Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

Easy, smooth and sweet for cold occasions. Vanilla, toffee and oak. Average to low price for experts and beginners. Love it.

My second Diplomatico rum and so far I’m liking it. I’ve read where people said it’s too sweet, yet I find it just sweet enough. I’m picking up dried fruits like raisins and a cinnamon and spice. It has a nice light sweet aroma which reminds me of bread pudding. It does have hints of vanilla but they aren’t overwhelming and it’s a very nice sipper.

First let me say by all means try this. It is easy to drink. Very smooth and has a good finish. I can see why some reviewers have declared this to be a liquor, not rum. I like sweet rum. This one is very sweet. For those that covet Foursquare and other rum that has some real bite to them this is pure cane syrup. I like Foursquare also. I get it. But I this is just very sweet rum, not a real liquor. Besides the candy there is some pepper hiding back there. Some raisins and oak too along with subtle mint notes. Having said that it doesn't seem very complex. But it has nice balance and is easy to sip. If you are a fan of sweet rum you will really like this. I would prefer more "bite" and perhaps some more depth but I definitely enjoyed this.

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is a nice rum for the right occasion. The rum it self is very sweet, it might even be overwhelmingly sweet. I personally feel that the sweetness kills part of the experience, as it "hides" the rich flavors that this rum offers under it. I'd call this a perfect dessert rum, but it's (at least for me) a bit too sweet just to be drank itself as a sipper. Definitely worth a try especially if you enjoy caramel or toffee flavors.

I had read so much about this pro and con I had no idea what to expect. I wasn’t concerned about the sugar aspect cause I wasn’t going to be drinking a 12oz can of it. Only sipping or limited mixing. I was happy it didn’t have that bite like the Zacapa 23 had at first. I can’t say I hate it. It’s just the flavor I have trouble understanding. It seems to have an artificial sensation to it. To describe it, it seems like if you were to take prunes and make a preserve out of it. I can’t think of any other way of describing it. I don’t hate it, but I won’t be buying another bottle either. I’d really love to know the truth about it. How it’s made, what’s in it.

I have tried a lot of rum, mainly Bajan , have recently paid a bit more for aged runs such as mount gay extra old, which is a similar price to this and to me has way more character.
The first thing I noticed is this is so sweet.
I am currently drinking it with ting as in the Uk the sugar content has been lowered so this “rum” balances it out.

Delicious. Smooth and smokey. Lush is a word that comes to mind. On par with some of the best molasses based rums out there..and for the price (34.99 USD) it adds to its value. For the price, it may be the best I have tasted. Also, no waiting on this rum. Meaning, you dont have to add water or an ice cube for it to open up. I will try with a single cube to see what happens.

One of the best!
The nose/aroma is wonderful fruity with hints of vanilla.
The taste is very smooth delicious and goes down perfectly.
This is one that you could proudly gift a close friend or just forget get to give it and keep it yourself.

Base spirit is poor, and on top of that there's just a sticky layer of sugar. Nonsense rum. It is more a cane spirit liqueur, and one of poor quality at that. Why was this made at all?

This is my favorite drinking rum. Fantastic flavor notes, suitable for straight up and wonderful mixed. Complex flavors. More on the caramel molasses side than cognac like.
Only trouble is it is next to impossible to find.

I thought I would try this one and I gotta say, if you like sweeteners, you'll love this "rum". It has way too much added sweetener taste. I probably won't buy this one again. I have tried quite a few different rums and this one is NOT on my repeat purchase list.

This is a fairly dark rum with aromas that immediately catch your attention.
It is smooth and has a very good feel in your mouth. Hold it and enjoy the flavors for a moment before swallowing. You will be rewarded with sweet lingerings of chocolate and malt.
An amazing rum for the price.

This is truly a fantastic Rum. You can taste a sweetness that damp the strength of the alcohol so it doesn't burn as much as many other brands. It's sweet, fruity and less smoky than most. It's definitely recommended on its own (I think even without any ice or so). It should be relatively cheap to find and so it's a good first step in the world of fine Rums without paying too much money for it. Recommended for those that like a sweet (but not artificial) taste in their drinks.

Finally had a chance to sample this one lately and was not disappointed. I'm not good at describing the different flavor components of rums but besides the normal caramel, vanilla and oak I got a definite hit of chocolate. Yummy!!! There is not a better rum available that I have had at this price point. Those of you who demean this rum need to go back to drinking your Budweiser.

Incredibly sweet taste – buttery caramel, butterscotch and toffee. It's an easy and kinda sirupy sipper. A true people pleaser rum (some would say liqueur).

I find it somehow similar to El Dorado 12, sweet, tasty and full of flavor, exactly on my taste. Nice sipping rum.

