Kohala Bay Rum

I've been working on a new blend that utilizes a combination Coruba, Appleton Signature Blend, and a small amount of Hamilton Black Pot Still Rum. The Black Pot Still brings just enough funkiness to the mix and increases the ABV, while the Appleton adds mellowness and some tenor notes missing from the other two rums. The stuff I've made thus far is actually too flavorful--like Kohala Bay on steroids. Not necessarily a bad problem to have.

On 2016-07-21 13:42, mikehooker wrote:
I recently made Atomic Grog tribute Swizzles using a 50/50 El Dorado and Smith & Cross combo. Gotta say, they came out excellent.

Mike, that combo is right up my alley - what age El Dorado were you using? They're all so distinct.

On 2016-07-21 16:47, HopeChest wrote:

On 2016-07-21 13:42, mikehooker wrote:
I recently made Atomic Grog tribute Swizzles using a 50/50 El Dorado and Smith & Cross combo. Gotta say, they came out excellent.

Mike, that combo is right up my alley - what age El Dorado were you using? They're all so distinct.

12 year

On 2016-07-21 14:50, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:
I've been working on a new blend that utilizes a combination Coruba, Appleton Signature Blend, and a small amount of Hamilton Black Pot Still Rum. The Black Pot Still brings just enough funkiness to the mix and increases the ABV, while the Appleton adds mellowness and some tenor notes missing from the other two rums. The stuff I've made thus far is actually too flavorful--like Kohala Bay on steroids. Not necessarily a bad problem to have.

Quince, I would love to hear more about the blend that you are using. I've always thought that Ed Hamilton's Pot Still Jamaican would find a place in the Tiki lexicon, maybe that place is as part of a replacement for Kohala Bay.

The latest from The Ma-Kai: Frustrated with the Kohala Bay outage, which shows no signs of abating, The Mai-Kai has turned to Appleton Reserve Blend as a replacement. It's not as funky (or high proof), but it has a distinctive character and doesn't lack flavor. And, like Coruba (and Kohala Bay), it comes from the venerable Wray & Newphew.

Lots more research is needed, but preliminary tastings show that the Barrel O' Rum and a few other drinks (Bora Bora, Tiki Swizzle) seem to benefit from the more sophisticated and flavorful Reserve Blend. Some (Zombie, Yeoman's Grog) don't appear to be much different. And a few others (most notably the Black Magic) miss the funkiness of Kohala Bay.

I have 4 1.75 liter bottles I am holding close and being pretty selfish with. I hope it comes back. I had been using it rather freely thinking that distribution was actually growing. Luckily I bought 2 more before the shortage hit.

Every time this thread is bumped I have a glimmer of hope that it's someone saying Kohala Bay is back and then I read the post and my faith is shattered. I've only got a few ounces remaining so I'm not using it anymore.

Can't imagine Appleton Reserve on it's own taking the place of Kohala Bay in the mighty Jet Pilots and Swizzles at the Mai Kai. Hayward, any idea how long they've been using Kohala Bay and what they were using before then?

The last confirmed sighting of Kohala Bay rum on a liquor store shelf took place on Saturday May 21st, 2016 at 11:16am (soon to be known as Black Tot Day 2.0) at Rollo's Liquors located at 9100 S Dixie Hwy, Kendall, FL 33156.

I know this because I was the one who took the above picture of the last two remaining dusty 1.75L bottles shortly before I purchased one.

NOTE: I had not known at the time that Kohala Bay was in dire shortage. There was still some hope left that it was a 'supply chain' issue and that it would be coming back. Unfortunately for me, the spotty-faced cheese**** kid behind the counter snagged the other bottle (after I drew his attention to it) before I could go back and get it. Looking back, it was a mistake. I should have just snagged both bottles and paid without saying a word.

Still, I have two unopened 1.75L bottles at home which I never plan on opening. However, having said that, I understand that plastic is not as resilient as glass and I may, at a later date, have to transfer the precious liquid to a more secure glass container.

Meanwhile, I use Coruba dark, which is the next best thing.

RumScrummager: Mahalo for sharing your story. Rollo's was the place where I first discovered Kohala Bay, of course. It wasn't too long ago that besides Rollo's, only The Mai-Kai offered this fabulously funky rum. It's sad to see it gone, especially at The Mai-Kai.

