gladly overlook the parts that I didn’t care for because of how it finished.
Final thoughts
How did we sample this rum? I tried it both straight and with a couple of cubes of ice. The ice did mellow the alcohol vapor a bit but either way the finish was very consistent. I wouldn’t use this as a rum to mix with but it would make some quality drinks when paired with the right ingredients.
Would we purchase this rum again? Certainly, Diplimatico is smooth on the palate with a wonderful finish. I certainly will keep a bottle of this particular product in my own bar. I would envision this as a cool to cold weather rum, to be shared with a loved one in front of a fire or on the patio with a nice cigar.
Rating…We will give it a solid 4 out of 5 barrels on our rating system.