Rum of the Suncoast
Central Florida’s central coast enjoys year-round sunshine stretches from Tampa Bay to Daytona Beach. Mostly flat, dotted with lakes and marshes in subtropical wetlands. Stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, the climate is hot and humid summers and mild winters. Compared to South Florida the temperature dips slightly in winter, and summer has frequent thunderstorms.
St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States founded by Spanish explorers, and Ybor City has a Latin vibe. There’s rum to be found at world-famous theme parks, near Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando.
Taking you west to east in this Central Florida rum adventure we’ll give you a taste of the rum on the Suncoast!
Tampa Bay Area
Florida’s Suncoast and vibrant metropolis along the Gulf of Mexico has stunning waterfront views, a thriving culture, and a growing craft rum scene. Tampa is home to rum distilleries and bars, making it a great starting point for your rum vacation.
Severessence Distilling
This woman-founded and owned distillery since 2022 makes Dark Door Spirits rums in Tampa. The Island Delight Series Biki’s Silver Rum and the Gold Rum is aged in Brazilian Amburana wood. The name Biki comes from the story of a misspelled nickname on a coffee order. You can find Biki Rum at venues and stores across Central Florida.
St. Petersburg Distillery
St. Petersburg Distillery has been making rum in St. Petersburg since 2014. Old St. Pete Righteous Rum & Spice blends full-bodied copper pot-distilled rum with all-natural spices. They also make Oak & Palm Coconut Rum. In their Trail Garden, they host food, drink, and music where you can enjoy a rum cocktail. Tours, tastings, and private events can be booked on their site. You can visit Wed-Sun just off the Pinellas Trail.
Find out more on St. Petersburg Distillery
Tampa Bay Rum Company – Gasparilla Rum
Tampa Bay Rum Company was founded in 2015 by Samuel Myers in the Ybor City neighborhood and is the oldest rum distillery in Tampa. The brand name was inspired by the famous Florida pirate José Gaspar or Gasparilla. The distillery and tasting room reflect this with period-themed pirate decor throughout. The Gasparilla range includes Silver rum, spiced rum, coconut rum, and other flavors and unique cask-finished rums. Rum remains their focus but they have expanded production to include vodka, brandy, gin, and whiskey. Tasting and tours are Wed-Sun and don’t need baoked. They have a bar serving rum cocktails, and host events.
Find out more on Tampa Bay Rum Company – Gasparilla Rum
Gamblers Bay Distillery
Multi-award-winning Gamblers Bay Distillery was founded in Tampa in 2019. While they may be young in craft distilling, the family recipes date back 120 years starting in Romania and traveling by way of Canada to land in Tampa.
Gamblers Bay rums are made with 100% Florida molasses and pride themselves on every drop made in their Tampa warehouse. Using local Florida ingredients as much as possible, strawberries for the Florapina strawberry rum are grown 30 minutes from our distillery.
In 2024, they added Florapina Cuban Coffee Rum to the spirits lineup. In 2024/2025 an overproof white rum and as well as some additional spirits. Our fan favorite, Navy One Navy Strength Spiced Rum is said to make an amazing old-fashioned or Navy sour (a rum riff on the whiskey sour).
Gamblers Bay Distillery is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays with plans for additional hours in early 2025. You can drop by for a tasting or a craft cocktail and locate their products on their site.
Find out more on Gamblers Bay Distillery
82°W Distilling
No longer just a rum distillery but so much more. Located in the Seminole Heights area of Tampa, 82° West was founded with a passion for craft distilling and a dedication to the heritage of rum. They use expertly combined natural ingredients and their Master Distiller is always experimenting to create high-quality creations. Their name, 82°West, refers to the longitude line that passes directly through Tampa Bay, ensuring that visitors will always be able to find their way back.
82° West makes several different flavored rums but they do not stop there; Florida Cane Vodka is now under the 82° West brand. In addition to the delicious rums and vodkas, they also offer bourbon, tequila, whiskey, and gin. All of your favorite spirits are now under one roof.
Visitors can experience a flight of the distillery’s rums at their tropical-themed bar. Their mixologist is also available to create some of the best cocktails. As the first craft distillery in Tampa’s city limits, they have become known as the central gathering place for locals and visitors alike. Visitors can also tour the distillery to learn about high-quality spirits produced while enjoying a cocktail.
Find out more on 82°W Distilling
Loaded Cannon Distillery
Loaded Cannon opened its doors in 2019 in Bradenton, between Sarasota and Tampa, as a rum distillery. The brand is pirate-themed and has a beautifully decorated tasting room where all products can be sampled.
The rum is hand-crafted with local molasses and brown sugar sourced locally in Florida. It is distilled in on a copper still called “Anney.” The rum is aged in whiskey barrels and they add a bit of Mongolian oak which gives it a sweet smoky flavour before bottling at 95 proof. Loaded Cannon now has rum aged approximately 5 years old, which is maturing nicely. The range also includes Loaded Cannon dark rum, and several flavoured rums, with more on the way.
