The Koloa Dark Rum, right from Kaua’i to my mouth! A dark rum product using cane sugar from somewhere just a bit different than usual. Sure, everyone knows of the Caribbean rum and other islands…but Hawaii is a new one for us!
Koloa is a rum based out of Kaua’i and, having been there, I can tell you there isn’t much real-estate for developing sugar cane fields so I figured Koloa Dark Rum would cost more than it is showing up online, coming in just undre USD $40. Considering, locally here in New Hampshire, a bottle of Cruzan Black Strap is USD $10.99, so you’re paying a bit more for the rarity, flavor and heritage of a Hawaiian rum over something from a Caribbean Island.
Forget price, how does it taste? First, it starts with a great sweet aroma that permeates the flavors as you lay it upon your tongue. Koloa Dark Rum has very little attack in the start and builds as it reaches the mid-palate tastes and finishes sweet and flavorful. It almost feels as if it was rested in a sherry cask or something, it’s just got a slight fruity hint along with the brown sugar sweetness.
Mouthfeel wise, it’s a bit thin on the tongue, but that’s easy to forget once you build on the flavor profile. Overall though, what Koloa Dark Rum lacks in a bit of the deeper complexities, it will build on in a cocktail. A polynesian style cocktail will no doubt feel the beautiful effects of Koloa with some sweet pineapple juices or to round out a more potent 151-rum bite in many of the common polynesian cocktail recipes.
Top off your cocktail with Koloa or mix it in with a cocktail shaker but I think there is something to be said for topping your cocktail off with a bit of sweet rum like this, as the aroma will no doubt bring a new found excitement to your cocktail creations. Plus, if you’ve spent any time in the Hawaiian Islands, especially Kaua’i, then there may be a nice flashback of great times, relaxing days, mild showers and bright sun and that makes it all worth while.
Also, checkout the Brandy Snifters from this episode on our new store acquisition, awesomedrinks.com.
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