MikeHooker: Your concerns about Appleton Reserve are legitimate. However, after tasting all the former Kohala Bay drinks at The Mai-Kai, I'm surprised at how well it blends in many of them. The sign of a good mixing rum, I guess. What they were using before (Bacardi Black, et al.) just didn't cut it. It works better if you close your eyes and try to forget what the drink could taste like with Kohala Bay, but many folks won't know the difference. I'll post a list soon, with my reviews and recommendations on which cocktails suffer, which benefit and which are pretty much the same. As far as I know, Kohala Bay came along as the replacement for Dagger, which goes all the way back to Donn Beach. There may have been some years in between without it, but I'm not sure.

This is the last bottle I'll be dipping into for a while. I have three more in the rum cellar, where they'll probably stay. On a brighter note, I've heard that progress is being made at The Mai-Kai on having a distillery make a special blend that will duplicate the flavor profile of Kohala Bay. It may not be widely available, but at least the mighty Jet Pilots and Swizzles will be back to normal. This is still preliminary, so we'll have to wait to see how it plays out.

The Kohala Bay saga really does mark the end of the modern day Dagger legacy, which as Hurricane Hayward points out, traces it's storied past all the way to our Tiki forefather. In short, this is a mixing rum of a truly high order. A rum with an extraordinary readiness and distinctive funkiness such as I have never found in any other rum and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.

On 2016-09-08 22:20, RumScrummager wrote:
The Kohala Bay saga really does mark the end of the modern day Dagger legacy, which as Hurricane Hayward points out, traces it's storied past all the way to our Tiki forefather. In short, this is a mixing rum of a truly high order. A rum with an extraordinary readiness and distinctive funkiness such as I have never found in any other rum and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.

The frustrating part is that it's a product with significant built-in demand and potential for growth, yet by all accounts the importer sees it as little more than a nuisance SKU number on a ledger sheet that it finally has been able to put to bed.

On 2016-09-09 07:55, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:
The frustrating part is that it's a product with significant built-in demand and potential for growth, yet by all accounts the importer sees it as little more than a nuisance SKU number on a ledger sheet that it finally has been able to put to bed.

The same happened to Oronoco rum.

In happier times: Back bar tour at The Mai-Kai in January 2016.

The Atomic Grog is updated with the latest rum news from The Mai-Kai: There's still no sign of Kohala Bay returning, Appleton Reserve continues to be the replacement rum, and plans are moving forward with a possible substitute. Included is a list of which drinks benefit and which suffer from the switch.
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/08/rums-of-the-mai-kai-legendary-lemon-hart-returns-to-the-promised-land/#dagger

We also have news on the return of Lemon Hart 151 ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/08/rums-of-the-mai-kai-legendary-lemon-hart-returns-to-the-promised-land/

New items added to the list of what to grab in case of fire.

Tonga Tiki may very well hold the record for the most (unopened) bottles of Kohala Bay! Lucky bugger...

Tonga Tiki: I know where I'm headed when the Zombie Apocalypse hits.

For those not so lucky, here's another potential Kohala Bay substitute to consider (suggested by mikehooker). I recently put a 50/50 mix of Smith & Cross and Appleton Reserve to the test, both neat and in the Big Bamboo. It was compared to Kohala Bay (left) and Smith & Cross / El Dorado 12 (middle), the long-running No. 1 recommended substitute ...

I'm raking it No. 2, tied with the more complicated Smith & Cross/Myers’s/Gosling’s mix. While they're slightly distinctive and different, I can't decide which qualifies as second best. It's probably just a matter of taste. But both are perferable to any of the lower choices.

Here's the updated rankings ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/08/rums-of-the-mai-kai-legendary-lemon-hart-returns-to-the-promised-land/#kohala-bay-substitutes

What about El Dorado 12-year and Appleton Rare Blend (12-year)? The higher proof on the Appleton Rare Blend (86 proof) is higher than Appleton Reserve's lower 80 proof, and more in keeping with Kohala Bay's original 87.6 proof. Also, Appleton Rare Blend (12-year) is a darker liquid. In terms of proof alone, this would perhaps be the closest approximation. Smith & Cross is slightly too 'overproof' (114 proof) and may prove to be too overpowering in drinks where Kohala Bay shined.

Between Tonga Tiki, myself, and Hurricane, that's 9 verified unopened bottles of Kohala Bay. If we can locate three more unopened bottles, that's a whole 'verified' case of the stuff. We should then start the KBPS (Kohala Bay Preservation Society) whereby we afford curious 'rummies' and Tiki aficionados alike the opportunity to sip and savor the precious liquid. We could then use the proceeds from these 'samplings' to hire a lobbyist to travel to Jamaica to petition National Rums of Jamaica (who also distill Mony Musk rums) to bring back this historically important and culturally significant rum.

