Comments on: Vintage Okolehao - A Tasting http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/ If it's Swank... Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:16:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: chuck greening http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-46834 chuck greening Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:01:18 +0000 http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-46834 Swanky Was excited to read article about okolehao. I have an unopened bottle that I purchased in hawaii years ago.It is in the original box labled the spirit of hawaii wrapped in a volcano. it is a black tiki with removable base that looks as if it could double as an ashtray.I t also has a registration card with # 9447 it is in mint condition except the box is a bit dusty completely original packing right down to the bubble wrap. any information would be appreciated thinking of selling. Thank-You Chuck Swanky
Was excited to read article about okolehao. I have an unopened bottle that I purchased in hawaii years ago.It is in the original box labled
the spirit of hawaii wrapped in a volcano. it is a black tiki with removable base that looks as if it could double as an ashtray.I t also has
a registration card with # 9447 it is in mint condition except the box is a bit dusty completely original packing right down to the bubble wrap.
any information would be appreciated thinking of selling.
Thank-You
Chuck

]]> By: Swanky http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-46505 Swanky Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:06:52 +0000 http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-46505 That news is old and it is unclear if they really are making it. In 5 years, not a bottle has been produced. We keep waiting... That news is old and it is unclear if they really are making it. In 5 years, not a bottle has been produced. We keep waiting…

]]> By: Mr Cheyenne Morrison http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-46461 Mr Cheyenne Morrison Sat, 14 Jun 2008 02:07:18 +0000 http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-46461 Its being commercially produced again. See this great article ... Will new 'okolehao be your cup of ti? By Will Hoover The Honolulu Advertiser Sunday June 1st 2003 http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Jun/01/ln/ln05a.html Its being commercially produced again. See this great article …

Will new ‘okolehao be your cup of ti?
By Will Hoover
The Honolulu Advertiser
Sunday June 1st 2003
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Jun/01/ln/ln05a.html

]]> By: Claude http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-8815 Claude Fri, 07 Dec 2007 04:45:11 +0000 http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-8815 I have a nearly full fifth (4/5 quart) of Okolehao It is 80 proof and bottled by Hawaiian Distillers, Honolulu. Hawaii. The illustration on the front label is the same as on the small bottle you picture. However the text is a bit different. I think I bought this in a large liquor store in Chicago many years ago. The back label contains some information that may be of interest, which I will quote. "OKOLEHAO SPIRIT OF HAWAII Okolehao has been famous as Hawaii's national drink for nearly 200 years. Recently reformulated, the legendary and powerful pacifier of generations past now suits more modern tastes. You'll enjoy serving Okolehao just as you would any light, smooth whiskey - with water or soda, straight, or in a variety of mixed drinks." Tasted straight, it reminds me of a Canadian whiskey with hints of something else - perhaps smoke and a medium body rum. If I had to try to fake it, I likely would start with a decent, but not too expensive, Canadian whiskey with just a tiny bit of a medium rum added - perhaps only a teaspoon or so per full bottle. I then might add 1 or 2 drops of liquid smoke. I have not tried this, so I am just guessing. If the spirit tastes and smells of rum or smoke very much - you just want a hint - then you have added too much rum or liquid smoke. There are several other drinks often called for in old books that do not seem to be available in the US often, if ever, anymore. I have a bottle each of French Garnier Creme de Rose and Creme de Violette, but I have not seen these very floral cremes for sale for very many years. Many of the bitters called for in old books no longer are made. I still have several bottles of white, gold and anejo Bacardi Cuban rums made before the revolution. Bacardi left Cuba because of the revolution. Even before the revolution, Bacardi made rum in Puerto Rico, and this was the Bacardi rum usually found in the US, because there was not as much tax on it as for the Cuban export Bacardi. However the Cuban Bacardi was considered superior to the Puerto Rico Bacardi, and many were happy to pay the extra price for the Cuban version. The pre-Castro Cuban Bacardis I have taste far superior to me than do any of the similar Bacardi types made in Puerto Rico today. I have a nearly full fifth (4/5 quart) of Okolehao It is 80 proof and bottled by Hawaiian Distillers, Honolulu. Hawaii. The illustration on the front label is the same as on the small bottle you picture. However the text is a bit different. I think I bought this in a large liquor store in Chicago many years ago.

