Gabriela Ayala draws inspiration from Mayan legends, her sensitivity, intelligence and talent to produce some of the most exciting rums of recent years. She looks set to follow in the footsteps of her compatriot Lorena Vasquez to become a living rum legend.
Was it difficult to establish yourself in the rum industry as a woman?
I received tremendous support from Cihuatan’s management, particularly Juan Alfredo Pacas. He is someone who likes to think outside the box. But in this industry, when we talked about maestro roneros, we were usually referring to men. He wanted to break that paradigm and entrust the production process to a Salvadoran woman.
Have you ever had any problems in your career because you are a woman? Perhaps at trade shows or during your travels?
Very rarely. However, during a masterclass, a man criticised me because, in his opinion, I was too young, I didn’t have a career behind me and I hadn’t studied, even though I’m a chemical engineer by profession. But it’s precisely these kinds of incidents that inspire and motivate you to become better.
Do you feel that there are more and more women and that their position is improving?
Yes, especially in South and Central American countries, which are real pioneers. They don’t hesitate to entrust women with the roles of master blender and master distiller. This phenomenon is more prevalent in rum than in whisky, for example.
How can we convince women to drink rum for tasting as well?
Women are becoming more and more interested in rum. I recently hosted a masterclass where women made up 70% of the audience!
