Huihui was named “Best White Rum of 2025” by the Beverage Testing Institute, and earned a high score of 94 Points with a “Best Buy” designation by Wine Enthusiast in 2025, recognizing its quality and value as a unique blend of Hawaiian agricole and Martinique rhum with tropical, grassy notes and a sweet, fruity finish. Huihui is something that is “mixed, mingled, united, or pooled together.” Huihui can be a group of people, a constellation of stars, or a great Mai Tai.
Base Rum:
To create this delicious, light and exotic rum, we chose for its base a light molasses-based Caribbean style rum, distilled to 90-94% ABV.
Body Rum:
To build its distinct flavor profile, we blended in our own premium Hawaiian Rum Agricole made from fresh sugarcane juice, and distilled to 52-58% ABV.
Accent:
To top off this super drinkable, exotic rum, we then added an exceptional agricole from Martinique, distilled to 74% ABV.
Notes:
Tropical fruits, fresh pressed sugarcane, caramelized sugar, vanilla, key lime.
Named a Top 100 Spirit of 2025 by Wine Enthusiast (one of only 5 rums!), Nanea is a word that sums up the Hawai‘i effect. It means: “of absorbing interest; fascinating, enjoyable; relaxed, at ease, tranquility, amused.” It especially means “to have a good time.”
Base Rum:
To create this intriguing, round and balanced rum, we chose for its base a beautiful molasses-based rum from Guatemala, distilled to 90-94% ABV and aged in ex-Bourbon barrels for two years.
Body Rum:
To build its gorgeous depth and flavor, we blended in our own super-flavorful Aged Hawaiian Rum Agricole made from fresh sugarcane juice, distilled to 50-74% ABV and aged 18 months in ex-Cognac barrels; and a rich molasses-based rum from Venezuela distilled to 85% ABV and aged 2-8 years in ex-Bourbon barrels.
Accent Rums:
To increase Nanea’s dynamic range and make it sing, we then added two molasses-based rums from Trinidad (funky-rich) and El Salvador (mature oak), aged 3-5 years and five years in ex-Bourbon barrels, respectively.
Notes:
light orange peel, caramel, vanilla, Bourbon, Oloroso sherry, dried mango, baking spices and clover honey.
Named “Best American White Rum” in 2024 by Wine Enthusiast, our signature rum is one of the rarest rums in the world. We make it from the fresh juice of estate-grown Hawaiian heirloom sugarcane (kō) on our farm in Kohala, Hawai‘i. The sugarcane juice is fermented using a special yeast and distilled in a handmade, copper pot still to 60-74% ABV.
This slow, careful process makes delicious and flavorful rum that showcases the magnificence of the kō. An exceptionally flavorful rum perfect for sipping neat or in world-class cocktails.
Less than 5% of rum is made as an Agricole: rum made from fresh sugarcane juice.
Notes:
Green bananas, fuji apple, cherries, Japanese plum, starfruit, lemongrass, and an Everlasting Gobstopper finish.
Named “Best American Aged Rum” in 2024 by Wine Enthusiast, winner of the coveted double gold at the NY World Spirits Competition, and a multi-Platinum medal winner from the Beverage Testing Institute, Hōkūlei is a sublime sipping rum created to rival the world’s finest spirits. Hōkūlei is a blend of seven rums aged 18-months to 18-years including our own Aged Hawaiian Rum Agricole.
Base Rums:
A deep, evolving profile of ripe banana, saltwater taffy, and toasted pineapple, followed by layers of lime zest, Caribbean jerk spices, Medjool dates, dry sherry, and toasted oak with a hint of koji mushrooms.
Body Rums:
We added gorgeous layers of depth and flavor by blending in two rums: our very own Aged Hawaiian Rum Agricole made from fresh sugarcane juice, distilled to 60%-74% ABV and aged 18 months in Cognac barrels; and a 15-year aged rum made from molasses in Barbados distilled to 90%-94% ABV.
Accent Rum:
To put Hōkūlei in the upper echelon of spirits, we added complexity and intrigue with a lovely (yet challenging) molasses-based rum from Trinidad, distilled to 90%-94% ABV and aged 18 years.
Notes:
Ripe banana, saltwater taffy, toasted pineapple, lime zest, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, Caribbean jerk spices, mangosteen, lilikoi, Medjool dates, dry sherry, rum soaked raisin, and toasted oak with hints of koji mushrooms.
To make our signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole, we grow and harvest kō (Hawaiian heirloom sugarcane) on our 44-acre farm on the Kohala coast. When the Polynesian Wayfinders settled Hawai‘i ~1,000 years ago they planted two to four original varietals, or canoe plants. From these, they developed ~30 varietals, unique to Hawai‘i, which were cherished for their beautiful flavors and colors. It’s the slow, multi-millennial cultivation of kō throughout the Pacific that makes Kuleana Rum so special.
