Bacardi: new Master of Botanicals
Bacardi has a new Master of Botanicals for its Bombay Sapphire and Martini vermouth brands, as it announces the promotion of Alessandro Garneri to the role.
Garneri takes the reins from Ivano Tonutti, who will retire this year following a 33 year career at Bacardi.
An expert agronomist, Garneri has been part of the Bacardi team for more than 17 years. He has headed up the company’s Global Botanicals Center in Geneva since 2017, taking a leading role in installing cutting-edge technology at the plant, as well as pushing boundaries on sustainable sourcing and the latest product innovations in the Bacardi portfolio of premium spirits.
In his new role, he is responsible for overseeing the field-to-bottle journey of every botanical used to craft Martini and Bombay Sapphire, as well as for St-Germain Elderflower liqueur, Noilly Prat vermouth and Benedectine liqueur – ensuring the consistent quality and flavor of each.
Garneri has trained under Ivano Tonutti for the last six years to ensure a seamless transition. As he begins his retirement later this year, Tonutti will continue to work closely with Bacardi as an expert advisor, supporting advocacy efforts and sharing his knowledge and expertise.
Tonutti’s work is behind the signature flavor of a number of Bacardi innovations, from Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru to the non-alcoholic Martini aperitivo. He has overseen numerous landmark sustainability milestones for Bacardi. Last year the company announced 100% of the wineries for the Martini portfolio are certified sustainable, while Bombay Sapphire became the first major gin brand to be made with 100% sustainably sourced botanicals.
