Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Rum Industry — Nancy Duarte

The role of women in the rum industry is multifaceted, spanning from working in the fields and serving as brand ambassadors to ensuring the quality of every drop that reaches consumers’ palates.

For many, the journey has been challenging, as breaking paradigms has always required a clear vision and hard work. That is why, at TheRumLab, throughout March, we wanted to commemorate and honor the efforts of some of the industry’s great masters.

During this time, we explored the stories of remarkable figures in the industry, learning about their beginnings, inspirations, and perspectives on the role of women in the world of rum.

In our fifth and final article of this series, we have a story that embodies the hero’s journey: that of Nancy Duarte, Master Blender at Ron Santa Teresa.

From the young woman who first stepped through the company doors to becoming the first female Master Blender in the history of Ron Santa Teresa, today, we are honored to share part of her story.

“Just like a fine rum takes time to reach its full potential, so does change in the industry. Nancy Duarte’s journey reflects the patience and passion required to break barriers. At Women Leading Rum & Spirits, we believe in accelerating this progress by providing education, mentorship, and opportunities—so that the next generation of women in rum doesn’t just follow in our footsteps, but forges new paths.” — Larissa Arjona, President of Women Leading Rum & Spirits

Nancy Duarte, Maestra Ronera at Ron Santa Teresa

What She Discovered Between Sips

It was 1990 in Venezuela when Nancy Duarte, just 22 years old, walked the halls of Ron Santa Teresa in her new role as an intern. Among her daily tasks was meticulously cleaning glasses and serving rum samples for the master blenders to taste the elixir extracted from sugarcane.

What seemed like a simple task would gradually become a pivotal moment that shaped Nancy’s journey in the rum industry:

“My job was to clean the glasses and serve the rum for tastings, but behind the scenes, when no one was looking, I would take a sip of each sample to understand its characteristics.”

An expert was being born—the young woman was learning to define the distinctive qualities of a fine rum.

Her drive and talent did not go unnoticed. The master blenders seemed to appreciate Duarte’s work, often asking her questions and seeking her opinion on different batches of aged rum.

Little by little, with the guidance of experts like Jean Paul Levert, Nancy embraced the new horizon that was knocking fiercely at her door—one that would eventually lead her to become the first woman to hold the title of Master Blender at Ron Santa Teresa in 2021.

“In 2021, I became the first female Master Blender for Santa Teresa. Today, with 35 years of experience at the company, I lead the quality control, development, rum formulation, innovation in the production chain, and the creation of new products for the company’s portfolio.”

For Nancy Duarte, rum has always been her passion—because beyond being just a beverage, it represents an adventure, one in which there is always a new world to discover:

“Rum has always been my passion. For me, it’s about exploring the world inside each bottle, from the raw material—the sugarcane—to the final commercial blend we can enjoy at any bar around the world.”

An adventure that also has the power to transform lives through the quality that is distilled:

“At Santa Teresa, we make rum to transform lives, not the other way around,” Nancy proudly states.

Nancy has witnessed ups and downs, moments of change, synergy, and challenges throughout her journey. Just as she has explored the characteristics of a fine rum and delved into every stage of the production process, she has also observed that the efforts of her female colleagues in the industry often go unnoticed.

Present But Not Always Visible

From Duarte’s perspective, women generally have a more developed sense of smell, making their abilities invaluable. However, the challenge lies in the invisibility of their efforts.

“Throughout the history of the alcoholic beverage industry, women have been present—but not always visible.”

Nevertheless, this does not mean that opportunities for women in the industry are scarce. On the contrary, as other experts featured in Breaking Barriers have pointed out, there has been a growing focus on hiring women within spirits manufacturing companies.

“Now, women are leading alcoholic beverage brands and overseeing production processes. Young women can look up to female executives or master blenders and see themselves in those roles. That is a sign of how much the industry has evolved.”

For Nancy, however, there is one crucial element for anyone who wants to be part of this world and become an artist in the industry: patience.

Patience as a Virtue

Just like the aging process in barrels, patience is a key ingredient for thriving in corporate dynamics, according to the Venezuelan expert.

“Just as our rum slowly evolves in oak barrels, reaching the perfect balance over time before we proudly enjoy the final product, patience is essential. Beyond that, it’s vital to feel passion for every stage of the process.”

Over the years, both patience and passion have allowed Nancy to forge a path that continues to unfold, leading to her next goal: expanding and conquering more palates around the world.

Conquering More Palates

More than three decades of learning, traveling, thinking, creating, evaluating, and collecting flavors, sensations, and experiences have shaped Nancy Duarte’s career. She is clear about her mission: to continue expanding the appreciation for Santa Teresa’s products. But equally important is her commitment to educating future generations so that innovation and the development of high-quality products remain strong in the market—a mission that, at one point, her own mentors entrusted to her.

Once again, these stories show us that while the path is full of challenges, the goal is not impossible. Over the past five weeks, we have immersed ourselves in the stories of eight master blenders—eight women—from different parts of the world, each with their unique approach to the industry but united by a shared passion: rum.At TheRumLab, we have no doubt that they will continue to delight and captivate palates worldwide, leaving a lasting legacy distilled into the future.

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The photography of this article is courtesy of Ron Santa Teresa’s team