Romero Distilling Renegade Cuba Libre

Reviewed August 19, 2022

Romero Distilling Company is a father and son collaboration, owned and operated by Diego and Tomas Romero. Walking up to the distillery you can't help but notice the antique car parked at the front entrance. It is a McLaughlin Buick which, back in the early 1900’s, was the car of choice for bootleggers. This was the first hint of the fascinating rum running tales of Emilio Picariello that I would be introduced to at the distillery. (To learn more I would recommend booking a tour.)

Did you know that to be called rum, it must be made from sugar cane? Romero uses Canadian molasses made from sugar cane from Guatemala as their base. All their rums are aged in used Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels. In Canada, to be called rum it must be aged for at least one year in a wood cask.

Today I am tasting their Renegade Cuba Libre ready-to-drink cocktail. It is a rum and coke cocktail with a squeeze of lime. The name dates back to the Cuban War of Independence in the late 1800s.

Photo - Distiller Diego Romero in his prized cask room.