Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week:

ANTONIO LÓPEZ DE HARO

Samai Distillery | Co-Founder and CEO

 

1. Who is Antonio López de Haro?

I’m Antonio, an entrepreneur from Venezuela who’s been living in Asia for the past 15+ years with experience in setting up SME’s, business management and now the rum industry. I like starting new projects and making ideas come to reality. Traveling and exploring is my passion, always trying to discover new places and learn new experiences.

 

2. What does the rum mean for you? What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

Being from Venezuela, rum has always been very special to me. Having a glass of rum, when knowing all the years & dedication that it takes to produce this liquid, makes it even more special. My journey into rum started 6 years ago when I visited multiple distilleries for the first time in Tasmania, and it all sank in when we decided to set up Cambodia’s first rum distillery & rum brand.

 

3. Three essential characteristics that define the rum according to your perspective.

Rum is a symbol of dedication, culture and sophistication. It is a quality spirit that is on its way to be accepted on a par to what whisky and cognac is nowadays.

4. What is the most important contribution you have made in the rum industry?

I believe the most important contribution I have made in the rum industry, together with my co-founders, is to have built Cambodia’s first rum distillery & rum brand from scratch, by taking ownership of all the production process including fermentation, distillation, aging, blending, and bottling & labeling. We have put Cambodia into the “Rum World Map”. We have created a product and brand that Cambodians are proud of, that has garnered multiple international awards & recognition, and that international markets such as France, Singapore and Spain are already enjoying.

 

5. Benefits that the rum industry has given you.

The first benefit that jumps into mind is the ability to create something from scratch, to be creative and to have the ability to work with amazing people in Cambodia. I’ve had the chance to visit multiple distilleries around the world and learn in depth about this spirit and the art of production.

6. What´s another thing you are passionate about, in addition to rum? Why?

Traveling and exploring. I’m addicted to the feeling of discovering new places, the feeling of being in unknown places, getting lost, seeing new things, having new experiences. I’m currently based in both Phnom Penh and Madrid, but I’m writing this from the South of Portugal and next week I will be in Porto. Hoping to be back to Madrid this December and Phnom Penh in January and waiting for travel restrictions to ease so I can continue my travels around the world.

 

7. What is your favorite place for drinking rum?

My favorite place for drinking rum is with friends, in a big leather sofa, with dim lighting and Latin-Jazz playing in the background. In the beach on a sunny & hot day with a refreshing fruity rum cocktail is also not a bad idea. One of my favorite bars to drink rum would be at the sexy Origin Bar at Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, where Bar Manager Adam Bursik is one of the most knowledgeable & fun rum geeks that I know.

 

 8. Favorite drink + Recipe

Trick question. If I need to choose one drink, then I would say a Negroni De Caña, which is our Negroni version with equal parts of Samai Gold Rum, Campari and Sweet Vermouth (such as Martini Rosso or I prefer La Quintinye Vermouth Royal). Stirred, served in a whisky glass with one chunk of ice, with a twist of orange skin to get the oils of the orange on the top of the drink and around the rim of the glass. At home I have my own little 3-liter American Oak Barrel full of a pre-mix of this cocktail, aging it for weeks before serving: Aged Negroni de Caña.

 

9. Why is it important to educate the rum consumer?

It is extremely important to educate the rum consumer, as there are many misconceptions about rum and its quality. Many still believe rum is a “cheap” product, for “pirates”, low quality, unaged, etc.. Of course, this can be the case with many rums, same as with other categories including whiskies and gins. But rum can also be a super-premium quality product, handcrafted, smooth and genuine, such as the rums that we produce at Samai. Rum is a world-class product that is enjoyed by the most discerning connoisseurs.

 

10. Any tips to train the palate and taste a good premium rum?

Tasting and enjoying a good premium rum takes a bit of practice. In order to appreciate a good premium rum, you would need to have tasted a big variety of different rums, in all its spectrum (white, gold, spiced, liqueurs, single casks, etc.), as well as other categories of spirits, so you can appreciate what you have in your hand and what you taste in your palate. Normally when we do the Samai Tasting Flight, we start with the Samai White Rum which is a smooth sipping white rum, still aged in ex-Bourbon barrels and charcoal filtered, giving very fruity and tropical notes of coconut and ripe banana. Then we build it up with the Samai Gold Rum that has a stronger oak component (minimum 2 years aged in American oak, French Oak, Sherry Casks and ex-Bourbon) with notes of caramelized honey and chocolate. After the Samai Gold Rum we can go towards the Samai Kampot Pepper Rum, which is a very unique spiced rum, a first of its kind, using the world-reknowed Kampot Pepper. Here you will feel the spiciness of the pepper with fresh aromatic notes of eucalyptus and guava, a bit spicy yet sweet. To finish off a Samai tasting then we have the Samai PX Rum Liqueur, packed with Pedro Ximénez, sweet and elegant.

11. How can the rum contribute to improve the crisis in some countries?

As it was the case with us at Samai Distillery, we created a new industry in Cambodia. We currently employ 18 full-time staff, 75% being Cambodian nationals, and then we have an extra 8 part-time staff for our Thursday Night Distillery Bar & events, 100% of them from Cambodia. We are contributing to around 25 families in Cambodia, helping them during this crisis.

 

12. Is the commitment to sustainable development the key of success for the permanence of the rum industry in the world? Why?

Definitely, rum has had some troubled past, and it’s the time to “clean”, press reset, and adapt to new times. We are looking at improvement in environmental sustainability, fair trade, and overall ethical awareness.

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

I’ve had the opportunity to meet many master blenders & distillers from Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Thailand, and was amazed by their stories. Someone I would like to meet would be Alexandre Gabriel to hear more about his entrepreneurial pursuits and his ability to make so many cool projects come to life. I would like to understand what positive impacts he’s having in the rum producing countries and the industry as a whole. There’re definitely many things we could learn from him.

14. What are your next goals in the rum industry?

My next goal in the rum industry is to continue bringing Samai to the world. We are currently planning to launch a new investment round to be able to build a new distillery and increase our production capacity by 10X our current capacity, so we can meet the international demand we have. We want to make Cambodia recognized as the producer of the best rums from Asia and the world.

 

15. Plans you have when you leave the rum industry.

I think it will be impossible to leave the rum industry. Samai Rum is our brand and even though I may not work with this company or in this industry all my life, it will still be deep in my heart. Traveling is part of my life too, but everywhere I travel I always like to link it with many aspects of the alcohol production not only on spirits and visiting distilleries and wineries, but also other aspects of production like visiting suppliers of corks, cooperages, raw materials, and everything in between.

 

16. Why is the role of the bartender important in the rum industry?

Bartenders are brand ambassadors, influencers, and a key to our industry. Bartenders are to be knowledgeable about every spirit category and be able to recommend drinks, cocktails and educate the end consumers. They are the backbone for spreading rum love around the world.

 

17. What is your advice for new generations in the rum industry?

Patience and persistence are keys. When building a new distillery and brand from scratch, when your product has a minimum aging period of two years while you are entering a 400-year old industry, then you need to be prepared to learn and be patient while developing your products and brand. There are no shortcuts, unless you are into pure branding.

 

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

To learn more about Samai Rum you can visit www.samaidistillery.com or follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samaidistillery/ . For my personal Instagram I’m https://www.instagram.com/antonio.ldh/ or my travels https://www.instagram.com/domesticated.jungle/