Kō Hana Hawaiian sugarcane rum. This rum has become a must-have Hawaiian souvenir for me. It’s not impossible to find on the mainland but quite rare so don’t miss this if you find yourself in the Pacific paradise!

In short, this rum is AMAZING. It’s an “agricole”-style rum, referencing the style of rum produced in the French Caribbean made from fresh sugarcane juice instead of the more common molasses. It’s no secret I’m a fan of agricole rum (check out the extensive #BarFaithTourDeAgricole series for background on this rum style), and I am ecstatic that this rum totally lives up to its vision.

Kō is the Hawaiian word for sugarcane, which is not native to Hawaii but was brought over by settlers from Polynesia over a millennium ago. Sugarcane became an engrained part of Hawaiian culture and life, and the crop flourished on the island. In many ways, the geography of Hawaii is similar to the French Caribbean’s – volcanic islands with tropical climates moderated by tradewinds situated at similar latitudes – ideal for sugarcane plants to thrive.

There are hundreds of sugarcane varieties. In Martinique, just over a dozen can be used for certified agricole rum but realistically most distilleries only use a handful. At Kō Hana, they grow native Hawaiian heirloom varieties for their rum – these are canes that evolved independently in Hawaii from the original canes brought over by canoe; they are not always the most “efficient” varieties like those that have been hybridized and domesticated for sugar manufacturing, but truly gives you a taste of something unique.

Flavorwise, this stuff is absolutely be-au-ti-ful. If you’ve had French agricole rums, I would say this is softer, sweeter, and almost has a floral quality to it – it lacks the sharper grass-salt-rubber-gasoline funk you may detect in its French cousins (which to be fair, I also absolutely LOVE), but is still incredibly flavorful and rich. The sugarcane juice aroma really shines. Find a bottle? GET IT. And make a Ti Punch.