Beach Boys singer debuts rum

Club Kokomo Spirits, created by Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love, has added a line of premium rums to its range.

Club Kokomo launched in 2023 with a range of rum- and gin-based ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. The brand’s distilling operations are headed by Geoff Longenecker, founder and owner of Seven Caves Spirits, which is based in San Diego. “The spirit of Kokomo is the serenity and good vibrations you feel when hanging out with your closest friends or family, preferably on a sandy beach,” said Love, “We took it, distilled it and bottled it for everyone who takes a sip to enjoy, anywhere. Much like a Beach Boys song.” The new rum range has three expressions: a white rum, a barrel-finished rum and a Tahitian Vanilla Rum. The Artisanal White Rum retails for US$29.99 and has an ABV of 45%. It is said to have ‘an aroma of honey and pineapple’, with the ‘flavours of fruit’ on the palate. The Barrel Finished Rum retails for US$54.99 and blends eight and 10-year-old Jamaican, Barbadian and Dominican rums. The 46% ABV expression is aged in new oak and ex-whiskey and pork casks and finished in Bourbon barrels. The Tahitian Vanilla Rum retails for US$30.99 and has an ABV of 40%. It has a ‘delicate and sweet floral’ aroma, with ‘vanilla and spice’ on the palate. The expression is made using whole Tahitian vanilla beans. “Making a rum this good is all about the precision of the craft along with our expertise and Mike Love’s vision,” said Longnecker. “With naturally derived ingredients that provide a clean yet complex finish, this line of rum is one you’re definitely going to want to get your hands on.” Conversely to the premiumisation trend in rum, Club Kokomo says its new line has been designed to be ‘not only delicious but also affordable’. “To have a rum that is accessible yet sippable is a game changer,” said Brian Love, the brand’s head of development. “Usually you’d have to go for very expensive high-end rum if you’re looking for something you can sip and enjoy, but our rum does just that without a $150 price tag.”