Diplomatico Reserva

I used to sell this a while back in an old bar i worked in and remember trying it around the time i was really falling in love with rum (Dont get me wrong ive always loved rum, but theres a time when your growing up and its no longer 'ooh i like rum, ill ave a rum n coke' and it becomes 'seriously i friggin LOVE rum let me see your selection, line up those 6 i need to try them all!!') as i was saying, it was a small place and this was probably the best rum in there! Opens with almost a fruit brulee integrating the caramel, citrus, light spice and dried fruits but lasts on the palate leaving you with a creamy, chocolatety sweetness that goes on so long and so smooth. We like!

If you're buying sips at a bar (say, Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco) get a shot of this and a shot of the upgraded green bottle. You'll see in about 1millisecond why a bottle purchase should be focused on the Reserva Exclusiva. Out of your budget range? Try El Dorado 8 or 12 instead. No, I wouldn't pour a glass of this down the toilet, but if I were on a budget, which I usually am, I'd spend my money more wisely with the better product or another line altogether.

I suspect doctoring in this rum, not nauseatingly sweet like Fortuna 8 yr but still too much for my taste. Pleasant but not complex sipper, almost a dessert rum. For about the same price El Dorado 12 yr is much better.

Edit - well I found figures on added sugar in rum, and surprisingly enough there was a relatively small amount of added sugar in this one - 7 g/ltr, a fraction of the amount added to the worst offenders - one of which is the Reserva Exclusiva, with 41 g/ltr.(!!!) I have never tried the exclusiva, because I had heard it is such a sweet bomb, and now I doubt I ever will.

So, Andy has finally converted me to Rum &, having tried several apparently good rums over the course of the evening, this was far & away my favorite. I can't claim to be an expert but this had a wonderfully smooth & spicy flavour with a hint of vanilla. I think it was the spiciness that I really enjoyed. It may be sacrilege but adding just one small ice cube opens it up beautifully.
Cheers!

It's a very good sip, but I had the Exclusiva first and it just can't compare to its big brother.

A sweet and light venezuelian rum is this diplomatico, but I personnaly prefer it's old sister, the Reserva Exclusiva. But it's still easy to drink.

Pour une dégustation, il n'est clairement pas au niveau ! Néanmoins, pour des cocktails, il est une excellente base.

Very good with passion icecream... Name is "trou créole". It's good rum but for cocktails, not alone...

Very Nice smooth rum

Did you hesitate when your hand reached for the Exclusiva, thinking it outside your price point? Yeah, I did that, and ended up here. This seems like the right introductory Venezuelan rum experience. And it is distinct, given Diplomatico's unique production. An enjoyable experience neat or on the rocks, yet not quite at the high level of rums in admittedly higher price points.