Waikīkī’s New Rum-and-Chocolate Tasting Pairs Two ‘Ono Local Brands

Photo: Courtesy of Kō Hana Rum

Rather than venture out to Kailua to tour Mānoa Chocolate’s factory and Kunia for Kō Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum, meet in the middle: In Waikīkī, the two local specialists have teamed up in a tasting experience at House of Mana Up’s new location.

It’s a bit of déjà vu walking into the old Ferragamo space at Royal Hawaiian Center—House of Mana Up occupied this same spot back in 2019. But this time, it’s more than a collection of snacks, accessories and home goods produced by graduates of the accelerator’s small business cohorts.

After dinner upstairs at Noi Thai on a recent Saturday, a friend and I headed down 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 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Though we didn’t have one, the bar wasn’t busy and we got started immediately.

Photo: Courtesy of Kō Hana Rum

Both Mānoa Chocolate and Kõ Hana are former Mana Up cohort participants. Their 30-minute guided tasting lets you sip, sample, ask questions and compare tasting notes. Or just sip and sample, if that’s your preference. Kama‘āina with ID pay $30; it’s $40 otherwise.

Choose between 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 knowledgeable guide explained the history of each business and gave us a small pour of the Classic Daiquiri to try on its own. That was followed by the Liliko‘i Daiquiri with a small triangle of Mānoa’s liliko‘i chocolate. Try the drink first, then the chocolate, then both together, she said. The chocolates are small—so if you want another piece, just ask.

Photos: Katrina Valcourt

In all, we tried 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 collab Kō Hana rum bar), plus a spoonful of rum-barrel-aged honey from Mānoa Honey & Mead, a sip of Kō Hana’s Kokoleka chocolate rum and a small piece of rum cake—the perfect post-dinner treat.

My takeaways? I liked how liliko‘i showed up in both the cocktail and the chocolate. And the sea salt bar tamped down the sweetness of the pineapple daiquiri. It’s a lot of information to take in, especially while drinking, but this was a nice 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 Kalākaua Ave., Suite A112, houseofmanaup.com, @houseofmanaup

Katrina Valcourt is the executive editor of HONOLULU Magazine.