The back label contains some information that may be of interest, which I will quote.

“OKOLEHAO SPIRIT OF HAWAII
Okolehao has been famous as Hawaii’s national drink for nearly 200 years.

Recently reformulated, the legendary and powerful pacifier of generations past now suits more modern tastes.

You’ll enjoy serving Okolehao just as you would any light, smooth whiskey - with water or soda, straight, or in a variety of mixed drinks.”

Tasted straight, it reminds me of a Canadian whiskey with hints of something else - perhaps smoke and a medium body rum. If I had to try to fake it, I likely would start with a decent, but not too expensive, Canadian whiskey with just a tiny bit of a medium rum added - perhaps only a teaspoon or so per full bottle. I then might add 1 or 2 drops of liquid smoke. I have not tried this, so I am just guessing. If the spirit tastes and smells of rum or smoke very much - you just want a hint - then you have added too much rum or liquid smoke.

There are several other drinks often called for in old books that do not seem to be available in the US often, if ever, anymore. I have a bottle each of French Garnier Creme de Rose and Creme de Violette, but I have not seen these very floral cremes for sale for very many years. Many of the bitters called for in old books no longer are made.

I still have several bottles of white, gold and anejo Bacardi Cuban rums made before the revolution. Bacardi left Cuba because of the revolution. Even before the revolution, Bacardi made rum in Puerto Rico, and this was the Bacardi rum usually found in the US, because there was not as much tax on it as for the Cuban export Bacardi. However the Cuban Bacardi was considered superior to the Puerto Rico Bacardi, and many were happy to pay the extra price for the Cuban version. The pre-Castro Cuban Bacardis I have taste far superior to me than do any of the similar Bacardi types made in Puerto Rico today.

]]> By: Jason http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-8645 Jason Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:00:53 +0000 http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-8645 You may want to consider Pisco as a substitute for "oke". I've never tried okolehao myself, so I can't say for sure, but Pisco (a clear brandy made in South America) has a flavor reminiscent of your description. To me, it has some of the woody, herbal complexity of a tequila, but those flavors are combined with a subtle sweetness and fruitiness from the Muscat grapes used to make the Pisco. I enjoy it chilled, straight up as a after-dinner sipper; it's also the key ingredient in the Pisco Sour, made with Pisco, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and a few dashes of bitters. Delicious! You may want to consider Pisco as a substitute for “oke”. I’ve never tried okolehao myself, so I can’t say for sure, but Pisco (a clear brandy made in South America) has a flavor reminiscent of your description. To me, it has some of the woody, herbal complexity of a tequila, but those flavors are combined with a subtle sweetness and fruitiness from the Muscat grapes used to make the Pisco. I enjoy it chilled, straight up as a after-dinner sipper; it’s also the key ingredient in the Pisco Sour, made with Pisco, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and a few dashes of bitters. Delicious!

]]> By: Swanky’s Blather » Mazarine Cordial http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-161 Swanky’s Blather » Mazarine Cordial Sat, 02 Dec 2006 18:01:31 +0000 http://www.swankpad.org/blather/2006/11/27/vintage-okolehao-a-tasting/#comment-161 [...] A friend of ours found this bottle while cleaning out a house in Indiana. He had no idea what it was, but brought it home. We opened this bottle and sampled one of the most incredible flavors ever. A search of the internet has shown nothing. We have no idea if it is still made or imported. I assume not imported for sure. I had tasted nothing so wonderful in my life until we opened up a vintage bottle of Okolehao recently. That flavor was very close. We finished off this bottle and hated to see it empty. [...] [...] A friend of ours found this bottle while cleaning out a house in Indiana. He had no idea what it was, but brought it home. We opened this bottle and sampled one of the most incredible flavors ever. A search of the internet has shown nothing. We have no idea if it is still made or imported. I assume not imported for sure. I had tasted nothing so wonderful in my life until we opened up a vintage bottle of Okolehao recently. That flavor was very close. We finished off this bottle and hated to see it empty. [...]

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