Kōloa Kaua'i White Rum

Continuing a tasting of Koloa spirits with distiller Bob Gunter. (Sampled first) According to the Distiller: Produced from sugarcane juice and distilled using two copper hybrid stills. Date: 3.23.22 Served: Neat, in a flute. Bottle Opened: Same day. Last consumed: Water. Aroma: Clean, almost neutral. The distillation process removes any distinctive character typically found in agricultural rums. Flavor: It possesses presence and body, making it more enjoyable to sip than vodka. There are subtle hints of banana and coconut. Otherwise, it's very clean, which is both a strength and a weakness. I'd always choose this over vodka, but I'd opt for a more characterful rum if I intended to make a classic rum cocktail. This is the rum equivalent of plain white bread. It has the advantage of not having the overly sweet, candy-like aroma found in Bacardi white or Captain Morgan white.

Received this as part of a sampler. It's not bad or unpleasant, just lacks flavor depth. It's a fairly neutral spirit with agreeable sugary, rum-like, and spicy peppery notes in the finish. It's definitely better as a mixer, but perfectly drinkable on its own. However, there are more engaging options for sipping straight. It's mild yet pleasant.

Smells like faint rubbing alcohol and sweet/sour candy. Almost a lemony candy scent. Uh... what. This tastes like candy lemon, similar to the aroma. Where's the rum? I'll pass. Rating based on sipping neat.

Pure ethanol.