Diplomatico Introduces Planas and Mantuano

     Diplomático Planas is still made the same way as the original Reserve Blanco, aged for six years, charcoal filtered, 50/50 pot and column still with one key difference, the abv has been upped from 40% to 47%.  ‘Now it’s very much a premium sipping rum, said Speciality Brands  Jon Lister.   It boasts a chewy texture, with great fruit character up front, some cappuccino flavors in the mid palate and a nutty, long finish.  Lister suggests mixing it as a rum Martini with Gancia Bianco, which he filters through milk powder, then adds 2.5ml of palo cortado sherry.

     Diplomático Mantuano is taking the place of the Reserva, and production has changed a bit: the rum is still predominantly eight years old and 40% abv, but the new variant is comprised of 40/60 pot to column still, as opposed to the previous 50/50 split.   Mantuano boasts a distinct caramel flavor, with some hints of stone fruit and vanilla, and a long, drying finish.   This has the flavor that will make it a great premium cocktail base.   ‘The changes have been brought in to give the rum more mixing capability, to move it away from the Reserva Exclusiva and to bring out the dry, tropical notes, rather than being the poor man’s Reserva Exclusiva.  It has got a tiki element to it, but it’s still a moody sipping rum, only it’s much more versatile.’

The bottles of the two new expressions are similar in shape to the Reserva Exclusiva, bringing the three rums in line with each other.