Diplomatico has been on my list for a while, but I have consistently passed it by because I was hoping to get the smaller Exclusiva bottle, since I didn’t think that I would like this brand. I had my chance when Total Wine was selling Diplomatico bottles for $23 and the small Exclusiva bottle for $5.

I put them all in the shot, but I decided that it makes a lot of sense to keep the Planas review separate, because it’s extremely different from the other offerings, and I am instead going to compare it to Havana Club 3 and Bacardi Superior.

Review

Smell

It smells very much like Havana Club 3, maybe with a slight difference in that Havana Club 3 smells more fruity. Bacardi, of course, smells like the classic white rum “rummy smell” that I typically describe as vanilla and coconut. I would say the strength of the fruity smell is a sliding scale, where Bacardi has none, Planas has a bit, and Havana Club has a little more. Also, Havana Club 3 has an orange/citrus aroma to it, while Planas gives me more green apple notes.

Taste

Of course, taste wise, Bacardi just cannot compete. Planas has a surprising amount of flavor. Along with the classic rummy flavor that you get from Bacardi, I get apricot, and maybe a bit of overripe banana flavor. It’s not as flavorful as Planteray 3 stars, but it has some nice mild flavors, and it doesn’t burn much, especially for being 47%.

Both Havana Club and Diplomatico make decent daiquiris, though I can’t really distinguish a strong difference. They’re both just good white rums.

Verdict 6/10

(Edited from 7/10 on 1/4/26)

Diplomatico Planas is a pretty good rum. It’s got character and body, and I would say that it’s tied with Havana Club 3 in the white rum category. For mixing, I don’t think that it’s replacing Planteray 3 stars, but if you’re into sipping rums, and a white rum appeals to you, this might be the best of that niche.

January 4, 2026 Update:

This rum continues to be pretty good. When I need a white rum with some aged characteristics, there really is no parallel. Amending to 6/10 to match the new rating scale.