Diplomatico Reerva Exclusiva. In many ways my days of reviewing these “kind” of rums should perhaps have been pretty much numbered.

However, this website is now over 12 years old. Now I’ve seen plenty websites come and go in that time. So I’m having quite a good innings to use a cricketing (or rounders, sorry Baseball) analogy.

During my 12 years of reviewing rum their have been quite a few changes. None which have impacted buying habits as much as I would have liked, unfortunately. Perhaps the most fundamental change in the past 10-15 years is the “truth” around additives in rum.

El Dorado, Bacardi, Ron Zacapa and Diplomatico are all multi award winning rum producers who have been “found out”. Their Gold Medals tarnished in some peoples eyes due to their use of post distillation additives. In particular the use of sugar and glycerin (amongst others) to sweeten, soften and smooth out their rums.

Perhaps the most noticeable effect of this has been the tightening of EU Rum Regulations. Previously up to a staggering 99 g/L of additives could be used and something could still be labelled “rum”. Anything over became a liqueur (not liquor!). This is the equivalent of over 25 level teaspoons of sugar.

This has now been tightened to 20g/L (still around 5 level teaspoons per litre). Anything over this and below 100g/L is labelled a “Rum Based Spirit Drink” or words to that affect. See Don Papa and Bumbu for reference.

Diplomatico had (prior to the EU changes) been recorded at around the 30/gL range in independent testing.

So I was curious to see how Diplomatico have reacted to the EU ruling.

I’d seen Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva on sale on Amazon on numerous occasions over the past 18 months. I finally saw it drop down to just over £30. I figured that even with Amazon’s huge stock levels it was likely that by this time I would be getting a more recent bottling which would reflect any changes made post the EU 20g/L ruling.

I’ve bought rum from Amazon before, which has been more than a couple of years old….just floating around in their warehouses.

Upon arrival I was immediately taken by the cylinder the rum came in. Whilst in the photo it may look largely the same as the bottle, the colours are considerably darker and the overall quality of the print is much lower than the older bottle I got (some 13 years ago now!). It looks a bit screen-printed and cheap.

That said the classic “postage stamp” stubby bottle with their mascot “Don Juancho” still proudly the centerpiece, still remains. Sadly the rear label (as pictured) spoils the aesthetic slightly with the Brown/Forman Import information and the calore content. I don’t suppose the HMRC sticker helps either…..

I’ve stopped commenting so much on the bottle presentation but for these type of rums……..the presentation is still key. Very important for the pretty bottle brigade.

Perhaps the most important thing about the presentation is that Diplomatico Reserva Exclusive is still labelled as a rum. So it must have under 20g/L of additives……..

I’d noted on Rum Revelations that Ivar had measured this in 2022 and found only 18g/L of additives.

I whipped out my Hydrometer and found the same reading – this is a 40% ABV reading and the Hydrometer shows 35% ABV suggesting 18.8 (I’lll call it 19) g/L of additives.

So additives have been reduced (or changed to something less noticeable with the Hydrometer), I wonder how much effect this has had on the actual rum?

Well lets visit the Diplomatico website and see what information they have on the rum in the bottle?

Well, not a lot it is part of their “Tradition Range” and is bottled at 40% ABV. The rest is just marketing flannel, awards and tasting notes.

So what is Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva? I’m going to have to go with what Diffords Guide tell me but I make no claims that this is 100% factually correct. The information is pretty old as well

20% light column distilled rum with 80% Pot Still Rum aged up to 12 years blended by Master Blender Tito Cordero who admits to adding a “little” cane sugar prior to blending.

This is as good as we are going to get I am afraid. In fairness Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva does not have an age statement nor does it hide behind any random fake number of any overly prominent XOXO style labelling. Even at its priciest it rarely comes in above £45 and hasn’t seen a dramatic price increase over the years.

This rum was featured as one of The Lone Caner’s “Key Rums of the World” not because he particularly rates it. He gave it 74/100 on his 50 point scoring system 50-100 which is middling at best. He noted it as Key Rum more due to its omnipresence on the scene and the number of times it is referenced and recommended. Not so much in more serious enthusiast/geek circles but amongst less serious more casual rum drinkers.

So lets get down to it.

In the glass the rum retains the dark hue of old. It is a very deep dark brown colour with a reddish hue.

The first thing I am noticing is that the legs on this rum do not seem as viscous as I previously remember. I don’t normally comment on the “legs” but this is very obvious and must be due in part to the reduction in additives?

Interesting. On the nose it doesn’t seem as sweet or intense as I remember either. Not so much raisin and coffee as before. Definitely less interesting as well.

It seems a little muted. It’s much lighter and the sweetness whilst still carrying a fair amount of weight to the profile has a slightly artificial note to it.

In all honesty I am a little surprised than long term drinkers of this haven’t noticed the shift? I’ve certainly not seen much by way of commentary around the shift in profile. There definitely is one from the 2014 edition. Not a subtle nuanced one either.

This seems thinner, less complex, less interesting – more like a fairly average Spanish style mixer. Nothing more. The nose is completely unremarkable.

Sipped it is agreeable enough. Light, sweetness with a slight saccharin note. Very little burn (next to none) and no real oak or aged profile at all. There is a bit of vanilla, some faint aroma’s of milk chocolate and a very sugary overall taste. Easy going, inoffensive, unsubstantial, muted and pretty boring overall.

Mixed it adds sweetness and a little fruitiness but its not pulling up any trees.

Whilst my taste shifted quickly away from Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva the first time around, I do feel that the reduction in the “additives” is really noticeable. I’d imagine for its fans its probably not a good thing. Which is why I am a little puzzled there has been no backlash from.

Have they even noticed? They surely aren’t that basic in their tastings as to not have? Have their palates caught up a little and are they preferring this in its less sweet guise? I’d be very surprised. The casual end of the rum drinkers spectrum has barely shifted in 20 years.

I recall when reviewing their “no additive” Distillery Collection that I could kind of see why they used additives. I feel the same with this.

It’s very, very average and in all honesty I can no longer see its lasting appeal even to those who prefer sweetened spirits. I feel this is living on a past reputation. Nevertheless it still seems to be selling.

Anyway I’ve added a fancy photo using AI the type that helps sell this kind of thing. You like?