Luca Gargano started as a youngster to show interest for Rhum. In 1975, when he was just 20 years old, he was appointed Brand Manager for Saint James, embarking on a long season of travels across the Caribbean Islands. In 1983 he acquired control of Velier SpA -- a small wine & spirits import company -- turning it into a leading independent firm in Italy from scratch. In 1990 he started a thorough research of barrels and rare bottles, digging up among the others some precious editions like Saint James 1885, single barrel versions of Bally, Damoiseau Vintage 1953, Demerara Distillers official bottlings and the last remaining stock of Caroni.
At the end of last century he become the official business partner for Cuban cigars in the Italian market. In 2005 he built in Marie-Galante Rhum Rhum, the first distillery to bring back double distillation in the legacy of Rhum Agricole. In 2012 the discovery of traditional Haitian Clairin, a truly priceless heritage in the world of Rhum, leaves a new mark in his path. In 2012 his 'Atlas du Rhum' – an ultimate compendium to Caribbean distilleries – is issued by the French editor Flammarion. 
Unwearied traveller, passionate photographer, Luca Gargano owns what is possibly the biggest collection of discontinued Rhum in the world. As an evidence and reward for this, in 2015 he was voted "Best Rum Expert" for the year 2014 by Congreso Internacional del Ron in Madrid.