This is the way we present and enjoy Renegade Cane Rum the majority of the time ourselves. Both our aged and Pre-Cask rums offer endless opportunities for slowly picking apart the profound, natural flavours of cane and terroir, which is why we love — and often suggest — the au naturel approach as a starting point for every expression. To compare and contrast.

A stemmed, tulip-shaped glass or small wine glass tapering towards the lip will offer a wide surface area for the liquid, maximising the potential for enjoying all of the rum’s aromatic precision, intensity and complexity. There is also real joy to be found from pouring a measure into a good, weighty tumbler as you might a single malt and savouring a long, contemplative evening.

We don’t usually add ice ourselves, since that can suppress the impact of flavour and aroma and heighten sense of alcohol. Cool water, however, can be a great friend to the natural rum drinker; a single teardrop can unlock further aromatic potential, and when one wants a longer drink without the impact of alcohol — a sunny afternoon in good company, perhaps — adding a healthier measure of water can be just the thing.

Since we eschew all enzymes and additives, making our rum only from pure sugar cane juice, our texture and flavour won’t be ‘broken’ or ‘spoilt’ even by as great a ratio as 50:50 rum:water, and we often find this a particularly intriguing way to serve it.

The vibrancy, purity and intensity of fresh cane juice, sensitively treated, gives it just the aromatic quality and cutting edge to provide the perfect foil for rich foods and desserts, whilst the brightness and freshness of Pre-Cask rum can be a particularly good friend to seafood — again, especially with the addition of a good splash of fresh spring water.