Rum Conference
12:20 PM | Registration
Brief: Registration for Rum Conference.
12:30 PM |Sweets, spices, and rum from the Caribbean
Brief: Join Damiean Williams, a Barbados native and brand ambassador for West Indies Rum Distillery, as he takes you on a sensory journey filled with sweets, spices, and Caribbean rums.
Tasting Room
1:30 PM | Pitorro: The Clandestine Spirit of Puerto Rico — History, Culture, and Resistance
Brief: Often called Ron Caña, Ron Cañita, Lágrima de Monte, or Lágrima de Mangle, pitorro has been Puerto Rico’s most famous illegal moonshine for centuries. In this seminar, researcher Jose Manuel Gonzalez shares insights from his academic thesis on the origins, production methods, and cultural significance of this clandestine spirit. Attendees will explore how pitorro evolved in remote, unlicensed stills across Puerto Rico and why it remains deeply tied to holiday traditions and national identity. This session offers a rare historical and sociocultural look at the island’s most rebellious rum heritage.
Seminar Room.
2:30 PM | New and Untouched 2026: Try new
expressions made in Puerto Rico
Brief: Join key members of rum distilleries as they unfold on new and untouched rum expressions they are about to launch.
Seminar Room
3:30 PM | Tropical vs. Temperate: How Climate Shapes Aging in Caribbean Rum and Scotch Whisky
Brief: This seminar explores how climate dramatically influences the maturation of spirits in the Caribbean and Scotland. Using real-world examples, the panel will compare evaporation rates, barrel interaction, flavor development, and aging timelines between tropical and temperate environments. Speakers include Christian Frontanes of Bacardi, Pablo Perez (The Whiskyrican), and a guest expert from a global spirits company. With Bacardi’s unique connection to Dewar’s, attendees will gain rare insight into how the same parent company approaches maturation across two very different climates and spirit traditions.
Seminar Room
4:30 PM | Legacy in Their Hands: Master Blenders Shaping the Future of Puerto Rican Rooted Rum
Brief: The future of Puerto Rican rum is being shaped by hands that deeply understand its past. “Legacy in Their Hands: Master Blenders Shaping the Future of Puerto Rican Rooted Rum” explores how master blenders—guardians of tradition, technique, and memory—are redefining what it means to craft a rum rooted in Puerto Rico. Their work blends inherited knowledge, constant innovation, and a unique sensitivity to the land, the cane, and time itself.
Through their decisions, these artisans not only preserve a centuries‑old legacy but also propel a new era of rum, where Puerto Rican identity is expressed with greater depth, complexity, and purpose. This session opens a window into their vision, their processes, and the cultural impact they are shaping for generations to come.
Seminar Room
