Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva is the brand’s flagship product and a star of its ‘The World Needs More Diplomats’ campaign |
Venezuela’s Diplomático Rum, which made its debut at this year’s IAADFS Duty Free Show of the Americas, has introduced its Reserva Exclusiva sipping rum to the Americas travel retail.
According to the company, a positive response to the award-winning rum has prompted plans to develop Diplomático Rum’s Prestige range in travel retail. Diplomático Rum Global Marketing Director Mark Batey said the company is adopting a “step by step” approach to travel retail and “things are moving along nicely”.
Batey hailed the success of the IAADFS show and Diplomático Rum’s performance. “We wanted to meet in person the representatives of the major operators with whom we’ve been in contact for some time, and show our commitment to being present in this channel. We also had the opportunity to present our portfolio to some of the smaller, very dynamic operators who are looking for quality products to help them differentiate themselves in the local market.”
Batey said the brand concluded negotiations with some “important” operators at the show. “It just remains for us to arrange the introduction of our product into their shops. We’re pleased to have also been able to finalise things with some operators of port and airport shops in the Caribbean.”
Diplomático Rum Business Development Director Mario Navarro noted the brand’s strong start to the year. “Our sales are increasing steadily in the premium category, in line with our growth strategy. Our global presence continues to expand – we are now in over 50 countries, and we will look to develop relationships with more distributors as well as exploring appropriate growth opportunities within travel retail and duty free.
“Our first international campaign broke in January, introducing our new slogan ‘The World Needs More Diplomats’.”
Looking forward, Navarro said Diplomático Rum will focus on consolidating its position within the premium and super-premium rum categories.
Diplomático rums are 100% produced in Venezuela. According to the company, the distillery is close to large sugar processing plants and the Terepaima National Park, which provides pure water for the rum production. “The weather in the region also plays a key role. The warm days and cool nights are favourable to the growth of sugar cane and have a significant impact on the ageing process of the rums,” Navarro said.
Diplomático rums are distilled using a variety of methods, including various Continuous Columns (Hispanic rum tradition) for light rums, ancient copper Pot Sills (British whisky tradition) for complex rums, and a Batch Kettle system (American whisky tradition) for medium-bodied rums. “This variety of distillates is what characterises Diplomático rums and what allows the Maestro Ronero (Master Blender) to create unique blends,” Navarro added.
Batey and Navarro were both keen to emphasise the role of travel retail in the brand’s future. “Travel retail is of strategic importance for the Diplomático brand. Travel is in the brand’s DNA, so a presence in this channel is a natural fit.”
Pictured is the Diplomático Rum team at the brand’s stand at IAADFS: Diplomático Rum Business Development Manager Mario Navarro (seated), Diplomático Rum Brand Manager José-Luis Ballesteros and Diplomático Rum Global Marketing Director Mark Batey |
“We decided to introduce the brand via our flagship product, Reserva Exclusiva. Once the different operators, large and small, become familiar with Diplomático we would like to develop sales of our Prestige Range in this channel, with products like Single Vintage and Ambassador. But we’re aware that all this will take time, and we prefer to proceed step by step.”
Batey said Diplomático Rum eventually hopes to use the duty free channel to introduce product innovations and possibly limited editions, but “all in good time.” “The main thing is that duty free is an integral part of our global strategy, and is a channel in which we don’t just want to be present, but to be growing and innovating.”
Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva is the brand’s flagship product. Described as an “elegant and complex sipping rum”, it is distilled in vintage copper pot stills and aged in small oak casks for up to 12 years. “Marrying a unique body with excellent balance has made it a reference for rum lovers and connoisseurs throughout the world,” Batey said.
On the nose, it is described as complex and full of character, with notes of maple syrup, orange peel, brown sugar and liquorice. It offers taste notes of toffee fudge and caramel, with a long lasting finish.
According to the brand, this rum is best served neat, although it has been included in cocktails like the Old Fashioned, originally made with whisky or Bourbon.
