Manulele Distillers, Kunia Camp

Eight Centuries before western contact, Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, bringing with them the Kō plant, or sugarcane, that thrived in the robust Hawaiian soil. This heirloom sugarcane lives on in Kō Hana Distillers, which harvests, presses, and distills the cane into a sweet, earthy rum. Kō Hana uses its farm-to-bottle approach to craft small-batch rums, such as the KOHO agricole rum, which is aged in oak barrels to harmonize the flavors and develop undertones of warm spices, honey, and vanilla. This flavor is something distinctly natural—a stark contrast to the more saccharine taste of molasses-based rums. Kō Hana shares the history and flavors of its distillery through tasting tours. Tours start with a sampling of fresh cane juice and a view from the distillery's observation deck, showing visitors the Waianae Mountains and Pearl Harbor. As a guide explains the history and making of the rum, the tour takes guests to the rum still and through a sugarcane garden. It all ends at the tasting bar, where visitors experience Kō Hana's different rum varieties firsthand.