Updated Nov. 17
It would not be facetious to say that the release of the Mai-Kai’s new signature rum is so close you can taste it. In fact, there will be multiple ways to enjoy the long-awaited Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 in association with the 16th annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.
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You still must wait a little longer before you can take a bottle home, but you can be among the first to see and sample the new 100-proof blend from Barbados and Jamaica since its recent bottling and initial shipment to the historic Fort Lauderdale restaurant. You’ll have three opportunities this week:
Thursday, Nov. 6: Sneak Preview Party at the Mai-Kai from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 will be offered to guests both neat and in cocktails. It won’t be officially available for purchase in the gift shop yet, but beverage director Cory Starr said the Mai-Kai is planning a full-blown launch party in December.
Saturday, Nov. 8: A special presentation on the rum’s development at the Coral Gables Marriott at 2 p.m. as part of the festival’s seminar day. You’ll be able to taste the unique blend and learn about its development in a one-hour session with Adrienne Stoner of Maison Ferrand, which produced the rum sourced from the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados and Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica. An $89 ticket gets you into all three of that day’s seminars from noon to 5 p.m. [More info below]
Sunday, Nov. 9: The Grand Tasting event from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club as part of the annual sampling of hundreds of rums from around the world. The Mai-Kai will host a booth featuring the rum along with merchandise, joining the many distilleries, importers, producers, distributors and boutique brands on display. Tickets range from $89 to $109 and include unlimited samples.
Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number One, as it’s officially known, has been eagerly awaited by rum and Tiki cocktail fans who frequent the 68-year-old Polynesian palace. This week’s tastings are the latest to whet our appetites while we await the official release date. The rum received high marks from the crowd at Tiki Oasis in San Diego during a special preview in August. [Photos, full recap]
The Miami Rum Renaissance Festival is the perfect platform to once again showcase the Mai-Kai’s first branded spirit. Last year’s event included a presentation with Starr and longtime manager Kern Mattei joining the Atomic Grog for a look at the Mai-Kai’s legendary bar program, plus tastings and cocktail samples featuring Rum No. 1. The rum was also featured during a panel discussion at Miami Rum Congress in February. [Photos, more coverage]
Miami Rum Renaissance attracts hundreds of hobbyists and rum experts from around the world to South Florida for a weekend filled with educational and informative explorations of cane spirits. Founded by rum collectors and enthusiasts Robin and Robert A. Burr in 2009, the event was one of the first of its kind in the United States. It remains a cornerstone on the ever-growing spirts calendar.
Nov. 8-9 – Miami Rum Renaissance Festival at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club and Marriott Courtyard Coral Gables. Educational seminars on Saturday, Grand Tasting on Sunday.
More below: Seminars | Grand Tasting | Tickets, venue info
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In addition to the Thursday event at the Mai-Kai, there will be a Rum Renaissance free kickoff event on Friday from 4:30 to 5:30 at Primo Liquors & Fine Wines in Fort Lauderdale. The Sunrise Boulevard store will host a Planteray Rum pop-up happy hour with Adrienne Stoner, the brand’s national ambassador. [Reserve a spot via Eventbrite] Primo, which has six locations in Broward County, is the festival’s new on-site and online rum sales partner.
Experts, professionals and enthusiasts from more than 30 countries are expected for the Miami Rum Festival’s 16th anniversary weekend in Coral Gables. Attendees will have the chance to sample hundreds of fine rums from the Caribbean and beyond.
“Rum experts from near and far are on hand for those that wish to increase their knowledge and appreciation of rum,” said Robert A. Burr in an official statement. “There is a lot of excitement at Miami Rum Fest among producers with many new and interesting products coming to market and many new developments in the world of rum.”
Saturday’s seminars
The rum appreciation starts with an informative day at the Coral Gables Marriott featuring special presentations by leading rum experts and professionals. All seminars include free rum samples. Food and refreshments are served during breaks.
Seating is limited, so it’s recommended you buy an advance ticket, which includes all three seminars.
12:30 p.m. – Saint Lucia: Sugar, War, Rum and Blue Books with Dave Marsland. Join the ambassador for St. Lucia Distillers for an exploration of the volatile 200-year history of the Caribbean island’s sugarcane and rum production. The author of the book Saint Lucia: A Sugarcane and Rum History will highlight his research and discoveries, along with some rums to enjoy.
2 p.m. – Development of the Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1 with Maison Ferrand ambassador Adrienne Stoner. Learn how the potent new 100-proof blend was created at the company’s West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados with additional components from Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica. The tasting session will also explore “JAWS,” the first long-fermentation, high-ester rum component crafted in Barbados in the past 80 years.
3:30 p.m. – Rum & Cacao – Essence of the Tropics with Allen Susser. Sample exquisite chocolates alongside premium St. Lucian rums in a tasting presented by the James Beard Award-winning chef. Learn about the art of chocolate-making and savor the nuanced flavors crafted in St. Lucia, where there’s a rich heritage of both sugarcane and cacao plantations.
Sunday’s Grand Tasting
The festival’s main event promises “a bounty of new rums and old favorites – plus a wide selection of luxury, limited edition and vintage rums for connoisseurs at The Private Collection Bar.” The latter features extremely rare rum samples available for purchase (with proceeds benefitting a local non-profit organization), but the sips offered at dozens of brand and distillery booths spread through several large rooms at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club are all included with the price of admission.
In addition to tasting their handiwork, you have the opportunity to meet many of the producers and brand ambassadors to learn more about their products. The offerings range from brand new bottlings and brands, to legacy brands with new expressions and updates to familiar favorites.
While there’s a focus on the Caribbean, you’ll also taste rums from many countries around the world as well as homegrown Florida distilleries. Craft rum-makers from the Sunshine State will offer tastings and sales, giving you a chance to meet the teams that make these cane spirits and buy your favorites directly from the producers.
The RumRenaissance.com website lists all the participating brands, from Abuelo (Panama) to Zacapa (Guatemala). Among the other major names are Bacardi, Don Q, Monymusk, Mount Gay, Planteray, Ron del Barrilito, Ron Barcelo, Rums of Puerto Rico, Siesta Key, Stade’s, Tanduay, and Wicked Dolphin. Catered food will also be available.
Tickets and venue info
Advance tickets are available online for $89 (general admission) and $109 (VIP) for Sunday’s grand tasting. There’s also a $159 VIP ticket for two. Saturday seminar tickets are $89. Admission includes a complimentary tasting glass. In addition to the website, you can call (305) 350-0764 to order. Tickets will also be available at the door while they last.
The host of the seminars, the Marriott Courtyard, is one of several hotels in the area offering a special rate. This will be the festival’s sixth year at the historic Coral Gables Woman’s Club, which was built in 1936 from oolitic limestone mined from a local quarry. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, with a state of Florida historical marker added in 2016.
There’s plenty of free parking on the surrounding streets. The city also offers a free ride service. Go here for more venue info and here for travel information.
Miami Rum Fest 2025 social media recaps
OFFICIAL SITES & SOCIAL MEDIA
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RumRenaissance.com | Facebook | Instagram | Flickr
MaiKaiRum.com | MaiKai.com | Instagram | Facebook page | Friends of the Mai-Kai group
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