Ko‘olau Distillery was founded in 2018 by Eric Dill and Ian Brooks, who selected a site slightly inward of Oahu’s famed Windward Coast to open their distillery on account of how much rainfall the nearby Ko‘olau Range receives each year. Since its founding, the dedicated team of experts at Ko‘olau Distillery has proudly utilized water pulled from a local artesian well in each one of their small-batch products. Throughout the week, Ko‘olau Distillery is open to visitors who wish to tour the facility. Each Ko‘olau Distillery tour shares remarkable insights with guests wanting to learn more about the distilling process; at the end of each tour participants have the chance to taste multiple Ko‘olau Distillery products and visit the attraction’s gift shop.
Ko’olau Distillery Tour Details
Ko‘olau Distillery tours typically last anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes, and no matter when you visit, it’s highly recommended you show up approximately 10 to 15 minutes before your tour’s scheduled departure time; this will allow time for your ID to be checked, as the Ko‘olau Distillery tour is only available to those individuals over the age of 21 years old. As you plan your Ko‘olau Distillery outing, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re liable to be standing and walking for the duration of the tour, and the facility itself is not airconditioned.
Tour availability is subject to change—be sure and check out the Ko‘olau Distillery official website for the latest information—but it usually runs once in the afternoon during the week, and twice on weekends. Those visitors with a deep passion for all things distilling-related will want to consider upgrading their experience to the Premium Package, which costs a pretty penny but comes with tour privileges, a bottle of Old Pali Road Whiskey, a souvenir t-shirt, and a collectible glass.
Ko’olau Distillery Major Highlights
Distilling Process: The centerpiece of your Ko‘olau Distillery experience consists of a behind-the-scenes tour of the company’s entire distilling process. During this one-of-a-kind outing you’ll be party to an informative and fascinating journey that runs the distilling gauntlet from mashing to fermenting to distilling, aging, and bottling.
Tastings: During your time on the grounds of Ko‘olau Distillery, you’ll have the chance to sample several different products that have been created onsite. These include popular Ko‘olau Distillery brands like Old Pali Road Whiskey, Tradewind Gin, Māhealani Moonshine, KaLā Vodka, and more.
Shop: Before you depart Ko‘olau Distillery there’ll be an opportunity to peruse the attraction’s gift shop, where you can purchase bottles of the distillery’s handcrafted alcoholic offerings, as well as your pick of such items as souvenir t-shirts, hats, and glasses.
Is the Ko’olau Distillery Tour for You?
The Ko‘olau Distillery tour is perfect for those visitors who aren’t content to simply sip their high-end adult beverages in style while on vacation in beautiful Oahu, but prefer to know exactly how their glass of Old Pali Road Whiskey or Tradewind Gin came into existence. So if you’ve ever wanted to learn more about how liquor is distilled—perhaps you’ve already tried your hand at brewing beer back home in your garage but are looking to branch out—then the Ko‘olau Distillery tour will prove worth your time. And even if you’re brand-new to the world of distilling, the Ko‘olau Distillery tour is a pleasant way to spend an hour trying something different.
