Diplomatico Distillery Collection No1 Batch Kettle Rum. Diplomatico were a few years ago synonymous with what was seen as good “sipping” rum. They are still highly regarded in some circles and their Reserva Exclusive still regularly features in top ten rum lists.

Unfortunately much like Zacapa their over reliance on additives and the publicising of such tests has clipped the wings of the brand – but only very slightly. The brand to their credit are beginning to give details of added sugar on their bottles.

In late 2017 Diplomatico announced two limited edition (5000 bottles of each) rums. The Distillery Collection which is a means of highlighting two of the stills used at DUSA. This is the first of the bottlings and highlights the brands Batch Kettle Pot Still.

The Batch Kettle still was first brought to Venezuela in 1959 from Canada. It was previously used in the production of Canadian Whiskey. In their promotional material Diplomatico have suggested the use of such a still is unique in the rum world.

In the UK a bottle of this rum will set you back around £60 it is encouragingly bottled at 47% ABV (a strange choice) and comes in your standard 70cl bottle. The stubby type bottle will be familiar with any Diplomatico fan. The colour scheme is clean and modern. The rum is topped with a synthetic cork stopper.

Upon seeing the pricing of the two rums, I was a little surprised to learn that this rum was distilled in 2011 making it just 6 years old. Half the reputed average age of their flagship DRE. Interesting.

As is the fact that the Hydrometer does not pick up any additives. They really are letting us see the rums as they are. Which is good.

Diplomatico have spoken of “heavier” rums being in the blend of their rums such as DRE and Ambassador. So it will be interesting to see what a 100% Pot Still rum will taste like….

Despite Diplomatico’s ability to weave a nice story I’m not in the business of reciting press releases (I’ll leave that to others) so with little else to say we’ll move on to the tasting.

In the glass the rum is a dark/golden brown with orange flashes. For its age it may well be coloured but that is usually the least of my worries when it comes to Diplomatico’s rums!

Nosed the rum quite light but it does have a fair amount of “booze” on the nose. It’s flowerly – it has a bouquet. There’s a touch of sweetness – caramel and demerara sugar. The Kettle Batch Rum is quite biscuity – a bit like uncooked cookie dough.

Overall the nose isn’t bad but its a little “soft”. I’m pleased to say it doesn’t smell confected or adultered in anyway. There is perhaps a faint hint of tobacco and smokiness which does throw it off a little – bit like Havana Club 7.

Sipped it is much more interesting than the nose. It does taste a bit immature though. At 6 years old and all Pot Still this is perhaps not surprising. The youthful nature of the rum does seem to carry a heavy hit of sweet young (but fiery) alcohol.

It’s pretty smoky – wafts of leather and tobacco rather than oak and spice. In fact there is very little by way of any real oak ageing. It was aged in ex-Bourbon but it definitely hasn’t taken on the usual vanilla and sweet/sour spices.

The finish is fairly short and not very inspiring. It just kind of fades out till the smoke has completely gone.

It’s all pretty one-dimensional. It starts off with a hit of caramel but its quickly gets taken over by the smokiness and tobacco. It doesn’t really go anywhere after that except into a fairly short finish. Rather than highlight the nuances of the individual still it actually tells you more about why the brand “sweeten” their rums. I can’t imagine it will appeal much to the DRE, Single Vitnage and Ambassador drinkers either.

Which is a shame. Maybe more time in the barrel would have developed this rum. I personally find the Diplomatico Anejo and Mantuano to be more exciting than this offering.

And you can pick the pair of them up for less than the price of this!