A rum distillery has opened in Miami’s Little River area, adding a tasting room and a speakeasy-style bar to the city’s nightlife options. The Little River Distillery, at 73 NW 71st St., is a 22,000-square-foot facility with an aging house, a lab and two bars, according to WSVN 7News, which visited the site.
Co-owner Jonathan Rollo said the company is the first and only distillery in Miami. The team wants the brand to be known as the city’s rum, he said. Founder Carlos Espasas said the rums are not sweetened. Instead, they are finished in French or Spanish oak, which provides the sweetness.
Rollo said the South Florida climate is similar to the Caribbean’s, which helps the aging process. The distillery ages its rum for one, three and eight years in barrels. Guided tours of the barrel room are offered after a drink at the bar.
The signature cocktail is a clarified espresso martini made with rum, Rollo said. The speakeasy features dark wood and low lighting. Early visitors praised the rums and the staff, and one said the space felt like a new destination for a drink in Miami.
