Photo: Courtesy of Kō Hana Rum
Rrather than venturing into Kailua for a tour Manoa chocolate‘s factory and Kunia for Kō Hana Hawaiian Farm Rummeet in the middle: In Waikīkī, the two local specialists have teamed up in a tasting experience a House of Mana Upnew location of.
It’s a bit of déjà vu walking into the former Ferragamo space at the Royal Hawaiian Center: House of Mana Up occupied that same spot in 2019. But this time, it’s more than just a collection of snacks, accessories and homewares produced by graduates of the accelerator’s small business cohorts.
After dinner upstairs at Noi Thai on a recent Saturday, a friend and I went downstairs for drinks and dessert. The chocolate fountain and giant display of rum bottles told us we were in the right place. You can book a reservation online every half hour between 11:00 and 20:30. Although we didn’t have one, the bar wasn’t busy and we started right away.
Photo: Courtesy of Kō Hana Rum
Both Mānoa Chocolate and Kõ Hana are former participants of the Mana Up cohort. Their 30-minute guided tasting allows you to sip, taste, ask questions and compare tasting notes. Or just sip and taste, if that’s your preference. Kama’āina with ID pays $30; otherwise it’s $40.
Choose from straight rum (Kea, Kila, Koa, Koho and Kokoleka) or ready-to-drink cocktails. We chose cocktails, all made with Kõ Hana’s Kea, or white rum. Our expert guide told us the history of each business and gave us a small pour of the classic Daiquiri to try on our own. The Liliko’i Daiquiri followed with a small triangle of Mānoa’s liliko’i chocolate. Try the drink first, then the chocolate, then both together, he said. The chocolates are small, so if you want another piece, just ask.
Photos: Katrina Valcourt
In total, we sampled six cocktails (including the Hemingway Daiquiri, 1944-style Mai Tai, Pineapple Daiquiri, and Blue Hawaiian), paired with five chocolates (single-origin Nīnole, banana, sea salt, and a collaborative Kō Hana rum bar), plus a scoop of Mānoa’s Mānod Rum and Honey Barrel. Hana’s Kokoleka Chocolate Rum and a small piece of rum cake: the perfect after-dinner treat.
My takeaways? I liked how the liliko’i showed up in both the cocktail and the chocolate. And the sea salt bar swallowed the sweetness of the pineapple daiquiri. It’s a lot of information to take in, especially while drinking, but it was a crash course in two delicious local brands and a fun way to end a Waikīkī evening.
The tasting also comes with a $5 coupon you can use at House of Mana Up and a commemorative tasting glass, well worth the price.
2201 Kalakaua Ave., Suite A112, houseofmanaup.com, @houseofmanaup
Katrina Valcourt is the executive editor of HONOLULU Magazine.
