Kuleana Rum Works Wins Top Honors at Two Prestigious Spirits Competitions

KOHALA, Hawai'i, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai'i-based distillery celebrated for its additive-free, award-winning rums, claims top honors at two of the industry's most respected competitions: the 2025 American Distilling Institute International Spirits Competition and the 2025 Beverage Testing Institute World Spirits Championships.

At the ADI competition, Huihui®, the company's signature blended white rum, was named "Best in Class" — the top accolade that underscores the growing demand for transparently made, additive-free spirits.

"Huihui was created to meet a growing demand in the spirits world — a clean, additive-free rum that speaks to both provenance and performance," said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. "With great flavor, no additives and our lowest price, Huihui® fills a crucial gap in the unaged rum category and is our top seller. So this is especially exciting for the whole team."

ADI noted Huihui's "classic Agricole profile of green banana, green olives, green papaya, guava bread pudding, starfruit, and apple. The rum is silky and flavorful, exhibiting tropical fruit flavors and a subtle grassiness. The finish is long, sweet, and fruity, with lingering green peppercorn, pimento, and dill notes."

Simultaneously, Kuleana Rum Works won four Gold Medals at the BTI World Spirits Championships — one of the most rigorous blind-tasting competitions in the industry:

• Huihui® – Blended White Rum (94 Points)
• Nanea® – Aged Rum Blend (93 Points)
• Hōkūlei® – Aged Rum Blend (94 Points)
• Hawaiian Rum Agricole (93 Points)

"These awards reflect our obsession with purity, place, and process," added Jefferson. "Unlike most rums, we never add sugar, flavoring, or coloring — just clean, expressive rum with exceptional flavor, the result of our care and craftsmanship. It's deeply rewarding to be recognized by the BTI."

Each expression is based on rum made from kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane), grown and harvested on the island of Hawai'i, and crafted using simple but exacting fermentation and distillation methods that preserve the terroir and native varietals unique to the region.

Kuleana Rum Works has grown its footprint with availability in 15 states at the best bars and resorts, and top retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Specs, BevMo!, and others.

About Kuleana Rum Works
Founded on the island of Hawai'i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums—led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole®—from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in more than 15 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency, and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.

Media Contact:
Steve Jefferson
Founder and CEO, Kuleana Rum Works
609-432-2237
[email protected]

SOURCE Kuleana Rum Works