Joy Spence from Appleton Rums
Joy Spence’s “passion for the art of creating
rum blends” shone through, and in 1997 she was appointed master blender at
Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum. During her tenure, she has been responsible
for a number of noted releases, including the limited
edition Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum. She says blending rum is
a combination of art and science, “bearing in mind the compatibility of the
different marks, the effects of ageing, and the Chemistry profile”. In 2005, Spence was honored by the
Government of Jamaica who awarded her the Order of Distinction in the Rank of
Officer, (OD) for her service to industry.Lorena Vasquez from Ron Zacapa Rum
Lorena Vásquez says being a master blender is
not a profession but a way of life. Almost 25
years on, and in her role as master blender, Vásquez is credited with
improving the brand’s Sisterna solera ageing system, and has developed and released
an array of rums, including Zacapa 23 and Zacapa XO. “As
I have a true passion for rum making and I am a perfectionist at heart,
nothing gives me greater pleasure than meeting those who appreciate and enjoy
Zacapa,” she says.Bridget Firtle from The Noble Experiment
Bridget
Firtle got her first taste of the drinks industry working at hedge fund Knott
Partners as a global alcoholic beverages analyst. Then, in 2012, Firtle quit
her job and branched out into production, founding The Noble Experiment
rum distillery in Brooklyn, and resurrecting New York’s long history
of spirits manufacture. The resulting
product is Owney’s NYC Rum a “distinctive, complex, dry white rum” made
from all-natural, non-GMO molasses, with infusions and barrel-aged expressions
in the works. According to Firtle’s
website, the ambition is “to bring native rum back to the US”.Jassil Villanueva Quintana from Brugal
Fifth generation descendant Jassil Villanueva Quintana had joined the maestros
roneros line-up. Not only was she the youngest to hold the title, she was also
the first woman. With the promotion came the shift from logistics to liquid
production, and the pressure to “live up to the expectations of the older
Maestros Roneros”, she said at the time of her appointment. There was no
need to worry: her first release was Papá Andrés Alegría, or ‘Joy’, a
well-received luxurious expression celebrating the brand’s founding
father, Don Andrés Brugal Montaner.Congratulations to all ten of the women that were named as the world's best, and especially to the women of rum. ;o)
Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2016/03/top-10-female-master-distillers-and-blenders/