Now that the trade restriction with Cuba is fully lifted today ... I wonder if there is a stash of Kohala Bay that we can get from some old Cuban place .. or better yet a stash of Dagger that has not seen the light of day for 40-50 years

I had two unopened bottles, but the rigors of Hurricane Matthew caused me to open one. Now I have one unopened bottle and one 1/2 bottle. Sigh.

Uncle Pat, that's good to know. We're vastly becoming a far-flung lot, however, together we might have enough leverage to petition someone higher up the food chain to resurrect this timeless rum. As for Cuba, it sounds like we need to plan some kind of skirmish (or dawn raid) on the island in an effort to uncover any hidden cases of the stuff. You never know, those crafty Cubans could have an old warehouse stockpiled full of the stuff - just imagine...

The supply having been interrupted, I can see why the decision makers at the distillery are weighing whether or not to put it back into production. With only one spot accounting for 98 to 99% of its sales I guess it has been coasting for a long time. Horribly biased, like most of us Tikiphiles, I'd like to see it return with an effort to widen the distribution. Without any special promotion, it would be just another dark rum competing for shelf space. Perhaps if it had its own website and got some exposure at next year's rum events, it could pick up some notoriety. Given its unique flavor profile, I think it would fare well in competition and would have a lot of Tiki bars and craft cocktail bars wanting it.

Given that most of the vintage cars on Cuba are now running on surplus Russian tractor parts, I'd hate to think what all of those vintage rum bottles now contain. Yikes!

Had to break out the good stuff tonight for a proper Swizzle, which begat another. I've been preserving my final few ounces for a while now but am suddenly terrified I can't hold back the urge to use the remainder. Something has to give. Soon.

Speaking of Subs... KB offered both richness, and funk. I wonder why there are so little rums on the market offering both Molasses + Funk? It seems like we have to make a compromise when Jamaican rum is called for. Many think the best sub is Smith and Cross + a Demerara. What about Hamilton's Pot Still rum?
Appleton seems like a bland choice offering little richness/molasis and moderate funk. Thoughts?

On 2016-11-12 16:33, lll888 wrote:
Speaking of Subs .... Many think the best sub is Smith and Cross + a Demerara. What about Hamilton's Pot Still rum?

I did a side-by-side tasting of Smith & Cross and Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum, a month or so ago, when the subject of Kohala Bay subs was being discussed on our Texas Tiki-philes Facebook group. I have not tasted KB, so I don't know exactly how "funky" it is - I'm working off descriptions. But the Hamilton Black Rum is very funky, compared to S&C. My comment then, was "The S&C, I can handle as a sipping rum. The Hamilton... my thoughts immediately jump to 'dunder pit'". An hour and a half later, I was running errands and still strongly experiencing the aftertaste. What a finish! I expect 1 part Hamilton to 3 or 4 parts other rum(s) would give you all the funk you want. Maybe Appleton for the rest. And maybe a little Myers's, if you need more molasses.

On 2016-11-14 14:19, Limbo Lizard wrote:

On 2016-11-12 16:33, lll888 wrote:
Speaking of Subs .... Many think the best sub is Smith and Cross + a Demerara. What about Hamilton's Pot Still rum?

I did a side-by-side tasting of Smith & Cross and Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum, a month or so ago, when the subject of Kohala Bay subs was being discussed on our Texas Tiki-philes Facebook group. I have not tasted KB, so I don't know exactly how "funky" it is - I'm working off descriptions. But the Hamilton Black Rum is very funky, compared to S&C. My comment then, was "The S&C, I can handle as a sipping rum. The Hamilton... my thoughts immediately jump to 'dunder pit'". An hour and a half later, I was running errands and still strongly experiencing the aftertaste. What a finish! I expect 1 part Hamilton to 3 or 4 parts other rum(s) would give you all the funk you want. Maybe Appleton for the rest. And maybe a little Myers's, if you need more molasses.

Thanks for the input. For giggles I mixed the following today for my "Dark Jamaican".

1 bottle of Smith and Cross
.75 Bottle El Dorado 15
.5 Bottle Appleton Reserve
.25 Bottle Goslings
.25 Bottle Blackwell

I did so because I really stopped using Goslings and Appleton. I wouldn't say its the best, but it's closer to where I want to be when it comes to a Jamaican rum. I hate deciding between S&C/Appleton or Blackwell so this simplifies life.

