Born in Puerto Rico’s mountain municipality of Aibonito, senior brand manager Juan Cartagena is a rum advocate with more than two-and-a-half decades of expert knowledge and experience. He attained an associate degree in business administration from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico and received spirit processing training in England, Scotland and France. In 1993, he joined Bacardi Corporation as a bartender and guide, working his way through the ranks of the marketing department as a portfolio specialist and senior brand master. In 2018, he transferred to the same position at Ron del Barrilito—a small-batch rum distillery with 140-years-plus of heritage.