Tanduay Rum Research & Development Head Domingo Janno Gironella Jr.

Since 1854, Tanduay Asian Rum has been creating a spirit as intriguing in its silky smoothness and elegant flavor as the essence of the mysterious East. It remains one of Asia’s best-kept secrets and among the world’s most decorated spirits for generations to come.

Domingo Janno Gironella JR. is the Research & Development Head at Tanduay Rum. Learn more about him, in the next interview:

TRL: Who is Domingo Janno Gironella JR?

Domingo Janno Gironella Jr–Head of Research & Development for Tanduay Distillers, Inc. which leads the development of new rum blends and manages research activities to develop new rum aging methods and blending procedures.

I was born and raised in an upland town in Northern Luzon before moving to Los Banos, Laguna, to get my Chemistry degree and eventually starting my career as a researcher at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). After leaving IRRI, I joined Tanduay as an R&D Specialist working under the wonder woman Myrna Delos Reyes, who has mentored me in rum sensory evaluation, blending, and technical operations.

TRL: What does the rum mean for you? What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

Filipinos have a real affinity with spirits, wherein it’s guaranteed to be offered a drink at every family gathering and fiesta, so it’s inevitable to have a deep connection with spirits. In my case, I fell in love with rum during my first year with Tanduay once I learned the basic processes and was in connection with a good deal of personnel who have poured their hearts into ensuring that every rum that goes into each bottle is guaranteed to be of the best quality.

TRL: Three essential characteristics that define the rum according to your perspective.

Technically, rum is distilled from fermented sugarcane juice, sugarcane molasses, or other sugarcane by-products. As a spirit drink, rum is known for its versatility, which can be mixed with many flavors or just consumed neatly. Lastly, rum is drunk on every occasion because of its wide range of styles and profiles.

TRL: What is the most important contribution you have made to the rum industry?

I am blessed to be given a chance to lead a team in developing new rum expressions for Tanduay, offering to the world the best representation of a Philippine rum.

TRL: Benefits that the rum industry has given you.

The opportunity to connect with the many companies and individuals who are equally passionate about creating new products for consumers. To bathe into the breadth of insight and creativity from every person I speak with inside the industry is always fun and keeps me feeling excited about doing more for the rum industry.  

TRL: What is your favorite place for drinking rum?

In a quiet room with an excellent company.

TRL: Favorite drink + Recipe

Piña Colada! Nothing beats the tropical flavors of coconut and pineapple mixed with Tanduay.

TRL: Why is it important to educate the rum consumer?

We owe it to them so that they’ll have a more informed decision in selecting the best product that suits them and the occasion. Rum is on its trajectory to be the number one spirit and having more informed consumers about rum only increases our chance to push the boundaries for rum.

TRL: Any tips to train the palate and taste a good premium rum?

Drink it neat or on the rocks and don’t rush into your drink. Allow a good amount of time to appreciate every sip so you’ll be able to dissect the flavors. For starters, you may compare rums based on key flavor blocks such as the level of intensity on the woody, fruity and spicy note, including sweetness and bitterness profile, then expand the flavor blocks as you get accustomed to different rum.

TRL: What are your next goals in the rum industry?

To build a family of rums that speaks of the high quality and tradition of Tanduay. The Philippines is very rich in culture and heritage and we hope to bring that aspect into every bottle we develop.

TRL: Plans you have when you leave the rum industry.

I don’t plan on leaving the industry soon and the goal remains the same, is to help establish Tanduay as a global brand and be top of mind for rum.

TRL: Why is the role of the bartender important in the rum industry?

Rum producers can only do so much to deliver fresh and captivating flavors to the consumers, that’s where bartenders come in. Bartenders make rums more accessible to a more broad range of consumer types. They have the creative job of assessing the flavor profile of the rum and deciding the best recipe that would complement each rum.

TRL: How can people learn more about you? Website? Social media page?https://global.tanduay.com/