U.S. Army veteran Brett Morson and his wife, Kim Jones, are bringing their award-winning Tropical Vibes Rum to Northeast Florida, launching the next chapter of their business with a focus on building relationships with local restaurants, bars and retailers.
The Nocatee residents are particularly interested in establishing a presence in St. Augustine ahead of the city’s popular Nights of Lights celebration, which begins Nov. 21 and continues through Jan. 18.
For Morson, who served in the U.S. Army on both active duty and in the Army Reserve, the launch represents a new entrepreneurial chapter following a 35-year career with Publix. Jones brings a background in business and marketing to the venture.
The story behind Tropical Vibes began in an unlikely place: the travel business.
“We actually started Tropical Vibes as a travel agency, but as it turned out, we were terrible travel agents,” said Jones. “One afternoon, Brett and I were sitting on the beach enjoying a couple of cocktails when we realized Tropical Vibes might be a much better name for a rum.”
The couple decided to change direction and spent the next several years developing a rum they believed could live up to the name.
The result is a five-year-aged, pot-distilled American dark rum with rich notes of dark cherry, grilled pineapple, vanilla and toasted oak. Their efforts have earned national recognition, including silver medals at the 2025 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Wine & Spirits Tasting Competition and the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Now, with the rum available to licensed Florida businesses through their distribution partner, Park Street, the couple is turning its attention to building a strong presence in Northeast Florida.
“Creating a great rum and building a successful rum business are two very different challenges,” said Jones. “We know how competitive the spirits industry is, especially for an independent brand. That’s why we’re focused on building relationships with local businesses and giving them a product that offers something different for their customers.”
The upcoming Nights of Lights season presents an opportunity to introduce Tropical Vibes to both area residents and visitors enjoying St. Augustine’s restaurants, bars and holiday festivities.
“We would love to see Tropical Vibes on local shelves and cocktail menus before Nights of Lights begins,” Jones said. “We’re actively reaching out to businesses throughout St. Augustine and the surrounding communities, offering tastings and working to establish partnerships that make sense for everyone. This is our home, and we want to build the brand here.”
As Veterans Day approaches, the launch also highlights the continued contributions of military veterans who pursue entrepreneurship and build businesses in their local communities.
For Morson and Jones, the goal is to turn years of product development and brand building into a successful Florida business, starting close to home.
Local restaurant, bar and retail owners interested in learning more about Tropical Vibes or scheduling a product tasting can contact the founders directly.
For further information, go to tropicalvibes.com.