Voted one of USA Today’s top 10 distilleries in the USA, they have a tour and tasting which includes samples
Find out more on Loaded Cannon Distillery
Clearwater Beach/Dunedin
On the western coast, between the Gulf of Mexico on the west and Tampa Bay in Pinellas County. Clearwater covers a large part of the Pinellas Peninsula and Clearwater Beach is famous for its powdery white sand and crystal-clear waters. Beyond the beach, there’s a vibrant craft beer scene and coastal ambiance with Dunedin home of Honeymoon Island State Park.
Cotherman Distilling
Established in 2012 in the beach town of Dunedin just north of Clearwater is this veteran and female-owned distillery. Cotherman Distilling produces various spirits including Palmer’s Tropical Silver Rum, Dark Rum, Crockett’s Reserve, and flavoured rums. Palmer’s Tropical Rum is made from Florida molasses.
The small distillery has a gift shop and bar where you can try their rum or enjoy a tropical cocktail made with their range of rums. They have a line of special edition experimental rums aged in different barrels including ex-whiskey. The tasting room is open Friday evenings from 6-10 pm
Find out more on Cotherman Distilling
NJoy Spirits Distillery
An hour north of Tampa in Spring Hill, NJoy distillery founded in 2012 has an 80-acre certified farm distillery growing sugarcane for their Florida Mermaid Rum. This agricultural rum from cane juice grown on the distillery’s farm is blended with a Caribbean Rum. It’s aged 3.5 years in NJoy Spirits once used Wild Buck Rye Whiskey Barrels. The Mermaid Rum is bottled at 100 proof and has won 7 international gold medals with 2 double golds and won Best overall rum and Best in Class from The American Distilling Institutes Spirit competition two years in a row.
Mermaid Rum can be found at hotels and entertainment venues across Florida. They plan to release a 6-year-old single-barrel Mermaid Rum in December 2024 at higher proof. Visitors are welcome to tour the facility on Saturdays and Sundays only from 11am – 6pm with the last tour at 5:00 pm. Kids are welcome. Please see our website for further information and follow us on Facebook.
Find out more on NJoy Spirits Distillery
Lakeland
This Atlantic coastal plain is primarily flat, with a few gentle hills and dotted with pristine lakes, nicknamed the City of Lakes. Lakeland is a charming escape from the big resorts. This historic city has beautiful Bok Tower Gardens and a local distillery that makes rum.
Lugo’s Craft Distillery
Between Disney World and Tampa in Lakeland is the family-owned Lugo’s craft distillery since 2019. Master Distiller Christian Lugo specialises in Puerto Rico’s native moonshine rum known as Pitorro, but also small batch premium rums, Libertalia Spiced Rum, and Riskey Aged Rum. Riskey Rum is handcrafted rum distilled four times and then aged in new charred American white oak barrels. Inspired by Kentucky’s master bourbon makers they use virgin charred oak to impart flavour.
In July 2024, they launched a new visitor experience with a store and tour showing the new distilling advancements, new products, and a full tasting of everything including Coconut-infused Rum Coquito, Riskey BBQ Sauce, and Riskey Aged Maple Syrup. You can relax with a cocktail in their lounge or host a gathering in their event space. Tours are available on Saturdays and Sundays by reservation.
Find out more on Lugo’s Craft Distillery
Orlando
The world-famous theme park capital has more than just roller coasters. Beyond the thrills, many a rum lover started their journey here, and now a burgeoning craft rum scene has emerged, with a few local distilleries producing rum. Orlando’s central position makes it a convenient hub and starting point to exploring rum throughout Central Florida.
Loggerhead Distillery
Founded in 2019, Loggerhead Distillery was set up by Florida natives in downtown Sanford to capture the essence of their state. They make a range of spirits including rum
Loggerhead Blonde Rum is made from four simple ingredients: Florida molasses, water, yeast, and love. Loggerhead Jamaican-style Blonde Rum is light in colour and rich in taste. Try their rum at the local food trucks, or visit the distillery, where they serve in-house cocktails, Wednesdays to Sundays.
Find out more on Loggerhead Distillery
Forward Slash Distillery & Blending House
Co-owners Michael Buffa and Tim Bradstreet set the distillery up in 2023 inspired by the stories behind the spirits in the Holler building in Winter Park.
Their rum is called Primarch Rum, and the silver rum combines all three of the traditional methods of rum production: granulated sugar, molasses, and cane juice sourced exclusively from high-quality independent American distillers. It was specifically blended for daiquiris but has a complexity.
Primarch Rum is the first part of our Wondering Cane Series which will explore the wide variety of traditions and methods of authentic rum distillation and production.
