Description
Diplomatico Ambassador Selection 700ml is the top of Diplomático’s Prestige range, a Venezuelan rum made from the producer’s most exclusive reserves and produced in limited quantities. Long aged in oak, it is then finished for around two years in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and bottled at cask strength, 47% ABV.
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Diplomático takes its name and its Don Juancho brand icon from the Mantuanos, Venezuelan noblemen of the 19th century known for their discernment and diplomacy. They travelled widely, trading local goods, and became trusted ambassadors for their region, which is where this bottling takes its name.
The rum starts with sugar cane grown in Venezuela, which is turned into molasses at sugar factories. The molasses is fermented for at least 24 hours to give a very aromatic wash of around 6% to 8% ABV. The distillery then uses three systems: pot stills, batch kettles and columns. The pot still and batch kettle spirits form the heart of the Diplomático style, with column distillation added to balance the profile.
These rums are aged in oak barrels, mainly ex-bourbon and ex-whiskey casks, and then blended. For Ambassador, a selection of the oldest reserves is given a further spell in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, which adds depth and dried fruit sweetness, before being bottled at cask strength rather than reduced to the 40% of the core range.
Serve it neat in a tulip glass or snifter and give it a few minutes to open up. A drop of water or a single large ice cube will soften the strength and bring out the dried fruit. It pairs well with dark chocolate, roasted nuts or a slice of rich fruit cake.
- Prestige range rum from Diplomático, Venezuela
- Finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
- Bottled at cask strength, 47% ABV
Expect a deep mahogany rum with raisin, dried fig and orange peel on the nose. The palate brings toffee, dark chocolate, coffee and sweet spice over a backbone of oak, with the sherry finish adding layers of dried fruit. The finish is long and warming.
A special-occasion bottle for rum collectors and serious sipping-rum drinkers, and a considered gift for a milestone.
