Venezuelan Diplomatico Wins Top Rum Award

Venezuelan rum got a well-deserved accolade recently when Diplomatico's Reserva Exclusiva was voted the second best of 50 rums at a blind tasting in New York City by a selection committee of 21 journalists, bartenders and aficionados.

Blended by a maestro ronero and aged for 12 years in charred white-oak barrels in a place called Miel in the wilds of Lara State, Ron Diplomatico Exclusiva has a rich, warm, buttery flavour of molasses and is perfect for sipping.

The top four rums awarded a double gold medal in the best 50 list were:
1. Vizcaya VXOP (Dominican Republic)
2. Ron Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva (Venezuela)
2. Tortuga 12 years (Cayman Islands)
3. Zaya 12 years (Trinidad & Tobago)

For the full list click here

For instructions on how to enjoy the powerful coffee-granules-and-rum experience known as El Ritual click here

Venezuelan Rum - Ho Ho Ho!

Sorry for not posting for a while but I was travelling in Venezuela for work. I'm currently researching material for an update to the "Bradt Guide to Venezuela", a travel guide in English which will come out next year.
It's a lot of work but I'm loving the opportunity to criss-cross the country, catch up with old friends, make new friends and have some adventures.
I'm hoping this impressive shelf of Venezuelan rums, aquired on my last trip, will inspire me to come up with some recipes for exciting rum cocktails, although Venezuelan rum is so smooth it's good enough to sip neat or over ice.

Venezuelan Rum Cocktail Recipe: El Ritual