Rum Connoisseur

Interview Of the Week

ALEJANDRO NORIEGA

Brand Ambassador – Santa Teresa / Bacardi USA

 

1. Who is Alejandro Noriega?  

I was born in Miami. My parents are both of Hispanic descent. My mother is a mixture of Spanish & Dominican blood, and my father is Cuban. At a young age I discovered my passion for food & beverage, as well as martial arts. I’m currently a 2^nd degree black belt in taekwondo and I studied Judo for 5 years. When I was 15 I was a busboy at a local restaurant in south Miami, but I really learned the art of hospitality when I was 19 and worked at Houston’s in Coral Gables, which is now called Hillstone. I worked there for 5 years while earning a BA at FIU.

While I was working at Hillstone, Matt Kutcher became my mentor. He is the current owner of Lokal, Kush Wynwood, Spill Over, and several other establishments. Under his guidance, I fell in love with the field of hospitality, and specifically with the “mixology” or craft cocktail movement. I began to excel in the industry, and helped to open several bars and restaurants, including Beaker and Gray. Julio Cabrera, owner of Café La Trova was also a major source of inspiration for me. I developed my skills and technique as a bartender while working at the Regent Cocktail Club. During my tenure there, I won a few various local bartending competitions. I competed in the 2015 Bacardi Legacy competition, where I made it to the regional semi-finals. Also, in 2015, I won the Hennessy Academy cocktail competition.

 

2. Biggest achievement you personally feel you have accomplished in the rum industry.

My biggest accomplishment in the industry thus far is being able to share my love and passion for rum, while also educating those willing to learn about a unique craft and some amazing brands. I’m a history buff, so I love being able to preach tales from the rum gospel to consumers and fellow rum-enthusiasts alike.

 

3. What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

I suppose being of Cuban descent, and always being around cigars and rum at parties growing may have had a hand in the direction my life has taken! For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved the smell of rum and cigars. Then I became interested in learning more about the art of rum-making, and the inner-workings of the rum business. I’ve also always been inclined toward physically mixing things, I love the sensation of stirring or shaking or blending up a cocktail – maybe in a different world I could’ve been a chemist, ha!

 

4. What is that thing that makes you want to continue in the rum industry?

For me, the thing that foments my drive to continue striving for the career I want, is a passion for rum. You’ve heard the saying, “If you do something you love, you won’t work a day in your life.” I think that saying is 100% true.

 

5. Favorite Drink and recipe.

That’s a hard one! My answer changes depending on my mood, but of late, I would have to go with an El Presidente.

• 1 ½ oz Santa Teresa 1796 rum
• ¾ oz dry vermouth
• ¼ orange curacao
• 1 tablespoon of grenadine

 

6. Where do you see the rum industry today and in the next 5 years?

I think a trend we’ve been seeing in the industry, that I predict will continue for the foreseeable future, is a focus on small rum brands with a great product, and great story to tell. The Santa Teresa 1796 story is one I like to tell over and over again because it is so lush with history and heart that make the brand unique, and supply a colorful back story for an incredible product. For over 200 years, the company has been independently owned and operated by the fifth generation of the Vollmer family, who are committed to producing best of class rums in a way that sustains the social fabric of its surrounding community. In 2003, Santa Teresa developed Project Alcatraz a program that recruits criminal gang members to rehabilitate and reinsert them into society using vocational and values-based training. The program has reduced the homicide rate in the surrounding area of Revenga by 90%.

 

7. What do you think needs to happen to grow the premium category of rum?

People need to familiarize themselves with the broader range of what the rum category can offer. Most people think of rum as the liquor that goes in a Pina Colada. Something sweet, that they sip on tropical vacations, which is totally fine! But the category is much more expansive than just tiki drinks. I think it would help establish the premium category tremendously if consumers began to understand that some rums – Santa Teresa 1796 comes to mind – offer significantly dryer, richer, and more mature flavor palates than the sweet alcohol one mixes with coke at a college bar.

 

8. Which rum would you recommend a person that:

– Sipping a premium rum for the 1^st time – Definitely Santa Teresa 1796. The flavor profile finds a perfect equilibrium, balancing notes of vanilla, molasses, and dried fruit with notes wood and leather. The complexity of the blend is admirable, but it’s also very smooth – really a hard one not to love

– Likes Scotch Whisky— Again, I think I might have to go with Santa Teresa 1796 here. It’s a dry, aged rum from Venezuela, so it’s a good match for the palate of a scotch drinker.

 – Likes Bourbon—A smooth, blended rum can go a long way for committed bourbon drinkers.

– Likes Gin or Vodka- I would try a tiki cocktail or a white rum with tropical notes.

– Likes Cognac – I think I would recommend a well-aged dry rum.

 

9. Share some (2-3) of your mentors and how they have helped you.

– Matt Kutcher: He gave me my wings, taught me the steps of great service, and how important it is to always be attentive. He always said the best thing to do was keep my head down and keep working hard toward my goals. He also frequently reminded me that in order to achieve anything, I would need to stay passionate.

– Julio Cabrera: His method of teaching made installed in me a passion for craft bartending. He taught me the key to the perfect cocktail is almost entirely about technique, the cleaner you are behind bar the better your cocktails taste. Because of him, I have the utmost respect for classic cocktails. #moderndayninja

– Ray Raymond: The Mr. Miyagi of the trade, there is a secret to his old school with a dash of new school teaching that took me some time to figure out. Because of him, I’ve been able to apply theories of commercial marketing to my career, and really watch it bloom. He also taught me the value of having a tight and trustworthy team.

 

10. What 3-5 things do you have in your bucket list for the next 12 months?

– Travel to Greece

– Continue working hard and excelling in my career

– Celebrate the successes of my peers and colleagues in the industry.

– Increase environmental awareness.

– Make a Daiquiri at La Floridita in Havana, Cuba.

 

11. Any Last Words?

Never stop learning.

12. How can people learn more about you? Website? Social media page

Follow me on IG @albyinthezone