Make a toast!
The people have voted and these local distilleries, tasting rooms and speakeasies are among the best in the nation, according to USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.
The awards aim to rank the 10 best in several areas of travel, lifestyle and other categories.
The Kōloa Rum Tasting Room ranked No. 3 on the list of 10 Best Spirits Tasting Rooms, joining others from Tennessee, Vermont, Maryland, Ohio, Utah, Oregon, Michigan, Nevada and Colorado.
"On the island of Kauaʻi, Kōloa embraces its history stemming from the old plantation days by recreating this timeless ambience for its tasting room," the list reads. "Open Monday through Saturday for scheduled tastings, visitors can try their variety of single-batch, premium Hawaiian rums neat or in craft cocktails. They also present rum cakes and rum fudge sauce for a unique culinary souvenir."
“We are excited to be recognized by USA Today 10Best as one of the top tasting rooms in the nation! We take so much pride in our ‘ohana and in welcoming visitors from near and far to experience our delicious rums," the Kōloa Rum team said in a statement provided to Aloha State Daily. "Our newly improved tasting room is a place where we can share our craft, celebrate our island home and serve up the spirit of aloha to everyone who walks through our doors.”
Here's who else made recent 10 Best lists:
- Hilo's Ola Distillery landed at No. 5 on the list of 10 Best Craft Distillery Tours.
"Set inside the old Hilo Sugar Mill, Ola Distillery is Hawai‘i's first oceanfront distillery and its tours trace the revival of ʻōkolehao, a heritage spirit distilled from kī root rather than sugarcane or grain," the list states. "A restored train tunnel now serves as an ocean-barrel aging vault and the visit wraps up at a sweet speakeasy tucked above the water with views of Hilo Bay." - Ko‘olau Distillery in Kailua is No. 6 on the list of 10 Best Craft Gin Distilleries.
"A disabled veteran-owned business set in a warehouse-chic space on O‘ahu's windward side, Ko'olau distills its Tradewind Gin with rainwater filtered for decades through Ko'olau Mountain volcanic rock," the list says. "Hibiscus sneaks into the botanical mix nudging the 95-proof dry gin away from stiff British tradition toward something brighter. A barrel-aged version, dark and tinged with caramelized citrus, rounds out the tasty lineup." - The Hidden Nēnē in Hilo is No. 6 on the list of 10 Best Speakeasies.
"A staircase under the Silly Goose sign in downtown Hilo drops into an emerald-green Victorian parlor that has nothing to do with the mai tai bars on the rest of the island," the list says. "The menu splits into six moods, from bright and effervescent to boozy and bold, built on Hawaii-made spirits like Kō Hana rum and local honey. It's a speakeasy offering small plates, charcuterie and wraps that skips the tourist tiki playbook and feels unmistakably local."
Voting is still underway for several travel-related categories, including Best Airline, Best In-flight Food, Best In-flight Entertainment, Best Cabin Crew and Best Business and/or First Class. Hawaiian Airlines is among the airlines you can vote for in each of those categories. Vote once a day until 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26. The 10 winning airlines will be announced Nov. 4.
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.
