Some major milestones too – not least an unprecedented Triple Crown for our Pre-Cask: Hope at the world’s most prestigious spirits awards, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, where it won Best Agricole, Best Rum and Best Unaged Spirit. Just wait until they taste it after it’s matured in wood!

That was the cream on top of a veritable sundae of awards and accolades for the distillery, for which we’re very grateful of course – and which feel like validation for what we’re trying to achieve. But most gratifying is seeing interested drinkers enjoy our rum, ask eager questions about our cane, our terroirs, our unique Renegade methods. Seeing how keen rum lovers are for a project that explores just how far the natural flavours of rum can go.

As ever, nowhere was that more in evidence than at Whisky Live Paris, fast becoming one of our favourite events of the year. We shared Pre-Casks, aged Études, and chatted away about our grand plans for the future.

2024 will see us double down on our vision, as we turn our attention more and more to Cuvée Concepts: the veritable raison d’être of our Renegade Rum project. The ultimate complexity of individual terroirs of sugar cane, separately harvested, milled, distilled and matured, before being layered together with total creativity to create a rum greater than the sum of its parts. Something truly orchestral. Our Single Farm Cuvées have already made their way to certain corners of the world. In 2024 you’ll see much more of them – and of our flagship, the All-Island Cuvée Nova.

Lots to look forward to. It’s going to be exciting, and we can’t wait to share it all. For now though, a simple but heartfelt thanks for all your support this year. For everyone who’s tasted our rums, engaged with us at tastings, festivals or online, and come with us along our journey in search of the most profound natural rum.

Bring on the new year.

Renegade Rum 2023 By Numbers  

Fields harvested: 125
Varieties harvested: 6 (Cain, Clean Ester, Lacalome Red, Lodger, Purple Tallboy, Yellow Lady)
Acres harvested: 245.6
Tonnes of cane harvested: 9545.1
Acres planted or replanted: 72.68

Total Distillations: 259
In Pot Still: 161
In Column Still: 98
Litres of spirit distilled: 419,500
Casks filled: 2871