You can book a guided tour of the tasting room & full distillery to learn about their blending process. The tasting room has an outdoor patio you can visit to taste their rum and are open Wednesdays to Sundays. They host numerous events, so check ahead before visiting.
Find out more on Forward Slash Distillery & Blending House
Daytona Beach
On the Atlantic coast in east-central Florida, famed for its hard-packed sand beaches and petrol head races. The Halifax River cuts through the middle of the city, running north to south, and separates the beaches from the downtown area, where you can discover a rum distillery.
Copper Bottom Craft Distillery
Opened in October 2016, Copper Bottom Craft Distillery celebrates 8 years this year. Family owned and operated by the Craig family, it’s primarily a rum distillery but also makes award-winning vodka and Florida-style gin. They use raw, unrefined sugar cane as the base for all their spirits, which are made from start to finish in-house.
Their vision is to make the highest quality rum on the market without the addition of artificial colours or flavours. They like to have fun using different types of barrels in the ageing process. This year, they released a Bottled in Bond Rum, 100 proof, aged 6.5 years in a once-used bourbon barrel from Kentucky. And, they’ve just announced an online shipping directly from their website which will include many limited-edition releases.
Rum lovers visiting the major tourist destination of Daytona Beach will find this a convenient stop. Visitors are offered a free, guided distillery tour and tasting of all their spirits Wednesday through Saturday starting at noon. You can buy bottles, merchandise, and craft cocktails, including frozen daiquiris. Indoor & outdoor seating is available, and pet friendly, with food trucks and events throughout the week. The tasting room is a popular spot with locals.
Find out more on Copper Bottom Craft Distillery
Sugar Works Distillery
Just south of Daytona Beach New Smyrna Beach’s Historic Canal Street District is Sugar Works. Founded in 2017, it’s under new ownership; female and veteran owned by Alison & Michael Scorsone. They use raw sugar cane as the basis of all the rum products. This sugar cane is produced as the first crystallization of sugar from the sugar mill.
The range includes Turnbull Bay Silver Rum, Gold Rum, Spiced Rum, Coconut Rum, and Vanilla Rum. Their Craft Bar features cocktails from the area’s best bartenders. You can enjoy live music every weekend and they also have an outdoor patio.
Find out more on Sugar Works Distillery
Lake Placid
Surrounded by freshwater lakes and is renowned for being the Caladium (plant) Capital of the World. Lake Placid is a tranquil escape and has a hidden gem rum distillery to discover.
Sugar Sand Distillery
Founded in 2017 by Don Davies, this farm-to-bottle distillery uses its own estate-grown sugarcane to produce fresh cane juice rum. It’s located on a 10-acre sugarcane farm in Lake Placid, between Sarasota and Fort Pierce.
The distillery makes Lake Placid Rum White Rum, Aged Rum, Spiced Rum, and other spirits including vodka, moonshine, and gin. They host a tour and tasting which includes a tasting of all clear spirits, a complimentary tour cocktail sample, and there’s a gift shop to pick up a bottle. If you can’t make it to the distillery there is another tasting room located in Sebring.
Find out more on Sugar Sand Distillery
Central Florida is an entertainment capital with so many events and sights to see it can be overwhelming. However, no matter where you go, there will likely be a rum spot nearby, here’s just a few to relax and unwind.
Places to Enjoy Rum in Central Florida
Dunedin: Honu Restaurant and Tiki Bar and its Ka Pakele Rum Bar (pictured), Marker 8 Tiki Bar
Tampa: M. Bird, Mike’s Rum Bar, The Gasparilla Distillery Cocktail Bar, 82 West Distilling Bar, Bahama Breeze, Counter Culture in the Bayshore Center
St. Petersburg: Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Rum Runners Bar & Grille, Cane & Barrel Rooftop Bar, Jimmy B’s Beach Bar, Salty’s Tiki Bar, Ka’Tiki
Lakeland: Revival Bar, Lugo’s Lounge, Ybor Cigar & Spirits, Lakeland Loft
Orlando: Strong Water Tavern, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Otto’s High Dive, Aku Aku Tiki Bar Waitiki, and Latitudes. Tropics in Cocoa
Daytona Beach: McCoys Rum Room inside the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, Mai Tai Bar, Hidden Treasure Rum Bar & Grill, Bahama Breeze
Central Florida has many more options, check our happy hours, live events, and local tasting on Facebook pages and producer profiles.
Whether you base yourself in Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast, or Orlando and the Atlantic Coast you can discover local craft rum distilleries, find a cool spot to enjoy rum, and avoid intense FOMO with this guide.
For more general travel advice on Florida Tourism
For travel planning use our Florida Rum Map
Thanks to all the brands for contributing to this article, and for permission to use their images. Other image credits to Canva Pro, and user contributions.
