Koloa Gold Rum
Koloa Rum Company began production in 2009 on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i and is named after the Koloa sugar cane plantation founded in 1835. Their rums are created using granulized sugar from the local Kaua’i sugar mill. The sugar is blended with water to form a molasses base, then fermented and distilled using a 1210 gallon copper pot still that was built in Pennsylvania in 1947 and later refurbished for the Koloa distillery.
Caramelized sugar and water is added during blending to give the rum its gold color and bring it to 40 abv before it is bottled.
Appearance/Presentation
Koloa rums all use the same standard bottle design in their line. The Gold rum has a white front and back label that provides the basic details about the company and the rum. The white neck wrap secures a white plastic cap to the bottle and has a map of the Hawaiian island on it which draws attention down to the front label.
The rum has a bright amber gold color in the bottle and maintains it when poured in the glass. Swirling the liquid creates thick legs that race down the glass and evaporate quickly.
Nose
The aroma of the rum delivers notes of dried apricots, fresh pineapple, vanilla, hint of banana and airy cane grass.
Palate
The rum entry brings a strong note of sweet molasses, a surprising pop of citrus-lemon zest and dried orange peel with a little hint of pineapple coming in at a long fruity finish.
Review
Koloa Gold provides a nice solid step forward and above the white rum, which is no slouch itself when compared to other white rums. From the aroma to the robust flavors this product has its own distinct identity compared with other rums of a similar category.
The fruit flavors and natural sweetness of the product lends it to be good ingredient rum in fruit based drinks like the Piña Colada or a variant on the Rum Swizzle cocktail; for Tiki cocktails think about using it in a Scorpion.
-Rum Review by Mr. Paul Senft-
Photo Credit: Authentic Caribbean RumPublished by "Got Rum?" Magazine- August 2015
Paul's Rum Journey- Photo 9
Mr. Paul Senft, a contributing writer for "Got Rum?" magazine and Rum Reviewer for the Angel's Share section of the magazine, takes us on his recent journey to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, an invitation by the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA).
My name is Paul Senft - Rum Reviewer, Tasting host, Judge and Writer. My exploration of Rums began by learning to craft Tiki cocktails for friends. I quickly learned that not all rums are created equally and that the uniqueness of the spirit can be as varied as the locales they are from. This inspired me to travel with my wife around the Caribbean, Central America, and United States visiting distilleries and learning about how each one creates their rums. I have also had the pleasure of learning from bar tenders, brand ambassadors, and other enthusiasts from around the world; each one providing their own unique point of view, adding another chapter to the modern story of rum. The desire to share this information led me to create www.RumJourney.com where I share my experiences and reviews in the hopes that I would inspire others in their own explorations. It is my wish in the pages of “Got Rum?” to be your host and provide you with my impressions of rums available in the world market. Hopefully my tasting notes will inspire you to tr y the rums and make your own opinions. The world is full of good rums and the journey is always best experienced with others. Cheers!