Ich weiß, dass er sehr beliebt ist, aber für mich ist das ein Likör. Auf Leute, die sonst keine hochwertigen Spirituosen trinken, wirkt er sehr leicht und weich. Er schmeckt wie purer Süßstoff bzw. Zuckerwasser.

This was formerly my highest rated rum, which also happened to be one of the ultimate sugar bombs with about 10 teaspoons of added sugar, albeit well chosen for the flavors similar to how a great chef chooses spices for stellar dishes.

Since my only bottle that I took a risk on that exceeded my limit of $50 per bottle slowly rose to the ranks of a 10 rating, I had no choice except to compare the Columbian to this Venezuelan back to back. Sorry, but no contest, since Dictador XO Insolent wins hands down for having my only rating of 10. This DRE rum still ranks at the top of my very small pack of rums that I have rated as a 9, but only one rum of mine deserves a rating of 10 at his point.

Update: My first bottle is now long gone, but deemed to be one of only two sugar bombs worth replacing. The other sugar bomb is El Dorado 12. My new bottle will remain unopened for quite some time. When finally opened, I will record that date in my spreadsheet to make sure that it gets consumed within two months. Sugar bombs never last beyond 3-4 months due to oxidation in the bottle.

This one is also criticized for being a sugar bomb. However, it takes incredible knowledge of chemistry to create the perfect sugar additives. The master distiller for this rum obviously has this task mastered, which is no easy task, This rum will always be my guilty pleasure despite being a sugar bomb.

Update April 12, 2019: It has been many months since I bought more of this rum because I have been getting away from rums that are heavily sugared. The only reason that I recently bought two more bottles was for the fear that the USA will force an embargo on Venezuelan products and we may no longer be able to get their rums. Well, I opened one of the bottles a few days ago and it tastes nothing at all like the DRE that I first fell in love with. They either changed the formula due to multiple criticisms of added sugars, or my taste buds have adapted to appreciate much drier rums. At any rate, I now drop my rating from an 8 to a 7.

I quite like this rum (or is it a liqueur?) as a sweet, easy drinker.
Not too much at once, or it will tend to get sickly.
I suppose it is lucky that I do as it seems to be the only sipping rum offering in many of the standard bars round my way.
Sweet to the taste, perhaps a bit too sweet, but nice flavour and smooth enough.
Not much of a wow-factor for me, now I'm starting to get pickier.

Personally speaking, I'd rather save up for something like the Centenario 20 year for my personal stash, but very happy to quaff a couple of glasses if I'm out (& there is nothing better)

As rum classification goes, terminology seems open to interpretation. For me, this and other rums (Zaya GR-12, Centenario-25, El Dorado SR-15) fall into the category of Aged Amber Rums. Within that classification, Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva is #1 or #2. I lived in Guyana for 6-months and am partial to this type of rum. I find the nose to be vanilla with a hint of toffee and possibly nutmeg. It is smooth to taste and leaves a light spiced fruit and vanilla aftertaste. Best neat or with a few drops of water.

First things first: I have a sweet tooth. This rum is too sweet. It is also delicious and anyone who says otherwise is a snooty liar! Are we good? Cool. On to the review:

I was expecting this to be good, but I was not at all expecting what I got. I am not disappointed however. I was ready for this rum to remind me of summer days one the beach, but instead, I'm getting what I can only describe as "winter camping." The nose starts off with an assault of brown sugar and butterscotch, but after giving it time, it slowly opens up to reveal mint, smoke, evergreen needles and stone, and something that just strikes me as "cold." Entry is the smoothest I've encountered, thanks surely to the massive, undeniable sugar content. The palette offers rich vanilla, caramel, and campfire, along with faint undertones of spearmint and marshmallow. On the finish you get chocolate wafer, charred wood, brown sugar and tree sap, all accompanied by a comforting warmth that spreads throughout your chest.
Whether you want a winter mood-setter, or a summer time-warp, this rum is an absolute treat year-round!!

The Diplomatico Exclusiva Reserva has a delicious and inviting bouquet. The aromas coming from the glass are rich and luxurious. There is a whiff of caramel with accents of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and walnuts. Some oak noted from the barrel aging lies alongside the other scents and smells.
SWEET but naturally sweet..
There is a nice underlying nuttiness (walnuts and hazelnuts), some sweet caramel and some very delicious spices (vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar). As the glass breathes, The richness of the rum builds and I taste even more brown sugar and cinnamon with butter.
This a remarkable rum at any price. I’ve been sampling and experimenting with different rum for the past six months and this is absolutely my favorite out of the 30+ that I’ve tried .

As a rum it's a 3, as a rum liquor it's a 6.
Sugar test - 41 grams.

A Venezuelan friend introduced me to Diplomatico in Mexico City. My Brother had Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva at his wedding reception. Way too sweet for me! Cloying. Cacique on the other hand is a fine Venezulan Rum.