Hospitality leader focuses on bringing first-class visitor experiences to home of the world’s most awarded rum in Puerto Rico.
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Nov. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Casa BACARDÍ Puerto Rico, the brand home of the world’s most awarded rum and one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island, welcomes Gabriel “Gabe” Solano as General Manager, responsible for the complete visitor experience. The visitor center, located just outside San Juan, Puerto Rico, showcases mixology, stories about the rich history of the Bacardí family and brand, and an insider’s view of the unique production process for the world’s most awarded rum.
Gabe Solano
Gabriel is a hospitality professional, with more than 15 years of management experience in food and beverage, leading teams at some of the finest hotels and institutions in the industry including the Edition in Times Square, the Mandarin Oriental in New York City, and the W in Washington, D.C. Solano graduated from the University of Delaware, where he began his journey in hospitality as a barman, igniting his passion for crafting cocktails and bringing people together with unique drinks experiences.
“The call to helm Casa BACARDÍ is an aspiration actualized. I’m thrilled to reconnect with my Puerto Rican roots and contribute to the success of Casa BACARDÍ and its impact in the surrounding community” says Gabriel. “I look forward to applying my experience in luxury food and beverage to ensure this iconic brand home continues to share its rich history in exciting, new ways and remains a world-class destination for years to come.”
Gabriel joins the team led by Thibault Ruffat, Global Brand Homes Director for family-owned Bacardi, responsible for the venues and experiences for the brand homes of BACARDÍ rum in Puerto Rico, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch Whisky in Scotland, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin in the UK, MARTINI® vermouths and sparkling wines in Italy, ANGEL’S ENVY® Kentucky Straight bourbon in the USA and brand homes in France for NOILLY PRAT® vermouths, BÉNÉDICTINE® liqueur, and the cognacs BARON OTARD® and D’USSÉ®.
“For us at Bacardi, it’s a privilege to create memorable moments for our guests while sharing unique stories over delicious cocktails at our beautiful campus,” says Thibault Ruffat. “Under Gabe’s leadership, Casa BACARDÍ will continue to focus on outstanding spirits tourism experiences and sharing the legacy of the iconic BACARDÍ rum with visitors from across the globe.”
Among the experiences available at Casa BACARDÍ Puerto Rico are the “Rum Tasting” tour, a tour focused on the tasting and sensory experiences of BACARDÍ rums; a “Mixology” class, which is characterized by its unique, interactive experience of giving visitors the opportunity to go behind the bar to learn how to make cocktails including the BACARDÍ Mojito and BACARDÍ Piña Colada; and the “Legacy” tour, a must-do for visitors to learn about the past, present and future of the world’s most awarded premium rum. The tour includes a welcome cocktail at the Pavilion, a trolly ride, a visit to the Bacardí Family Museum, and mixology class. Bookings must be made in advance and online at: www.casabacardi.com. Guests must be of legal drinking age.
For those who can’t make it in person to Casa BACARDÍ Puerto Rico, there are still ways to join in on the fun. Virtual mixology classes are available for groups, and an online shop gives you access to branded items with the click of a button at shop.casabacardi.com.
About Bacardi in Puerto Rico
The Bacardi Corporation was founded in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1936, and is part of the family owned Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world. The current facility was built in 1958 on 127 acres in the town of Cataño. The rum production facility is the largest premium rum distillery in the world.
Since 1961, Bacardi has operated the state-of-the-art Casa BACARDÍ Visitor Center, the second most-visited venue in metro San Juan, drawing visitors from around the world to learn about the rich history of the Bacardí family and brand, as well as its unique production. www.visitcasabacardi.com
About BACARDÍ® Rum – The World’s Most Awarded Rum
In 1862, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó revolutionized the spirits industry when he created a light-bodied rum with a particularly smooth taste – BACARDÍ. The unique taste of BACARDÍ rum inspired cocktail pioneers to invent some of the world’s most famous recipes including the BACARDÍ Mojito, the BACARDÍ Daiquiri, the BACARDÍ Cuba Libre, the BACARDÍ Piña Colada and the BACARDÍ El Presidente. BACARDÍ rum is the world’s most awarded spirit, with more than 1,000 awards for quality, taste and innovation. Today, BACARDÍ rum is made mainly in Puerto Rico where it is crafted to ensure the taste remains the same today as it did when it was first blended in 1862. www.BACARDÍ.com
The BACARDÍ brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.
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©2022. BACARDÍ AND THE BAT DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS.
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