Drink of the Week: Kō Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum

Yes, I picked another Hawaiian rum. But this agricole rum offers a pure taste of the Hawaiian Islands and their history. Kō Hana Distillers only grows heirloom sugarcane, which populated the islands before the mass production of white sugar. Ultimately, the heirloom varietals were relegated to private backyards and botanical gardens in favor of the hardier, commercially produced variety. That is until Kō Hana made it their mission to find and grow the forgotten heirloom varietals for their rums.

The distillery, located 20 miles outside of Honolulu, harvests heirloom sugarcane by hand. Then the fresh sugarcane juice, distilled only once, shines unadulterated in the bottle. No additional sugars or flavors are added—a good thing considering Kō Hana is the only rum producer in the world to separate out each sugarcane expression, spotlighting their differing flavor profiles. Currently, they offer six cane varietals, including Pilimai (with its notes of baked bananas, lychee, and tropical fruits) and Manulele (citrus and mineral notes with a dry finish).

But I’m loving their 80-proof white agricole rum, Kea, made from the Lahi cane variety. Its grassy notes are savory and herbaceous with a light salinity. This rum is delicious in a lemon Daiquiri, but I also enjoy drinking it neat. $40, kohanarum.com