Tradition range: Planas (aged up to 6 years and bottled at 47% ABV), Mantuano (aged up to 8 years and bottled at 40% ABV), and Reserva Exclusiva (aged up to 12 years and bottled at 40% ABV).

On the palate, the No. 1 is light and smooth. Whereas the traditional Reserva Exclusiva can be overwhelmingly sweet, the intensity of the No. 1 is what shines through the most, if only at first. DUSA covers an area of ​​1,300 hectares where the plant, industrial effluent treatment plants, and crops are located. The company owns different farms where they grow sugar cane, cereals, and fruits, enough raw materials to produce a great variety of liquors. A Sip of History As a vocal fan of just about anything that Diplomático can pour into a pretty bottle, I was excited to get the chance to try all three segments of this Distillery Collection. I rather enjoyed taking some time to break down what each spirit had to offer and how these individual elements come together to form the final products that I’ve become so familiar with (namely Reserva .) Diplomatico rum starts with Venezuelan sugar cane — specifically, a mixture of molasses and sugar cane honey. Rum has always been a secondary product of sugar processing, so the source materials are generally derived from intermediary steps in that process: sugar cane honey or sugar cane syrup comes from the beginning of the process when the sugar is more pure, and molasses comes from the very end when all that is left are primarily impurities (which add flavor) and residual sugar.On the nose: Medium scents of sweetened pimento dram, vanilla, muscovado syrup, cinnamon, maple syrup, oranges, milk chocolate, toffee and blood orange. Darker, aged rums are naturally complex on the palate. The mixing spectrum remains broad, however it gravitates more toward spices, dark fruits and decadent treats. Here are some that we’d recommend: We are educating many people about all our sustainable efforts. Our real mission is to make our employees, consumers, clients, commercial partners, distributors, and whoever shares our values and wants to protect the environment get involved in these efforts.”

Directions: Shake all the ingredients with ice. Strain into coupe glass. (Note that there is no garnish.) Enter Shanika, my rum fairy godmother. When she described the Diplomático rum she loved, I couldn’t help but be intrigued. Was this the rum that would finally convert me into a rum fan? This brand is Diplomatico. They are a family-owned brand from Venezuela. The distillery was established in 1959, but was under a company called LUSA, who was under Seagram. In 2002, the current owners bought the distillery and renamed it Destilerias Unidas S.A. (DUSA). They like to distinguish themselves from other brands by emphasizing their use of sugarcane honey. Purple Ivy: The chartreuse is a little strong for me. I could use a really big ice cube in a square or a circle or a cylinder – wait, I mean a sphere. A sphere? Shake all of the listed ingredients together and serve in a previously chilled glass. Elegance made drink, right?In the mouth: The ethanol is less pronounced here. It doesn’t hinder the fruity notes I get. I smell medium intensity dried apricots, canned peaches, honey and vanilla. Behind those are a mix of light cinnamon, orange peel, toasted persimmon, toffee and cloves. Score: 5/10