We take our beautiful Hawaiian Rum Agricole and age it in ex-Cognac and Bourbon barrels to use it as the magic in our world-class blends. Using the Cognac method of blending by starting with a delicious base, building the body to create drama and dynamic range, then highlighting with an accent to create a memorable sip, every time. This creates flavorful products not available anywhere else in the world.
Steve Jefferson and his wife Jackie, both born and raised in Hawai‘i, were sailing around the Caribbean with their two small children. While ashore on the French island of Martinique, they had their very first taste of Rhum Agricole – rum made from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice instead of molasses. Blown away by the quality of this style of rum, they made an ambitious plan to return home to Hawai‘i and make their own rum Agricole with fresh sugarcane juice grown on the islands.
That’s why we never add sweeteners, flavors, or coloring to any of our products.
Kuleana Rum Works was established with partners Chris Schlarb and Charlie Sander with a mission “to discover, make and share delicious rum that celebrates the richness of Hawai‘i”. Jefferson doesn’t take this mission lightly, hence the company name, “Kuleana” – a Hawaiian concept that describes a combination of rights & privileges that you get if you’re willing to be responsible for something. The newly formed company purchased 45-acres near Upolu Point at the northern tip of the island of Hawai‘i to grow heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane.
Jefferson heard about the work of a Stanford University Ph.D. candidate, Noa Lincoln, who has discovered ~35 species of kō (rare, native Hawaiian heirloom sugarcane) that could trace their lineage back to the original two or three varieties of cane brought by the settling Wayfinders about 1,000 years ago. The team decided on the spot to plant these varietals on their 45-acre farm and make them the basis for their spirit company.
Kō was used in daily living as well as commerce. When big sugar was being produced in Hawai‘i, all of the Hawaiian heirloom varieties were replaced by commercial hybrids engineered for large-scale production.
With 2,500 miles of open ocean, the salt air naturally balances the soil which leads to healthy plants. Tradewinds bring showers and provide the freshest air and water on earth. This makes for delicious rum which is why they never add sweeteners, flavors, or coloring to any of their products.
It’s the slow, multi-millennial cultivation of kō that makes Kuleana Rum so special. Each varietal of heirloom cane has a unique story and flavor profile that cannot be duplicated by molasses or processed sugar. Our super-premium rum pays homage to this piece of treasured Hawaiian history and ensures it lives on.
The team built the island of Hawaii’s first distillery and added Whiskey icon, David Perkins to the team to expand their offerings to help elevate rum as a category – to do for rum what Perkins’ High West Distillery did for whiskey. In addition to making ultra-rare Rum Agricole from kō (Hawaiian heirloom sugarcane), we also blend rums from around the world – carefully chosen for their purity and rich taste – into delicious and flavorful products not available anywhere else in the world. Kuleana Rum Works launched in 2018 with three products designed to be best in class for every type: a light cocktail rum (Huihui); super flavorful fresh juiced rum (Hawaiian Rum Agricole); and a beautifully aged rum to compete with whiskey (Nanea). The company soon received high scores for each. In 2022, they launched Hōkūlei, a huge sipping bomb designed to stand up to the best sipping spirits in the world.
Kuleana is a powerful word the Hawaiians defined to represent an important value. Kuleana can be defined as a combination of rights and privileges one receives if they are willing to be responsible for something. As kama‘aina (people born and raised in Hawai’i) we want to build a company that shares Hawai’i with the world while allowing space for its culture to thrive, and most importantly, not degrading its precious resources. As a business, it is our Kuleana to discover, make and share world-class rum and celebrate Hawai’i in everything we do. We do that by growing ~35 varieties of heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane) on our farm in Kohala. We make world-class rum from the fresh juice. It is an extremely rare spirit (about 3% of the world’s rum is made from fresh juice and only two companies are making it from Hawaiian kō).
As part of our Kuleana, we make our products with deliberate intent and personal accountability, and nothing on our farm is wasted. The crushed sugarcane is used for mulch, compost, and cattle feed, and we utilize drip irrigation from our own solar-powered well. Tradewinds bring showers and provide the freshest air and water on earth. With 2,500 miles of open ocean, the salt air naturally balances the soil which leads to healthy plants.
That’s why we never add sweeteners, flavors, or coloring to any of our products.
It is our kuleana to discover and share the best knowledge and practices we can from all those that came before us, to help the soil, the kō, our employees, and our community grow stronger and healthier. In the growth stage of our business, we are working to re-propagate ~35 varieties of heirloom kō developed over millennia by the brightest and most accomplished agriculturalist the world has known. We freely share the knowledge we have gathered with others; donate to the North Kohala Resource Center, provide products and tours to non-profits for fundraising purposes, and create pride-filled opportunities for residents to grow and provide for their own families. We endeavor to use our precious resources in a manner that builds the community.