Internationally, El Paso aims at distributors, bartenders, brand ambassadors, journalists, and any emerging market representatives that are interested in the brand and want to know more about it. Although, if you are an adventurous rummelier and a big fan of the brand that would like to visit them, they will welcome you with open arms.

This program takes you through the production process of Diplomático and the rum tasting. At the local level, their main objective is to educate rummeliers, aficionados, and the public in general.

Diplomatico Distillery Collection No. 1: Batch Kettle Rum – review

To start our journey through the Diplomático production process, we should first introduce Miguel Monsalve, Institutional Ambassador of DUSA, and our guide during the visit of The Rum Lab team made to the distillery. Monsalve made us immerse ourselves in “the heart of Diplomático”. At the end of the 1950s, the main liquor distribution companies in the country were grouped under the name of Licorerías Unidas S.A. (LUSA) by the initiative of Seagram’s International, which in 1992 acquired all of the shares of it. One of these is “ Artisans of Taste”, a project that consists of different educational activities based on the main three pillars of the competition that takes place in different countries annually: homemade techniques, sustainability in the bar, and local products. Its purpose is that bartenders also apply sustainable techniques and ingredients in the creation of their Diplomático serve. DUSA Family This big family of more than 800 employees is also led by what they named as the “perfect triplet”: José Ballesteros, President of DUSA and the head of the internationalization of Diplomático Rum; and two of his partners, Rolando Díaz and Humberto Arispe, both involved in the spirits business for many years, mainly focused on the technical and organizational tasks for the development of the brand. On this matter, Monsalve highlighted, “our most valuable capital is the human resource”.

I’ve heard mixed things about this. Some say it’s just a fancy marketing word for molasses. Some say using sugar cane honey makes a difference in the quality of the spirit. So far, Diplomático has reduced its water consumption by up to 50% in the last seven years through this comprehensive liquid waste management process, and more than 200 tons of solid waste are recycled every year. After this process, the wort or mash obtained is subjected to a primary distillation, from which it is obtained around 8,000 liters of alcohol at 56% from every fermentation tank. The rest are liquid wastes – called vinasse – to be used as fertilizers in their sugar cane plantations, after a specific treatment to decrease organic content. Distillation While sipping a lavender negroni at Dante during Negroni Week, I started chatting with the women next to me at the bar. (You know you’re gonna become fast friends if you’re bonding over a negroni.) As we discussed our favorite spirits — mine being bourbon, of course — I realized that I don’t drink rum very often.Diplomatico rum starts with Venezuelan sugar cane — specifically, a mixture of molasses and sugar cane honey. Rum has always been a secondary product of sugar processing, so the source materials are generally derived from intermediary steps in that process: sugar cane honey or sugar cane syrup comes from the beginning of the process when the sugar is more pure, and molasses comes from the very end when all that is left are primarily impurities (which add flavor) and residual sugar. At DUSA, there are five distillation systems from where they obtain the alcohols that will be used as a base for rums and other liquors:

The Physical-Chemical Laboratory is the heart of the analysis of all elements involved in the production process. Raw material, alcohols, products in-process, and finished spirits are subjected to analysis in this laboratory where the quality standards established for each element are verified. Once approved, they pass to the Organoleptic or Tasting Laboratory where the sensory standards established are certified. During the distillation process, they use artisanal methods along with the most advanced techniques, and this is the fundamental characteristic that distinguishes Diplomático rum worldwide. Once the alcohols have aged and different types of rums are born, blending begins. A group of award winners Maestros Roneros hand in hand with Maestros Catadores put their creativity to work to create the original recipes that are going to be used in the blending process. They are also the ones who guarantee their quality and reproducibility over time. On the nose: Pronounced but short scents of peach jam, toasted persimmon and apricot liqueur followed by medium scents of leather, pepper and butterscotch. I was one of those who thought these were nice “beginner rums.” The first rums I had that weren’t Bacardi or Captain Morgan were Zaya “12” and Ron Zacapa “23.” This was about five or six years ago; I didn’t know about fake age statements then. That and my conditioned palate ended up being in thrall to these brands. Those were my “beginner rums,” yet are these sweetened products really supposed to be called just rum? Some rum drinkers say rum measured via hydrometers show inaccurate results. Others have countered that there wouldn’t be any need for hydrometer measuring if all brands were honest. Then again, some brands like Don Papa still claim to not be adulterated. Is this something they took from the sugar industry as well? For I remember the sugar industry blaming fats for certain diseases like heart problems. Diplomatico now admits to sweetening their rum. They say it’s part of Venezuela’s culture. Having very little knowledge of the country, I’m not going to comment.It is very well-designed, divided into two parts: manufacturing areas and supporting areas, and it covers a total of 18 hectares. The humidity in the plant is 90% and remains constant throughout the year, which along with other environmental conditions has a significant impact on the aging process since alcohol ages three times faster than in other parts of the world. At the time, DUSA started with four brands: Chemineaud (liqueur brandy), Manager’s (whiskey liqueur), Cinco Estrellas (rum liqueur), and Diplomático (rum), the gem of the company. At present, it has a great portfolio with a variety of liquors produced with the highest quality standards. The brand is also conducting specific actions nationally and internationally to extend its “ Distilled Consciously” program to teach how to create a more sustainable rum with Zero Waste in the production process. They are working with NGOs that fight against food waste, as well as to promote food collection, fundraising, and training workshops campaigns in the main markets they operate. In comparison to toasting, which is a slow process that involves gently heating the barrel’s interior over an open flame, charring is a “fast burn”. It gives the barrel a burnt interior that confers darker colors and sweeter flavors to the rum. In the mouth: A light pepperiness upfront caressed by a round texture formed by the added sweeteners. I get a pronounced sweetness formed by the light tastes of prunes, raisins, toffee, blood orange, orange peel, vanilla, maple syrup, muscovado syrup, honey and cloves. Conclusions

The company has been committed to fair wages, social responsibility, and a significant investment in health programs. Furthermore, they continue promoting equal opportunities for all employees in their workforce. So, it is not just a brand, it is a family that represents the core values and traditions of the country, and makes Venezuelans feel proud. El Paso de Diplomático, a Sensory Experience On the nose: Medium scents of sweetened pimento dram, vanilla, muscovado syrup, cinnamon, maple syrup, oranges, milk chocolate, toffee and blood orange. Directions: Pour lime juice into a glass with ice cubes, then add ginger beer. Add rum to create layered effect. Stir if desired and garnish with a lime. This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services. All in all, I do believe that this Distillery Collection offered by Diplomático is a worthwhile investment.Once the alcohols are in barrels, wood will act on the congeners that are part of the alcohol, and it will make them react. This is the exact moment new nomenclatures begin to form that eventually produce the smoothness, aromas, flavors, and color of rum as such. A semi-continuous system composed of a pot connected to a column, called Batch-Ketter, through which medium-bodied alcohol with fruity and floral aromas is obtained.