On 2016-11-14 14:50, lll888 wrote:
1 bottle of Smith and Cross
.75 Bottle El Dorado 15
.5 Bottle Appleton Reserve
.25 Bottle Goslings
.25 Bottle Blackwell

I went shopping online for "bottle"-sized jiggers. Everyone laughed at me. What gives?

:)

On 2016-11-15 06:01, AceExplorer wrote:

On 2016-11-14 14:50, lll888 wrote:
1 bottle of Smith and Cross
.75 Bottle El Dorado 15
.5 Bottle Appleton Reserve
.25 Bottle Goslings
.25 Bottle Blackwell

I went shopping online for "bottle"-sized jiggers. Everyone laughed at me. What gives?

:)

hahaha!

AceExpolorer, we have them at The Storm Shelter!

On 2016-11-15 14:18, TikiHardBop wrote:
AceExpolorer, we have them at The Storm Shelter!

That's cuz you folks at the Storm Shelter are SO AWESOME!!!!

I posted this on the Mai Kai thread, but it probably bears repeating here...

I've been playing with blends for awhile. I had been playing around with a Coruba/Hamilton Pot Still/Appleton Signature mixture, but when I found out the Mai Kai was using Appleton Reserve, I immediately altered course and came up with the following:

5 parts Appleton Reserve Blend
1 part Lemon Hart 151
1 part Hamilton Black Pot Still Rum

The Reserve delivers most of the rich flavor and the Hamilton brings the funk. It's possible Kohala Bay actually contains (contained) some of the same rums as Appleton Reserve with the addition of funkier pot still varieties.
The LH 151 in the mix is basically to get the ABV in the ballpark without disrupting the overall flavor profile.

The net result: a 91 proof Dark Jamaican that is very close in flavor to Kohala Bay and mixes like a champ. There is a missing high note, but it's a subtle difference. The original Kohala Bay would have been proofed down from higher proof barrels of rum instead of incorporating a foreign element like Lemon Hart, so that accounts for the difference.

[ Edited by: Quince_at_Dannys 2016-11-17 06:52 ]

On 2016-11-14 14:19, Limbo Lizard wrote:

On 2016-11-12 16:33, lll888 wrote:
Speaking of Subs .... Many think the best sub is Smith and Cross + a Demerara. What about Hamilton's Pot Still rum?

I did a side-by-side tasting of Smith & Cross and Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum, a month or so ago, when the subject of Kohala Bay subs was being discussed on our Texas Tiki-philes Facebook group. I have not tasted KB, so I don't know exactly how "funky" it is - I'm working off descriptions. But the Hamilton Black Rum is very funky, compared to S&C. My comment then, was "The S&C, I can handle as a sipping rum. The Hamilton... my thoughts immediately jump to 'dunder pit'". An hour and a half later, I was running errands and still strongly experiencing the aftertaste. What a finish! I expect 1 part Hamilton to 3 or 4 parts other rum(s) would give you all the funk you want. Maybe Appleton for the rest. And maybe a little Myers's, if you need more molasses.

I picked up Hamilton Jamaican Black Pot Still hoping it will be that sweet spot between 'Molasis and Funk'. HOLY MOLY. This thing is easily 2x more funky than Smith and Cross and looks to be geared towards max-level rum enthusiasts. I't left me feeling uncomfortable just smelling it! Woof! You mentioned 1 Part Hamilton + 3/4 Parts other rums because right now I have about 1 gallon of Smith And Cross / Appleton / Gosslings mix. I may take you up on that offer.

On 2016-11-17 06:50, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:
I posted this on the Mai Kai thread, but it probably bears repeating here...

I've been playing with blends for awhile. I had been playing around with a Coruba/Hamilton Pot Still/Appleton Signature mixture, but when I found out the Mai Kai was using Appleton Reserve, I immediately altered course and came up with the following:

5 parts Appleton Reserve Blend
1 part Lemon Hart 151
1 part Hamilton Black Pot Still Rum

EDIT! Because you've done the work, I will go buy these today.

Picked up 2 half gallon bottles on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FP8JZF8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[ Edited by: lll888 2016-11-18 12:47 ]

Here we go...

http://m.imgur.com/a/xIjWh

My last 2 bottles. Had to crack one open. Hoping of a miracle resurrection.
My home bar drink is made with lime and all house made, falernum, pimento dram, spiced rum, with Kohala Bay and LH 151 (still have a stash).
Guess I'll have to start playing with the substitute concoctions. It really is a special mixing rum.

