Review by: The Auditor
Review #1125; Rum #444
Renegade is a new rum distillery from Mark Reynier, known more for his work at Bruichladdich and Waterford. In Grenada, he built a brand new state of the art distillery. There, Renegade grows all the cane that goes into its rum. These first bottlings are known as “pre-cask’ and are made of fresh pressed cane juice that in this case has been distilled on a pot still. Given the terroir obsession Mark is known for each bottle has a cane code that inks to their website with all the information you could ever want. The cane code for this sample is PC09H21-P1, which you can enter on Renegade’s website. Given all that, let us give this bottling a taste.
Distillery: Renegade
Bottler: Renegade
Region: Grenada
Still: Copper Pot
ABV: 50%
Nose: Brine, slight vinegar, vegetal, a faint sweetness
Palate: Medium mouthfeel, brine, vegetal, faint sweetness, minerality
Finish: Medium length finish, Olive, brine vegetal, faint sweetness, minerality
Conclusion: A very good rum. This one leans heavier on the savory side of the flavor spectrum but it’s a nice flavor. While good rum I don’t think it’s a standout compared to a plethora of unaged cane juice rums on the market. You can even look at a distillery on the same island, Rivers Antoine, to see something in comparable price that, to my taste, is far superior in flavor. I do find the stated goals of terroir interesting, but other distilleries are doing unaged cane juice rum far better at this point.
Final Score: 85
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 