It may seem strange, a whiskey review site covering rum, but I had the opportunity to attend a press tasting of Diplomático Rum Single Vintage 2013, and I couldn’t deny my readers this opportunity to try something new!

Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of Diplomático before receiving the tasting invite, mainly because I’ve always held that rum just isn’t my bag. Like many people, I’ve associated rum with sugary sweet tiki cocktails and tropical treats, hardly the type of spirit one orders at the local dive bar. But if there’s one thing I can come away from my experience with Diplomático, it’s that this is a rum I can confidently suggest to whiskey lovers everywhere.

The Diplomático Rum distillery rests in the Andes Mountains in Venezuela, and the Single Vintage 2013 was matured for 10 years in ex-bourbon and ex-whiskey casks and distilled in 2013. This tasting was with Jose Luis Ballesteros, the Diplomático National Brand Ambassador and 4^th generation distiller family member, and the rum was presented to the reviewers with all the passion that has helped elevated this rum to its super-premium status.

In a press release, Ballesteros states, “The 2013 vintage is a tribute to the art of rum-making and the depth of our reserves. It reflects our pursuit of excellence and the remarkable flavor that emerges when innovation meets patience.” This rum is smooth and spicy, slightly sweet with a finish that lingered pleasantly long after the tasting was completed. Ballesteros mentioned that his favorite cocktail to make with their rum is a Diplomático Old Fashioned, and I couldn’t be more excited to try this new twist on my old classic!

Diplomático Rum Single Vintage 2013 comes in between 40-47% ABV and will be released in a limited run of 18,000 bottles worldwide, 6,000 of those bottles available in the U.S. at a SRP of $120.

Aesthetic:

Amber as beautiful as any whiskey.

Aroma:

Distinctly familiar notes on the nose, the wood of the ex-bourbon casks comes through, along with lemon peel, sweet wafer, and pepper.

Palate:

This is a beautiful sipper, spicy with a perfectly balanced sweetness, elements of dark chocolate and vanilla blend with a bit of cherry cordial. Again, I was surprised at how familiar some of these notes are to a lower proof whiskey, while remaining unique in ways that I really enjoyed.

Rating: 🥃 🥃 🥃 🥃 .5 /5

**This rum was provided as a review sample by those who created and released it. My reviews are my own, and I tell it how I taste it.**