On 2016-11-18 17:32, lll888 wrote:
Here we go...

http://m.imgur.com/a/xIjWh

So? don't leave us in suspense :)

On 2016-11-22 09:29, Scaramouch wrote:

On 2016-11-18 17:32, lll888 wrote:
Here we go...

http://m.imgur.com/a/xIjWh

So? don't leave us in suspense :)

I posted in another thread (some overlap). Anyway, I ended up blending:

5 Part Appleton Reserve
1 Part Hamilton Jamaican Black
1 Part Plantation OFTD [Because I was eager to use it]

Overall, the blend was incredible in flavor and nose. It's exactly the 'dark/black' rum blend that I was looking for. Bold and funky without being too high of proof or overpowering. The nose on the blend is glorious (even though I dislike Hamilton black).

On 2016-11-17 06:50, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:

Quince Blend
5 parts Appleton Reserve Blend
1 part Lemon Hart 151
1 part Hamilton Black Pot Still Rum

[ Edited by: lll888 2016-11-22 17:03 ]

On 2016-11-17 06:50, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:
I posted this on the Mai Kai thread, but it probably bears repeating here...

I've been playing with blends for awhile. I had been playing around with a Coruba/Hamilton Pot Still/Appleton Signature mixture, but when I found out the Mai Kai was using Appleton Reserve, I immediately altered course and came up with the following:

5 parts Appleton Reserve Blend
1 part Lemon Hart 151
1 part Hamilton Black Pot Still Rum

The Reserve delivers most of the rich flavor and the Hamilton brings the funk. It's possible Kohala Bay actually contains (contained) some of the same rums as Appleton Reserve with the addition of funkier pot still varieties.
The LH 151 in the mix is basically to get the ABV in the ballpark without disrupting the overall flavor profile.

The net result: a 91 proof Dark Jamaican that is very close in flavor to Kohala Bay and mixes like a champ. There is a missing high note, but it's a subtle difference. The original Kohala Bay would have been proofed down from higher proof barrels of rum instead of incorporating a foreign element like Lemon Hart, so that accounts for the difference.

[ Edited by: Quince_at_Dannys 2016-11-17 06:52 ]

Just because part of Tiki is tinkering.

All I have is the Appleton Signature, so I used that and I did 2oz of Hamilton 151 instead of the 1 oz. A little more kick with a really good flavor.

Thought I'd give this mix a try along with some variations, as I have a sole bottle of Kohala Bay left here to test against.

While the mix with Appleton VX came out fairly close, for my tastebuds I think I hit on a combination that's even a little closer to the classic Kohala Bay, by switching out the VX and using Coruba instead, namely:

Five parts Coruba
One Part Smith & Cross
One Part LH 151 (Red Label)

Side by side with the KB, I couldn't tell which was which in either a Trader Vics Grog or a Dr Funk, feels very close. Testing will continue, and of course, your results may vary, but wanted to throw that out to everyone.

Anyone have any favorite KB cocktails to taste test the new mix against?

On 2016-12-13 07:35, Scaramouch wrote:

Anyone have any favorite KB cocktails to taste test the new mix against?

Atomic Grogs 151 Swizzle (v4) and Cobra's Kiss tribute recipes.

Santa came through big time this Christmas!

On 2016-12-29 21:39, Tikimeister wrote:
Santa came through big time this Christmas!

Santa really planned ahead, nice score. Cheers!!!

Tonight i decided to once more dip into the stash of Kohala Bay.

My second Black Magic of the evening sits before me.

God I love this drink.

On 2016-12-29 21:39, Tikimeister wrote:
Santa came through big time this Christmas!

Where on earth did you find a case?

On 2017-02-03 09:15, therumtrader wrote:

Where on earth did you find a case?

I special ordered a case from ABC Liquor's in Florida back in April of 2016 just before supplies ran out.
Lucky timing on my part because at the time no one knew that Kohola Bay would be no longer. I figured if a 1.75L was good, a case would be better :)'It was transported to Cali via motorhome so delivery took several months, but arrived just in time for Christmas.

My current KB stand-in is 5:1:1 Coruba:Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still:Plantation OFTD. So far, indistinguishable in Barrel o' Rum. Testing will continue because, y'know, science.