Kaua’i Reserve - Cask Strength Single Barrel Aged

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The Koloa Rum Company began making rum in September 2009 using water and sugar from sugar cane grown in the Mount Waiʻaleʻale region of Kaua’i, Hawaii. After fermentation, the company uses a vintage pot still to distill their rums in small batches. The rums that are designated for aging are put in charred American white oak barrels until they reach the maturity and flavor profile the blender is looking for. The Kaua’i Reserve Cask Strength Single Barrel Aged Rum is aged for five years, then bottled at the cask strength of 55.07% ABV, is not chill filtered, and does not have any additives.  

                   Appearance

The rum is sold in a 750-ml short-necked bottle with a good bit of information on the front and back labels. Each bottle is individually numbered and shares the cask number; the bottle for this review is bottle number B-171. It has a screw on cap and does not have a cork like we normally see with other rums in the marketplace.

The color of the rum holds a golden amber color in the bottle and glass. Swirling the liquid in creates a thin band that slowly thickens before releasing a couple of waves of legs and evaporating.

                        Nose

The aroma of the rum begins with a nip of alcohol followed by notes of cinnamon, caramelized vanilla, orange marmalade, roasted nuts, charred oak, and a hint of allspice.

                        Palate

The first sip of the rum conditions the mouth with a balance of heat from the proof and a swirl of honeyed caramel. Additional sips reveal the orange marmalade note from the aroma, which manifests sharper with a strong zest flavor. The oak tannins mingle with the other flavors, contributing spice and char notes to the flavor profile. As the rum begins to fade, the caramel notes are joined by a light black pepper note that balances the flavors in a sweet and spicy long finish that lingers on the palate for quite some time.  

                        Review

Over the past decade, I have sampled and used several of the rums from the Koloa portfolio for sipping and in cocktails. In my opinion, this five-year-old rum is hitting out of its weight class, and I am not talking solely about the proof of the rum. Usually, a five-year-old rum is not as influenced by the wood of the barrel and does not have such an interesting flavor profile. In my opinion, they can add a bump to a cocktail, but it would not be something that I would enjoy sipping. Kaua’i Reserve Cask Strength Single Barrel Aged is the exception to that rule, as it is an enjoyable sipper, especially for those who enjoy cask strength rums. The flavor profile holds up extremely well in a Rum Old Fashioned cocktail but adds an interesting twist to a Rum Runner or Ancient Mariner cocktail as well. Overall, I found this to be a well-crafted rum to add to the shelf for special occasions and elevated tasting experiences.