Kahala x Kō Hana Distillers
Images by John Hook
For our Holiday/Resort ‘22 collaboration, we journeyed to Kō Hana Distillers’ sugarcane fields in Kunia. Across 22 acres of land in the central and the north shore of O‘ahu, the Kō Hana team nurtures and cultivates heirloom varietals of native Hawaiian sugarcane to meticulously craft one of the world’s finest single varietal spirits, Kō Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum.
While sugarcane has long been associated with the colonial history of Hawai‘i, its origins can be traced to the first Polynesians to arrive on the islands. Voyaging on outrigger canoes across the open ocean, native Hawaiians introduced sugarcane nearly a millennium before the first Europeans arrived. Known as kō in the Hawaiian language, sugarcane played a vital role in ancient Hawaiian culture. This versatile plant functioned as food, medicine, and was a key ingredient in spiritual ceremonies.
Today, Kō Hana cultivates over 30 native varietals— cutting, grinding, and pressing cane into fresh juice. In contrast to most of the rum around the world being made from molasses, Kō Hana is the world's only rum producer focused on single varietals of sugarcane.
Like the way Kō Hana embraces the cane's unique flavor profile, every Kahala print is an individual story expressed by our artists. For this collaboration, our artists focused on the Manulele and Mahai‘ula varietals of Hawaiian sugarcane for their unique deep purple striping and use in the ancient love ceremony, Hana Aloha, to induce an everlasting love.
Printed across our durable yet lightweight 100% cotton broadcloth, close-up sections of thick Mahai‘ula and Manulele sugarcane are illustrated in bold pen strokes and rendered in two versions, Wine and Teal.
KICKBACK WITH A Kō HANA CONCOCTION
Kō Hana Lilikoi Daquiri
Enjoy a cocktail created by Bar Leather Apron
- 2 oz Kō Hana Koho Hawaiian Agricole Rum
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 1/2 oz Cane Sugar Syrup
- 1/2 Pulp & Seed of Fresh Lilikoi (Passionfruit)
- Shake with ice, strain into chilled glass
Special thanks to Kō Hana Distillers
Kyle Reutner, Kō Hana Distillers General Manager
Tiffany Tubon, Kō Hana Distillers Brand Manager
Nick Sadowski, Ko Hana Distillers Lead Distiller
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