Ko’olau Distillery – Old Pali Road Whiskey – Review
Ko’olau Distillery resides on the windward side of the island of O’ahu in Hawai’i, far from the madding crowds of Honolulu and Waikiki but near the pleasantries of Kaneohe and Kailua [where a United States Marine Corp base is located on Mokapu Peninsula].
The distillery is a mere baby in distillery years – only recently founded in 2018 by former Marines – and is located in Kailua and uses the water of the near by Ko’olau Range of volcanic mountains that provide the backdrop for much of the scenery [and rain] of this side of O’ahu. While the distillery produces several spirits – Tradewind Gin, Kala Vodka and Mahealani Moonshine – the primary product is Old Pali Road Whiskey.
Named after the road which formerly led from the mountains down to the shore before being replaced by a tunneled highway in 1961, Old Pali Road whiskey, bottled at 43% alcohol by volume [86 proof,] provides a surprisingly smooth initial response for its youthful age and is pleasant on the taste buds, reminiscent of the the ever-present caramel and vanilla overtones found in so many whiskies. There are no harsh noticeable aftertastes and whether it is genuinely accurate or not, WhiskyCritic would like to attribute this to the volcanic-filtered waters used for the whiskey.
Overall, WC awards Ko’olau Distillery Old Pali Road a solid 87 out of 100 for both taste and price point, which is $60 per 750ml bottle if you find yourself in Hawai’i.
