APPLETON ESTATE Jamaica Rum's master blender, Joy Spence, is the first woman to hold the position of master blender in the industry.
She says her passion for the art of creating rum was inspired by her predecessor, Owen Tulloch, who was her mentor at the company.
Spence joined Appleton Jamaica Rum as chief chemist in 1981, and held a series of key positions including product development manager, technical services manager and total quality manager before she was appointed general manager, technical and quality services in 1996, a position she still holds along with the position of master blender, which she took up in 1997.
She fell in love with... with chemistry at 13 and set her mind on a career as a scientist.
After high school, she attended the University of the West Indies and graduated in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree, first class honours. After graduation she returned to her old high school Holy Childhood High where she taught chemistry.
In 1975 she joined the College of Arts Science and Technology (CAST) now the University of Technology as a chemistry lecturer and then moved on to pursue a master of science degree in analytical chemistry at the University of Loughborough in England. Her final exams score were the highest ever achieved by a student at Loughborough a record that still stands.
She returned to Jamaica... and resumed lecturing at CAST.
The decision to switch careers... came in 1979 when she accepted the position of research and development chemist at Estate Industries Limited the producers of the world famous Tia Maria Liqueur. Two years later Joy joined Wray & Nephew Limited as chief chemist, where she had the opportunity to work closely with the then master blender, Owen Tulloch.
Rum making provides the perfect balance... of art and science, she says. "They are so intricately intertwined that it is difficult to pinpoint where the science stops and the art begins.
"To create a new rum you first identify the style of rum you want. You then look at the stocks of rum that are available to you, bearing in mind the compatibility of the different marks, the effects of ageing, and the chemistry profile. Once you have done this, you decide on the best artistic combination of the Marks."
She has created... many rums, spirits and liqueurs for the company, including Appleton Estate Extra Jamaica Rum Appleton's super-premium blend and Appleton Estate Reserve Jamaica Rum the newest addition to the Appleton Jamaica Rum family. She also created the Appleton Estate 250th Anniversary Blend a limited edition rum of which only 6,000 bottles were produced to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Appleton Estate.
A good blender must be... a sensory expert, have an artistic and creative flair, have a good understanding of the chemistry of the process, have attention for detail and have a passion for the art.
Rums come in a variety of types... from the clear light rums that are similar to vodkas to the dark planters-style rums that are best used in punches, but Spence specialises in the golden aged rums.
Her favourite rum drinks are... Appleton Estate V/X Jamaica Rum and Cola or Ting, and Appleton Estate Reserve Jamaica Rum, which she enjoys with a splash of soda water.
When she's not creating rums... her husband, two children, gardening, and technical research take the spotlight.
