Hers is a plum job and Adrienne Stoner knows it.

Thanks to years of bartending experience, she now serves as the “rum community liaison” for the American arm of Maison Ferrand, a French company specialising in the global production and distribution of spirits.

“It's kind of a strange title. I used to bartend for many years and the last several years of my bartending were in tropical cocktail bars that featured hundreds of different rums. So I got this really great education and then I learnt as much as I could about rum – which is how I landed into this position,” she said.

She spends her days introducing the spirit to newcomers, hosting seminars for enthusiasts and working with rum clubs across the United States – all while travelling through the Caribbean to discover new brands and share her knowledge.

It is a role that will bring her to Bermuda next week. Cocktail lovers are invited to join Ms Stoner for an “unforgettable evening of rum-inspired cuisine” at The Waterlot on Wednesday, where seven courses will be paired with specially created rum drinks.

The event is organised by Pitt & Co, local distributors of Maison Ferrand’s rum brand, Planteray.

“I have not yet been to Bermuda, this will be my first time. I'm excited to be there,” Ms Stoner said.

While cocktail pairings are not as common as wine pairings, they can be just as enjoyable when done right, she added.

“I wouldn't say it's extremely popular. I’ve done rum pairings neat, but I think that, specifically with rum, people who are new to the category can be a little hesitant to sip it straight. Cocktails are a great way to showcase rum in a different light.”

As a bartender she was drawn to rum because it seemed “much more diverse than the other spirit categories”.

“I'm from the US. Bourbon is everywhere; bourbon is king. But what I wasn't seeing in bourbon is diversity. Rum is made all over the world – it’s a global spirit.”

Traditionally, the US offered a wide selection of Caribbean rums but little from other regions. Ms Stoner loves that change has come.

“Finally, we're seeing Fijian rum come to the States. We're seeing different styles of rum – not just molasses-based, which accounts for the majority of rum – but also Rhum agricole, clairin from Haiti, and charanda from Mexico. We’re seeing this huge influx of all these different styles of rum, which have existed for hundreds of years, but we just didn't know about them,” she explained.

“In a lot of places where distribution is a little sparse you don't have access to all of these different styles and so because I had this unique experience working for bars that really focused on the category, I was inspired to do more and make it my full-time focus.”

That passion for rum and its diversity is something Ms Stoner enjoys sharing.

“There's a huge – and growing – population of rum clubs in the States, and then a few in Canada and Europe. I think in countries where rum is so much a part of their history and their culture, it's almost taken for granted because they like their rum and they celebrate their rum,” she said.

In Barbados, where she frequently visits due to Maison Ferrand’s ownership of the West Indies Rum Distillery, it’s clear that people “love their rum”.

“Their rum is plentiful. It's all over the island. But they're partial to their rum. They're not pursuing Jamaican rum. They're not pursuing Guyanese rum,” she said.

In rum clubs elsewhere, she sees the opposite.

“The reason they start the rum club is because they're inspired like I was [to learn about different rums]. Some of us have made a career out of it – that's more rare, but there's a few of us and we're excited,” she said.

“With rum specifically, because we're talking about an agricultural source, we're talking about a global style and it's always changing, there's so much new happening. You can be an expert, but you can't know it all. There's always going to be new things. There's always going to be something to learn.”

Ms Stoner has tasted countless rums from around the world but finds it difficult to pick a favourite. She believes most bartenders have “a challenging palate” and prefers flavours that are “a little bit bigger and bolder”, as they’re more enjoyable to sip neat and add “a really exciting” layer to a cocktail.

It is likely something she will discuss at Waterlot, where diners will learn about the rums they’re drinking, why they were chosen for each cocktail and how they complement the dishes.

“It's going to be an all encompassing experience,” Ms Stoner said.

“I'm always happy to talk about rum but I think this is a unique opportunity for me to be more one on one, with guests and people that I get to meet. Even just the dinner alone looks amazing. There's seven courses, there's a welcome cocktail, it's going to be really special and there will be some surprises. We're just going to have a good time.”

• Join Adrienne Stoner at The Waterlot on Wednesday at 6.30pm. The Planteray Dinner is $255 per person plus gratuities. For reservations, e-mail brent.mcclean@fairmont.com. For more information, visitpittco.bm