2013 Diplomatico Single Vintage Rum (700ml)

"...a fantastic little rum that merits more contemplation than you might expect." - drinkhacker.com

Distilled in 2013 from a harvest of the same year, this expression marries three types of distillate before maturation instead of afterwards. Master blender Nelson Hernandez selected unaged rums distilled from molasses and cane honey via three still types (column, pot and hybrid), and barreled the blend in a mix of x-bourbon and whisky casks. It was then aged for 10 years, experiencing an average loss of 6–8% angels’ share annually (around 60% of their overall volume to evaporation!) The final release yielded 18,000 bottles globally. 43% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... The nose is fairly deep, kicking off with a fragrant, perfumed wood note—not quite oak, but something similar—that is joined by ripe fruits, banana bread, and vanilla extract. The fruitiness carries over to the palate, with mango and cherry, plus leather, tobacco, oak, and vanilla. The finish adds spices, clove, and ground cinnamon. If you’re already familiar with Diplomático’s core range of 2–12 year old Reserva Exclusiva, then this newcomer will be a departure. The Reserva has a very conspicuous clove note on the nose, which is absent in the single vintage. Vanilla reigns supreme on the Reserva’s palate, but it plays more of a background role in Single Vintage, undercut by pleasant oak and fruit notes. 2013 Single Vintage has a drier profile overall, but it offers pleasant depth of flavor. We recommend sipping it neat. - whiskyadvocate.com

...Pretty on the nose, featuring notes of honey, torched orange peel, and green banana before more traditional notes of vanilla and caramel take over. Spice notes eventually dominate: cloves and cola, particularly. On the palate, the rum is immediately a bit tougher and rougher than the classic and very sweet Reserva Exclusiva, making me wonder how much less sugar dosage is used here. That’s a good thing, because it allows more flavor to come through beyond brown sugar and vanilla. (I love those flavors, of course, but great rum is a lot more than sweetness.) Big notes of banana bread, Christmas cake, and dark molasses all dominate, infused throughout with those spice notes present on the nose. Again, cloves and cola are punchy, while ample, toasty oak notes perk up on the finish. Some red fruit, coffee, and baked apple notes complete a holiday vibe on the lengthy, warming finish. All told it’s a fantastic little rum that merits more contemplation than you might expect. - drinkhacker.com