Being just a stone’s throw away from Caribbean islands, Miami is naturally a prime destination for fans of rum. Rum — distilled from sugar cane or molasses that is the key ingredient to Tortuga cakes and classic tropical cocktails like the piña colada — needs no introduction. Yet the spirit gets special attention in Vice City, and both rum lovers and those who haven’t quite found how they like their rum served will find new favorites.
Photo: Tint Media/Shutterstock
Miami Is a Rum Lover’s Paradise. This Rum Bar Crawl Features Some of the Best Cocktails in Vice City.
On a Miami rum tour with the team from Diplomático, I embarked on a bar crawl to several local hot spots to explore some of the most iconic rum drinks served around the city. You’re sure to find something you enjoy here, from strong to fruity to easy drinking.
The Social Club
I started at The Social Club in the Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel, an Art Deco staple of Miami Beach. As strange as it sounds, many (if not most) local haunts in Miami tend to be hotel bars. Why? Hotels know how to take care of customers, and the bars tend to be the chicest and swankiest in town (especially compared to your typical dive bar with questionable hygiene that you age out of after college).
Nestled between the busy tourist strip of Collins Avenue and the beach, The Social Club is a great spot to land after a sunset stroll on the boardwalk. If the smell of food behind you makes your stomach growl, take a seat where the venue also serves dinner. Main plates like the snapper, salmon, or steak start at $40, but listen, that’s what you have to pay in Miami Beach to get away from noisy tourists. A classic rum cocktail will quickly make you forget about sticker shock.
Photo: Keven Gungor
What to try: A daiquiri with the perfect balance between silky rum and sour lime juice. For a daiquiri you know you’ll enjoy, request Planas, Diplomático’s only clear rum that is charcoal-filtered and has the ideal consistency and flavor for the perfect classic daiquiri.
The Social Club: 1717 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Miami Sound Bar
Next, I strolled into a mixology class at the clandestine Miami Sound Bar downtown. It’s easy to miss without the address on hand — from the outside, it is hard to tell what this place is all about and it looks more like a sushi joint for secret business meetings than a retro record bar.
While the bartender was teaching us about ratios of liquor to juices and syrups, my eyes wandered to the vinyls behind her. The bar itself even has a built-in turn table, so that you can sip while both listening and watching a master at work. What I love about bars like this is forced intimacy: there’s no dance floor, or an awkward distance from one corner to the other. It’s a corridor-shaped lounge where you’re either seated at the bar or on the couch a few feet away. There’s no frou frou along with the great cocktails — you’re either here to listen to great vintage records, or to chat with the person next to you (or both).
What to try: A 1989 Sunset — made with a base of Diplomático Mantuano along with rose water, orange blossom water, club soda, and, the kicker, date syrup to create a refreshing blended cocktail.
Miami Sound Bar: 123 SE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33131
dōma
While dōma is the only spot on this list that isn’t technically a bar, it’s worth a mention for a few reasons. Though there is a bar right at the entrance, it’s not a proper visit to Miami without a courtyard seating (especially mid-winter). This particular courtyard captures Miami perfectly. dōma is in Wynwood, a once-grungey neighborhood that has been become a Miami hotspot as gargantuan warehouses turned into nightlife venues and barren, industrial walls transformed into modern murals. Today, Wynwood is one of the Miami tourist spots that’s actually worth seeing. But when you find yourself in a courtyard like dōma’s, with lush greenery enveloping its corners, suddenly you remember you’re in a tropical climate despite the urban, concrete backdrop outside of this enclave.
dōma serves Italian dishes, with pasta plates starting at about $35 and meat and fish entrées at about $45. Yes, Italian food is paired best with wine, but I was surprised to find my favorite rum cocktail on this tour was served in this restaurant.
Photo: Keven Gungor
What to try: The Mr. Juancho, which is made with Diplomático’s Reserve Exclusiva, lime juice, mint syrup, and prosecco. Bringing all of these ingredients together in one beverage, and the way those flavors blended together, made this my favorite rum drink of the trip. The effervescence of prosecco and the cooling effect of mint both bring a refreshing blast, while the lime juice adds just enough acidity to appreciate the bold rum.
dōma: 35 NE 26th St, Miami, FL 33137
Cafe La Trova
A Miami excursion is not complete without a trip to Calle Ocho (8th Street) in the iconic Little Havana neighborhood. Though Miami is a melting pot of Latin cultures, its Cuban roots are undeniably the strongest. At Cafe La Trova, you can either enjoy a meal facing live Cuban musicians, or head to the back for a bar with retro vibes.
This bar referred to as the 305 Bar (a nod to Miami’s area code) sports a 1980s Miami Vice aura, with walls that blend hot pink and mint green with flashy neon signs. Campy? Yes. Nostalgic? Absolutely.
Photo: Keven Gungor
What to try: The Hotel Nacional, made with Mantuano, pineapple juice, lime juice, and apricot liqueur. This drink brings you right into a throwback Cuban paradise.
Cafe La Trova: 971 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33130
Dante’s HiFi
Dante’s HiFi is the second bar on this list that relies on live vinyl spins to lure both Miami locals and tourists alike, though its vibe is totally different from Miami Sound Bar. While Miami Sound Bar is more intimate and lowkey, Dante’s frequently has a line outside around the block. The later you show up, the more likely you’ll wait in line. During the day, this venue is mysteriously quiet and surrounded by shops, but at night, it’s a different story. Much like the rest of Wynwood, Dante’s awakens after the sun sets.
The bar at Dante’s is backed by an entire wall of shelves filled with vinyls, as a DJ spins records until 3 AM almost daily. This notorious part of the Miami social scene is also known for occasional celebrity drop-ins.
Photo: Keven Gungor
What to try: A Dizzy Gillespie, which blends rum with lime juice, starfruit, thyme, and salted honey. This sweet concoction will get you buzzing while dancing to live tunes.
Dante’s HiFi: 519 NW 26th St, Miami, FL 33127
Swizzle
A rum bar tour of Miami would not be complete without Swizzle. You can only find Swizzle if you know exactly where you’re going. Otherwise, it’s impossible to find while strolling down Collins Avenue in South Beach. By heading to what seems to be the basement area of the unassuming Viajero Miami Hotel, you find yourself transported to a dimly lit corridor that leads to an accordion-like door with a sign: “Please Ring The Bell x5 Times.”
A server in old-school 1950s bartender attire appears and folds the door back to usher you in. Inside Swizzle, you’ve got a few small rooms to pick from, each with antique decor and only a handful of tables for seating, making for a cozy date night or outing with a few close friends.
What to try: Diplomático’s Ambassador or Single Vintage, both ultra-premium rums best enjoyed neat, which come in handy at an elegant spot like this sequestered speakeasy. While both sport a dark amber color, Ambassador carries notes of cigar, dried fruits, and chocolate, whereas Single Vintage possesses hints of red fruits, smoked wood, and coffee.
Swizzle: 1120 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 