THERE’S A PROBLEM with most flavoured rums: they’re not very good.

It’s based, of course, on white rum, which comes with its own challenges, and the ingredients used to make the rum taste like whatever fruit it says on the label either taste artificial, or are artificial.

And it all leads to that dreaded processed flavoured-rum aftertaste.

So when we got our hands on a bottle of the new Koloa Coconut Rum from Hawaii, we were, to say the least, on guard.

We reviewed Koloa’s other rums earlier this year, both dark and spiced, and came away pleased. The rum even made it into our list of the top 10 American-made rums.

So we were also intrigued.

Koloa says the rum is made from real coconuts (something that comes in ready supply in Hawaii), certainly an encouraging sign.

And the taste? Well, it was a surprise.

Kolo’a Coconut Rum is unique among flavoured rums: it tastes good.

Crucially, you don’t get that strong, processed-sugar aftertaste – instead, you have the taste of real coconut. And you can even see the remnants of coconut in the rum.

It’s so smooth and natural tasting, in fact, that you can, shockingly, have it alone on the rocks.

The world of flavoured rum should be on notice. A new contender has emerged.

— CJ