So, what comes to mind when you think of The Beach Boys? For many, it’s the song Kokomo, with its island refrain: “Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take ya. Bermuda, Bahama, come on, pretty mama…” And, of course, the song is about a fictional island place in Southern Florida, so it’s fitting that Mike Love, founding member of the band and founder of the San Diego-based brand Club Kokomo Spirits, would produce that most island-spirited of spirits, rum!

I recently had the pleasure of receiving samples of the brand’s new rum line: Artisinal, Tahitian Vanilla, and Barrel Finished. Initially known for producing “bartender-quality” canned RTD (ready-to-drink) cocktails in conjunction with Seven Caves distillery, founder Mike Love opted to expand into producing bottled rums. Expanding the RTD partnership with Seven Caves’ renowned distiller, Geoff Longenecker, made sense, given that Seven Caves already produces a broad array of spirits, including gin, whiskey, and, of course, rum.

The Artisanal White Rum is a blend of demerara cane rums with no added flavorings or sugar. Bottled at an ABV of 45%, it preserves the intensity of the rum with a decidedly complex array of tropical fruit notes and a hint of honey. The nose leads with caramel syrup, ripe banana, roasted pineapple spears, and a hint of citrus. The initial sip echoes the aroma, with the addition of candied lemon zest, fresh green apples, and a hint of menthol. The mouthfeel is mildly astringent with a sweet finish. It would make a better mixing rum than a sipper, although it was quite tasty poured over ice as an aperitif. It also made for a lively daiquiri, shaken and strained, especially made with freshly squeezed key limes.

Although I’m not a huge fan of flavored spirits, the Tahitian Vanilla rum struck the right balance between rum and flavoring. At 40% ABV, it did not suffer from the same fate as so many other flavored spirits: over-sweetness. The aroma is notably rum-forward, with the vanilla almost unnoticeable, favoring floral notes of honeysuckle and jasmine, backed by hints of coconut. The difference in mouthfeel between this rum and the Artisinal white is notable – this is a much softer rum, evidenced by the lower ABV. The vanilla peeks out during the initial sip, leading to additional tropical notes and a significant ethanol bite. This is probably best as a cocktail rum and made a nice addition to a blended Piña Colada made from fresh pineapple juice, coconut powder, and freshly squeezed key limes. Want a real treat? Make that same drink using coconut ice cream instead of the coconut powder or count cream. Decadent!

My favorite of the three is the Barrel-Finished, unsurprising given my penchant for aged Scotch whisky. The rum is blended from rum that spends 8-10 years maturing in ex-fill bourbon casks, ex-fill port casks, and new oak, combined in the right proportion to emphasize the wood character. Distilled from a combination of demerara cane juice and molasses, it’s bottled with no additional sugar or colorants. It pours a deep amber in the glass, immediately releasing aromatic notes of toffee, caramel, freshly baked bread, toasted pecans, and candied orange.

The mouthfeel is full and round, although slightly hotter courtesy of its 46% ABV. Like whisky, it is cooled with the addition of a few drops of quality water. I tasted this one like I do my whiskies – in a glass with, well, nothing. This is undeniably a quality sipper. The initial flavors are all rum – tropical fruit, backed by notes of caramel, winter spices, roasted nuts, and more candied orang. Hints of ginger, pipe tobacco, and oak lead to a long and tingly finish that starts out a little sweet but dries considerably. I would not hesitate to pour this for guests who typically prefer whisky, as the impact is similar. It’s no surprise it won Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition!

Kokomo rum is a serious, quality product far better than many of the so-called mainstream brands. Sipping that barrel-finished rum has my toes tapping as I hum Bermuda, Bahama…