A plethora of Master Blenders meet

It’s not every day that one gets to meet a world-renowned Master Blender, the expert and craftsperson behind an iconic luxury spirits brand, but to meet a few of them in the one setting, well,  that’s just unique.

 

So it was that Bacardí Martini hosted just such a very special event through Andy del Rosal (the great-great-great grandson of Bacardí rum founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó) a sixth-generation family member.

The meet was held at the Teeling Distillery’s Tasting Room in Dublin’s Liberties recently.

Bacardí purchased a stake in the distillery for just under €5 million two years ago and distributes Teeling’s brands in the US.

Those Master Blenders gathered together included Maestros de Ron Bacardí Juan Pinera and José ‘Joe’ Gomez together with Bacardí rum blender Astrophel ‘Troy’ Arquiza (who also works with Teeling in the US), Grey Goose Cellar Master Francisco Francois Thibault, Master Distiller and creator of Patrón Tequila Franciso Alcarez and Master Blender for John Dewar Scotch whisky Stephanie Macleod.

Meeting them for an evening of tastings and tales were some of the country’s top mixologists, invited there by Alan Kavanagh, Bacardí’s Brand Ambassador here in Ireland and his colleague Darren Mynes – both with Bacardí distributor here Edward Dillon & Co.

The evening’s meet and tasting was introduced by Jacob Briars, Bacardí Martini’s Global Advocacy Manager.

This was also something of a special occasion for Bacardí in that it was launching its Diaz 10 Year-Old rum onto the Irish market for the first time.