Living in Miami, rum is one of those things you just can’t help but love. Everyone, especially Miamians are familiar with Bacardi — the rum, but what many people don’t know is the Bacardi family is actually the #3 largest brand portfolio in the world. Did you know Bacardi also owns brands like Bombay Sapphire and Patron? Under this massive umbrella you’ll find also other rums like Bank’s Rum, Facundo, Havana Club (the real one), and Santa Teresa.

We’re completely spoiled being so close to Bacardi HQ, and we have the Brand Ambassadors for each of these right here in our backyard. With menus all over the city featuring cocktails with these delicious rums, I posed the hardest question of them all and asked the Brand Ambassadors to single out their favorite cocktails in Miami to make our National Rum Day (this past Thursday) drinking that much easier.

Here’s what they came up with:

Gio Gutierrez, Havana Club

“That’s a hard one. Do you know how much Havana Club I drink?! The last rum cocktail I fell in love with has to be — by Michael Albuerne at The Local in Coral Gables. It’s called Born in Exile and it’s made with Havana Club Anejo Clasico, Virginia American Whiskey, guava, Campari, lime, condensed milk, black pepper, and apple bitters. It’s a little tiki and a lot of Miami.”

the local miami born in exile havana club rum day

A little about Havana Club...

Havana Club rum has a long and complicated history. While most people claim they only want the “real” Havana Club that can only be found in Cuba, what they don’t know is that’s not at all the original recipe that was trademarked in 1934 when the rum was created. On January 1, 1960 the recipe was stolen from the Arechabala Family by the Cuban government. The family was eventually able to escape Cuba and settled right here in Miami as many exiles did. After years and years of keeping the secret, the original recipe was sold to Bacardi and production began in 1995. Yes, the Bacardi version is labeled as a Puerto Rican rum, but true rum aficionados know it’s the true forever Cuban classic.

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Stilo Pimental, Banks Rum

“The glorious Banks Hurricane at Employees Only. It will never get old for me. One of the best Hurricanes I have ever tasted outside of New Orleans. Liquor.com named it one of the best in Miami! A boozy drink that can go south (pun, intended) if made with the wrong rum.”

A little about Banks Rum...

Banks Rums is a collection of rums from multiple origins inspired by the trade routes of the East India Company. Banks 5 is a blend of 20 rums between 3-5 years from Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Indonesia. Banks 7 is a blend of 23 rums between 3-5 years that add 2 more origins: Panama and Guatemala. We blend in the historical port of Amsterdam where rums have been blended and stored for 300 years.

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Alejandro Noriega, Santa Teresa

“There’s so many good ones! But I’m going to have to go with the 1796 Old Fashioned from MiniBar on South Beach. That’s one of my favorite new spots in Miami and I’m a sucker for a good spirit forward classic cocktail.”

A little about Santa Teresa...

Santa Teresa was founded in 1796 by the count of Tovar and acquired by Alberto Vollmer’s great-great grandfather, a German adventurer in 1885. Over the years, the company modernized its distillery and introduced the solera method of ageing for its top products, which combines vintages aged between 4 and 35 years. In 2003, while owner and CEO, Alberto Vollmer, was in the midst of figuring out the best way to run the company — as he wanted to figure out a way to incorporate the community into the making of the rum, a group of gang members attacked one of Santa Teresa’s security guards when trying to break in. Instead of calling the police and sending them to jail he proposed that the gang members should work off their debts at the hacienda. After a few weeks of work the entire gang and even competing gangs in the area turned up to work as an attempt to start a new life for themselves. Shortly after, Alberto started Project Alcatraz, a rehabilitation program that allows convicts and prisoners to work in the distillery and uses the sport of rugby to teach the values of respect, discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, and humility.

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Ken Navarro, Facundo Rum

"There are a lot of great cocktails out there! One of my go to Facundo cocktails is the Faundo Eximo Old Fashioed with Demerara sugar and bitters at The Regent Cocktail Club. It's a great classic cocktail. We only make cocktails with the Facundo Neo & Eximo, the Exquisito and Paraiso are for enjoying neat."

A little about Facundo Rum...

Named the Facundo Rum Collection in honor of the company’s founder, Don Facundo Bacardi Massó, these limited-edition bottles take aim at the widespread consumer perception that Bacardi rum is best showcased as a component of a daiquiri or Cuba Libre. Aged between eight and 23 years, each has its own distinctive character. Some are sipping rums, designed to be savored in a snifter in the same manner as Cognac or single malt Scotch, while others work well in classic cocktails.

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Andrew Lue, Bacardi

"I'm really into the Hotei at Zuma. It's part of the Seven Lucky Gods series that wraps up in October. It's made with Bacardi 8, lychee puree, banana liquor, lime and yuzu coconut beer that's made in house. Honorable mention would have to go to Marion in Brickell - there's a secret menu coming out and all I can say is make sure you ask for the El Coco Especial, if you're a fan of pina coladas."

A little about Bacardi 8...

Created in 1862, Bacardi 8 remained the sole preserve of the Bacardí family for seven generations. Used only for the most special occasions, this golden sipping rum is one of the oldest private rum blends in the world.

Want more rum? Spend National Rum Day at the 2nd annual National Rum Day Fest:

Grab your tickets here. For those in the industry, be sure to sign up for the complimentary seminars.

Miami Rum Ambassadors Spill Their Favorite Cocktails For National Rum Day