Silvia Santiago and Liza Cordero, two women behind Don Q rum, bring their unique perspectives to the traditional Puerto Rican spirit. Silvia, with decades of experience, ensures her senses are unaltered when tasting rum, avoiding perfumes and flavored lip balms. Liza, a master blender, closes her eyes and connects with her senses to evaluate the rum.
The two women, from different generations, are united by their passion for rum and their responsibility to carry on the tradition while innovating. Silvia, who began working in manufacturing at Destilería Serrallés when it was a male-dominated field, paved the way for other women in the industry, becoming the first female master rum maker in Puerto Rico. She takes pride in seeing many women now working in various areas of the beverage industry, demonstrating that they too can excel in the field.
Liza and Silvia's approaches to rum-making reflect their individual personalities, with Silvia emphasizing the importance of maintaining clean senses and Liza describing the process as a romantic and intuitive experience.