Joy Spence of Appleton Estate was the first woman to hold the position of Master Blender in the spirits industry, opening the door for the many others that have since followed in her wake. Spence’s passion for the art of creating rum was inspired by her predecessor and mentor, Owen Tulloch, who’s position she assumed in 1997. Since then, her story has played an important role in influencing the positive steps the global spirits industry has made towards correcting gender imbalances, and she continues to be an inspiration to budding female distillers and blenders worldwide to this day.
Spence’s journey started early on in her life at the age of 13, when she fell in love with chemistry. She pursued this passion with vigour: her final exam scores for her Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Loughborough were the highest ever achieved by a student at Loughborough, a record that still stands today.
After lecturing at the university level and in the private sector, Spence found herself working closely with then Master Blender Tulloch, sparking a passion for the art of creating rum. Under expert guidance, Joy extended her knowledge of the science of the rum-making process and her artistic appreciation of the spirit.
According to Spence, creating rum provides her with the perfect balance of art and science. In fact, Spence maintains that in rum making, the two are so intricately intertwined that it is difficult to pinpoint where the science stops and the art begins. And her passion for rum is unbounded.
“There are so many different expressions of rums that you can find worldwide,” she said.
“And what makes it so unique is that they are produced in very romantic and historic places with different cultures and so you experience a different feel when drinking the spirit, you actually get the warmth of the area and the exoticness of where it’s produced.”
Spence’s passion for rum reflects that of the team she works with at Appleton Estate and the wider Jamaican community.
“Our people are so passionate about our industry: all of our workers have been working for a very, very long time. For example, I’ve been working for over 40 years. It grows on you; you fall in love with the spirit and… we’ll go the extra mile to ensure consistency and quality.
“It is difficult to put a Jamaican down and as you can see that when we put our heads to it we are number one… in Jamaica we say ‘Wi likkle but wi Tallawah’, meaning even though we are a small nation, we’re strong willed, determined and refuse to be restrained by the boundaries of our small island.”
In 2005, Spence was awarded the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer (OD) by the Government of Jamaica for her service to the Industry. In September 2012, Spence received an honorary Doctorate of Science degree from the University of Loughborough in recognition of her contribution to the industry and the advancement of women in the field. Spence was later presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award at the 2014 International Spirits Challenge in London.
In 2017, Spence was again honoured by the Government of Jamaica, which awarded her the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Commander (CD) in recognition of her contribution to the promotion of Jamaica’s rum industry and Brand Jamaica globally. She was awarded the Grand Dame Award as the most influential female in the Spirits Industry (2017), and “Fortune Magazine” named her in the top 20 ‘Most Influential Women in Food & Drink (2017).
The success and work of Joy Spence has directly contributed to the creation of a healthier and more inclusive industry. Much more than just serving as an inspiration to all subsequent female (and male) blenders and distillers, Spence’s career has helped to open up doors and create career pathways for female spirits industry professionals today.
