It’s only natural to think that tropical islands like Hawaii would have a foothold in the rum industry. After all, the rich volcanic soil and year-round growing conditions are ideal for sugarcane. While the sugar industry took off in the 19th and 20th centuries, locally made rums rarely left the state until the 21st century, when export rules relaxed. Kōloa Rum Company is among a dozen distilleries in the island state and the first on the Garden Island of Kauai. They are making a name for themselves, one country and one mainland state at a time.
The secret to Kōloa Rum Company’s success is their single batch, artesian approach to rum making. They begin with rainwater from Mount Wai’ale’ale and the nearby mountain peaks and rainforests that is filtered through volcanic strata into underground aquifers. Rather than using a traditional molasses base, Kōloa uses raw cane sugar made from “tall cane” sugarcane. Each batch is distilled twice using a vintage (circa 1947) 1,210-gallon copper pot still with a copper column and condenser. After the first distillation, Kōloa takes their time removing the impurities, leaving the “heart,” or sweetest part, to distill again. The non-aged Dark rum is enhanced with caramelized sugar and a secret blend of spices to give it its rich chocolate coloring. This attention to detail leads to a sweeter, more sippable rum.
Today, Kōloa Rum Company is in nine countries and 37 mainland states, featuring eight unique rums.
Review
There is a molasses and caramel note with a slight hint of charred oak and rich soil when you take a nose full of this very dark rum. The hardy liquid coats our palate, quickly leaving a bite on the front from an undetermined spice, then heads to the back with a smooth coffee and cream note. The second sip adds vanilla and caramel notes, each with a slightly burnt taste. We paid closer attention to the front-end spice, concluding it was either nutmeg or cloves. As we continue to partake, a very dark chocolate note (85 or 90%) comes through on the back of the palate. Although nothing carries over to the finish, we enjoyed sipping Koloa Dark and imagining what it would taste like in a traditional Hawaiian Mai Tai.
Using a traditional POG (Pineapple, Orange, and Guava) Mai Tai recipe, we mixed the juices with orgeat, orange curacao, gold rum, and Kōloa Dark rum. The dark rum gave the cocktail depth without losing the smooth drinkability of a Mai Tai that will sit you on your butt if you’re not careful.
Overall
We enjoyed the simplicity of Kōloa Kaua`i Dark Rum, neat and in different Mai Tai recipes (we continued experimenting). The unique notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and caramel give this rum a more artisanal flavor that we haven’t experienced anywhere else. At $40/bottle, this is an excellent multipurpose rum to have in your cabinet.
4 out of 5
About Clint and Terry: We have sampled many a dram over our 33 years of marriage and quite often we don’t fully agree. Could be the difference is male/female taste buds. Or, somebody is just wrong.
