R.L. Seale's 10 Year Rum

The aroma is acceptable but not particularly noteworthy. It offers plenty of vanilla and some caramel, plus wood and a hint of clove. It smells sweet yet somewhat unusual. The taste is less sweet, falling somewhere between cane juice and Demerara sugar. It has a noticeable kick for only 43% ABV and stings slightly as it goes down. Oaky vanilla notes are dominant as this rum spent time in ex-bourbon barrels and had no sugar added before bottling. There's a faint grassy quality, and a touch of fennel seed and black pepper. The body is quite good, with a pleasant velvety slick mouthfeel, though a bit thin, and the legs are decent. The finish is very dry, woody, semi-sweet, and spicy with a hint of mineral and earth. Nose: 7 Taste: 7 Body: 7 Finish: 7

Drinking it neat. The aroma is full of molasses, dried fruit, wood, a hint of phenols, baking spices, and vanilla. The taste mirrors the aroma. It begins with molasses and dark brown sugar sweetness, followed by dark, dried fruitiness, then pleasant oak and vanilla notes, subtle dessert spices, a bit of tobacco, nuttiness, and hogo for intrigue. It becomes sweeter, almost saccharine, which persists through the dry finish with wood tannins, and a touch of pepper and hot cinnamon. It's complex yet balanced, with nothing unpleasant. It's sweet but finishes dry. Allow it ample time to breathe, as it gains complexity in the glass. A superb dram that I'll keep on hand.

It's been some time since I began my spirit exploration with Diplomatico Reserva rum. I'm primarily a whiskey drinker these days but occasionally revisit rum. The Saint Theresa didn't impress much and barely earned a 3-star rating. However, I truly enjoyed this one. It has a pleasing viscosity, isn't excessively sweet (for a rum), and offers excellent balance between the alcohol and flavor. The description 'rich with character' on the label holds true, and I concur. It's also affordable, costing less than $50 USD per bottle here. I'm giving it 4 stars, rounding up to 4.25 when considering the value for money.

Served on ice. This tastes like liquid rum cake. When warm, the alcohol has a slight heat, but this subsides as it cools. It's so buttery it coats your lips. It might seem overly dessert-like if it didn't dry out fairly quickly, leaving hints of allspice and black pepper. The butterscotch flavor also seems authentic. You could enjoy this after dinner in a snifter, but on ice is ideal for me, allowing the full character to emerge.

The aroma is full and smoky. The palate has some sweetness leaning towards light caramel, mixed with ample wood. It tastes somewhat young, with flavors that aren't fully integrated. It's good, but not outstanding. Considering its moderate complexity, I would prefer it to be smoother. I do appreciate the dry tannins and that it's not excessively sweet, but it possesses a lightness and minerality similar to Evan Williams Black.

The aroma is rather subtle, offering notes of banana, pineapple, buttery oak, and brown sugar. On the palate, there's a mild sweetness with tastes of brown sugar and banana before the alcohol burn appears, fading into sugarcane and a very slight buttery residue. The finish is short and clean. It's very easy to drink and doesn't require much attention.