Kōloa Kaua'i Dark Rum

First up in our Koloa tasting with the distiller. This was the third spirit sampled. The distiller mentioned it's infused with Tahitian Vanilla and caramelized Sugar. Tasted on 3.23.22 Served neat in a flute. The bottle was opened the same day. I wanted more rum after this. Nose: Intense vanilla for baking. Palate: Caramelized sugar and potent vanilla. The vanilla tastes genuinely real and stays with you. This vanilla flavor is almost overpowering for sipping straight, but would work well in a chocolate chip cookie drink. I should experiment with butter-washing it.

The aroma is like vanilla extract and a bit of root beer. It somewhat reminds me of the spiced rum they produce. Taste is a little hard to pin down. I'm detecting molasses, brown sugar...I think? Some root beer on the finish. The alcohol isn't overpowering but still disrupts the flavor profile with its warmth and presence. I prefer their spiced rum. Rating based on sipping it neat.

This is the first rum I've had from the US, and I was somewhat let down by the screw top. The liquid is a pleasing dark hue, carrying potent vanilla aromas. The vanilla flavors persist on the tongue, accompanied by a clear alcohol heat. It closely resembles consuming sweetened vanilla essence. While not disagreeable, the cost is certainly too high.

I had a fantastic tasting experience with this rum and its sister products at the distillery on Kaua'i. The very enthusiastic staff (what a dream job – working at a distillery in Hawai'i!) guided us through the tasting and the creation of our preferred rum beverage. The Mai Tai I prepared with this dark rum was superb.

It's somewhat heavy on the molasses, which I appreciate. The nose has a pleasant caramel note upfront. The alcohol lingers on the palate, with a bit of sharpness. I would choose this over any mainstream brands, but it's still surpassed by those from Key West.

Amazing rum. Vanilla on the nose. Vanilla and molasses flavor with a very smooth finish. Was fortunate enough to acquire this directly from the distillery. Certainly a dark rum to always keep readily available.