Meet the Makers

Spirits · La Miel, Lara

Diplomatico

Venezuelan rum distilled at the foot of the Andes in Lara state.

Founded
1959
Based in
La Miel, Lara

Making it since

1959

Their story

Diplomático rum comes from Destilerías Unidas, known as DUSA, a distillery established in 1959 in Venezuela's Lara state, at the foot of the Andes. The site covers about 12 hectares and was long run by the Ballesteros family.

The rum grew from a regional name into one sold in more than 100 countries, with ranges from everyday bottles to small Distillery Collection releases. In 2018 it became the first rum named Spirit Brand of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.

In January 2023, Brown-Forman completed its purchase of the Diplomático brand from Destillers United Group, including an aging and bottling facility in Panama. The original Venezuelan distillery continues to produce and age the rum.

How it's made

DUSA works with several kinds of stills: column stills for lighter rums, a batch kettle and column for medium-bodied rums, and copper pot stills for heavier rums. Lighter styles start from sugarcane molasses, while heavier ones are made from sugarcane honey, and the components are aged and blended.

Why we carry them

Diplomático is a friendly entry into aged rum, rich and easy to sip on its own. We often point people here when they want a bottle that works neat or in a stirred cocktail.

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