Brand Ambassador, The Island Rum Company: DIN HASSAN

Din Hassan is a veteran with 30-year experience in this industry. Started as a poolside waiter at the age of 15 years and slowly climbed up to operations manager. Consultant for hotels, clubs and bars around Asia and now working as a Brand Ambassador for The Island Rum Company.

TRL: What does the rum mean to you? 

Rum is friendship and you can drink it neat, with ice and cocktails. 

TRL: What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

As soon as the CEO (Adele) contact me for the job and I study more about Rums and love it more and more

TRL: What is the most important contribution you have made to the rum industry? 

When we launched our rum in 2019 we started a campaign called Tears: ”N” Tonic just to get some Gin Tonic lovers to love Rum & Tonic.

TRL: Benefits that the rum industry has given you. 

Meeting new people, networking, getting to travel to bar shows and getting to taste different types of Rum.

TRL: What’s another thing you are passionate about, in addition to rum? Why? 

Traveling to visit distillery and go to cocktail bar to try their rum cocktails

TRL: What is your favorite place for drinking rum? 

Kempinski Hotel Singapore

TRL: Favorite drink + Recipe:

60ml Black Tears Dry Spiced Rum, 5ml Frangelico (stir in a mixing glass) and Squeezed Lime.

TRL: Why is it important to educate the rum consumer? 

To make them understand that different countries have a different character

TRL: How can the rum contribute to improving the crisis in some countries? 

We are starting to work with the Malaysian/Philippine Embassy to do a charity drive and part of the sales we will donate to the organizer.

TRL: Who would like to meet in the rum industry? What would you say to him/her? 

To our team and would said thank you, it’s been a while.

TRL: What are your next goals in the rum industry? 

We want to make sure people enjoy Rums and share knowledge with them about our industry.

TRL: Plans you have when you leave the rum industry. 

No plan yet but maybe it will distill my own spirits…

TRL: Why is the role of the bartender important in the rum industry? 

Bartenders are very crucial for us as they are the ones who have a better chance to engage with consumers and they are also very innovative people. I’m quite lucky that I’ve been a bartender for over 3 decades.

TRL: What is your advice for new generations in the rum industry? 

Consistency, asking lots and lots of questions and tasting different types of rums but drinking responsibility.

TRL: How can people learn more about you? Website? Social media page?