Draft:Federico José Hernández Hernández


Federico Jose Hernández Hernandez, born on December 3, 1979, in Santurce, Puerto Rico, is an event promoter and figure in the rum industry. He has significantly contributed to promoting Puerto Rican rum and the global rum culture since 2001.

In 2008, Hernández opened Caña, Puerto Rico's first rum bar, marking the beginning of a series of initiatives aimed at celebrating and educating people about rum. The following year, he launched Puerto Rico's National Rum Festival, establishing a significant annual event for rum enthusiasts.

Hernández's passion for rum led him to create TheRumLab in 2010, a tourist platform designed to educate visitors about Puerto Rican rum. Expanding his vision, he introduced the Taste of Rum USA Tour in 2013, followed by the MidWest Rum Festival in 2014, which later became the Chicago Rum Fest in 2016.

Continuing his efforts to promote rum education, Hernández launched several other festivals: the California Rum Festival in 2015, the New York Rum Festival in 2017, the LA Rum Fest in 2022, and the Seattle Rum Fest in 2022. In addition to these festivals, he initiated Women Leading Rum in 2019 and co-founded the Miami Rum Congress with Ian Burrell the same year.

In 2010, Hernández expanded TheRumLab into an educational rum platform and later created other digital platforms such as Zavvy.com in 2020, which focuses on educational livestreams and videos, and NobleCane.com, a merchandise store dedicated to rum enthusiasts. In 2021, he launched AquiSeHablaDeRon, a platform focused on rum discussions, and The Ultimate Awards, a recognition program for excellence in the rum industry.

Hernández's contributions have been recognized through his selection as a jury member for prestigious awards like the ISS Awards and the East Coast Craft Spirits Awards. Additionally, he is the publisher and author of "PR Rum-Clopedia - History of Puerto Rico’s Rum Industry," published in 2023.

Outside the rum industry, Hernández founded iEntertainment Media, a Latin musical concert company based in Seattle, demonstrating his versatility and broad impact on the cultural landscape.

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