Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic: Rum, Cigars, and Mofongo

The Dominican Republic is known for great beaches, resorts, and golf courses. So when the weather in New York City turned cold, I decided to head down to the small city of Puerto Plata on its north coast. There are forts and museums to explore, but what I wanted was to try the cuisine and of course some local rum. So after some coffee at a local museum, I made my way to the Ron Macorix Rum Factory. I had never had this brand, so I made sure to tried all their flavors. For lunch I had to go for Mofongo at Doña Pula, which is one of my favorite dishes. And I ended my day with some more rum and also some cigars at Vivonte. I cant wait to return to the Dominican Republic and make more videos!

Ron Macorix Rum

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There are several brands of rum made in the Dominican republic…. Brugal and Ron Barcelo are probably the best known. But there are also smaller brands like Ron Macorix as well. This factory is right in Puerta Plata and does tours and tastings. In addition to the regular rums, they have flavored rum such as pina colada, coconut, and apple.

Doña Pula

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Sadly, Doña Pula has closed

Vivonte Cigars

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In the United States, it seems Cuban cigars get most of the attention. But that’s more because they aren’t allowed to eb exported to the U.S. than a knock on cigars from places such as the Dominican Republic. People always want what they can’t have. But, the Dominican Republic is actually the largest producer of cigars in the world. And so you’ll find lots of cigar shops there. Read about Dominican cigars here. And when I’m in Puerto Plata, Vivonte Cigars is a spot I love. Stop in for some cocktails and a cigar in a great atmosphere.