4 Authentic Rum Bars in Miami

By Andrea Coletta

Miami is the most important US market for the rum industry, representing over 2.4 million rum cases sold yearly. Find out more in miamirumcongress.com. 

By doing a quick Yelp search, you can find 1559 results for “rum bar” in the city.

Finding a genuine experience might be difficult with so many options available, therefore this time we will walk you through 4 authentic rum bars you should visit this year.

For both rum connoisseurs and fans, these bars will provide a unique experience within the city.

Swizzle Rum Bar and Drinkery

Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery opened in 2016 and, in the words of its founder Danilo Dacha, is “a non-standing Speakeasy (the first of its kind in Miami) and focuses on gastronomy, sustainability, and rare ingredients found in drinks. The bar is also owned by bartenders, which gives it a special sprinkle.”  

Find it at 1120 Collins Ave. South Beach. 

The bar has around 250 bottles of spirits from which 150 are rum’s. Their best-selling rum cocktails, those you must taste for sure, are: the Rhum Swizzle (100 Proof Rhum J.M. swizzled with watermelon shrub, fresh lime juice, and fresh pineapple juice), Old Marley (Redemption Rye & Rum Fire Jamaican Overproof Rum stirred with Appleton Reserve Blend Jamaican Rum & Swedish Punsch Smoked over big rock) and the Floridita Daiquiri #2 (Probitas Rum shaken with fresh lime juice, superfine sugar & house-made orange cordial. Served up. 

The bottles that you will always find in Swizzle bar are: Brugal 1888, Probitas and Copalli Rum 

Jaguar Sun

Jaguar Sun is a small cocktail bar and pasta restaurant in the lobby of the X Miami building at 230 NE 4th St in downtown Miami that opened in the fall of 2018.

Will Thompson, co-partner and bartender of Jaguar Sun, gave us details for your consideration: 

Jaguar Sun has around 100 bottles in the bar, from which approximately 40 are rums. When visiting you should ask for a Jailbreak, an Old Fashioned variation with coffee-infused Rhum Barbancourt, bourbon, and Japanese whisky. A delight you should taste!

We asked Will, which is the bottle of rum that cannot be missing in Jaguar’s bar and he told us: “Rum fire”, that’s the rum they include in many of their drinks.

He added: “Our selection of spirits isn’t meant to go super wide, which can be daunting, but we try to carry exceptional versions of lots of things, so hopefully our guests feel confident ordering anything we offer. This feels extra important in (good) rum, with so many people still pretty new to the category.”

Esotico Bar

Esotico Bar is a tropical, energetic and fun place to enjoy rum at 1600 NE 1st Ave #102, Miami. 

They have 580 bottles in their bar, from which 502 are rum’s. 

Their best-selling rum-made cocktails are Nu Mai Tai (described as “a divine concoction” of Bacardi Gold Rum, J.M Blanc Agricole Rhum, a blend of Worthy Park 109 Jamaican Rum and Plantation Original Dark Rum, orange Curacao liqueur, passion fruit, and a very secret ingredient), Sexy Colada (made with Re’al cream of coconut, pineapple juice, coconut water, Bacardi Gold Rum and a touch of ginger), Cock of the Rock (described as “a contemporary tropical liquid refreshment made with Re’al ginger infused syrup, fresh pineapple juice combined with a combination of El Dorado Demerara 3yrs rum, Plantation Original dark and Martini Bitter Riserva”)

The bottle that can’t be missing in Esotico Bar is the Holmes Cay Esotico Heritage Blend

Kaona Room

From Daniele Dalla Pola, also founder of Esotico Bar, this newest bar in town opened on the week of 2022 Thanksgiving and is ready to provide a unique experience in the city.

We asked Dalla Pola to describe Kaona in a sentence: “Escape the ordinary” is his answer. 

You can access the Kaona Room from a discrete entryway on a side street in Miami’s Arts & Entertainment District or directly from Esotico Bar. 

You might want to know the differences between both Dalla Pola bars: Kaona is silent, and great for an intimate couple’s experience. It’s set to be a unique experience, since the design and environment are also different. Is a proper, classic, Polynesian Tiki bar. On the other hand, Esotico is more tropical and fun, great for enjoying with friends.

Kaona’s bar has over 500 bottles. There you must try:

•  The Ghost is a “clarified zombie”, served in a 12 inches long glass with a 12 inches piece of ice. 
• Miami Kula: Kaona’s version of the first Tiki cocktail ever created: The Sumatra Kula circa 1934. They make this drink with guava nectar, Dan’s mix, lime juice, exotic bitters and Don Q 151 Overproof Rum.
• Aged Mai Tai: holmes cay heritage blend Esotico edition rum (blend of Venezuela, Barbados and Martinique), Appleton 12 yo Jamaican Rum and dry Orange Curacao Maison Ferrand. This drink goes through a sonification process where it condenses the aging process from 15 years to just 30 minutes.

Visit each one of these bars and taste one of the recommended cocktails. Then, let us know your thoughts on Social Media. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to read our next issue on Miami rum bars. Follow us on social media and don’t miss the Miami Rum Congress film Feb 10th to 12th, the event of the year for rum fans and connoisseurs.