Mainland California 8 Year Old Hawaiian Molasses Rum Rum Curious Private Selection
Mainland California 8 Year Old Hawaiian Molasses Rum Rum Curious Private Selection is a single-cask American rum from Mainland Rum, the independent bottler founded by Seth Benhaim (Broken Barrel Whiskey, Infuse Spirits), chosen by Rum Curious and bottled at barrel proof, 64.0% ABV (128.0 proof), in a 750mL bottle. Distilled in California in 2017 from Hawaiian molasses and aged eight years in a 53-gallon ex-bourbon cask, it yielded 125 bottles — bottled as-is from the cask, with no blending, dilution, added sugar, coloring or chill filtration. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof / ABV: 128.0 proof (64.0% ABV), barrel proof
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 8 years (distilled 2017)
- Cask: Single cask, 53-gallon ex-bourbon barrel; 125 bottles
- Feedstock: Hawaiian molasses, distilled in California
- Origin: California, USA — Rum Curious Private Selection
California-Distilled, One Cask Only
Mainland Rum is an independent bottler in the Scotch mold: it seeks out mature casks of rum from distilleries across the continental United States and bottles them one barrel at a time, with full transparency on origin, age, cask and strength printed on every label. This cask pairs Hawaiian molasses with California distillation — the label coordinates point to the Los Angeles area — and eight full years in an ex-bourbon barrel. Rum Curious, the rum education and review community, selected this barrel as its private selection, so when these 125 bottles are gone, this exact rum is gone. See more single-cask finds in our rum collection and the full spirits range.
Tasting Notes
The brand describes its California molasses casks with dark barrel character, vanilla, cherry and sweet brown rice, over deep molasses and baked brown sugar. At 64% ABV the palate is robust and brooding — toasted oak, tobacco leaf and dark fruit carried on a long, warm finish. A few drops of water pull the cherry and vanilla forward.
How to Enjoy
Neat, rested, and opened up drop by drop with water — this is full barrel-strength rum that rewards patience. It also stands up beautifully in a rum Old Fashioned built from our cocktail shelves. Collectors of one-off American casks should browse the rare and top shelf collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes it a Rum Curious Private Selection?
Rum Curious chose this single cask from Mainland's California barrels. It is a community selector's pick retailed by several shops — not any one store's exclusive barrel.
Where was it made?
Distilled in California from Hawaiian molasses in 2017, aged eight years in a 53-gallon ex-bourbon cask, and bottled by Mainland Rum at barrel proof.
How strong is it and what size is the bottle?
64.0% ABV (128.0 proof) in a 750mL bottle — one cask of 125 bottles, no blending, no dilution and no chill filtration.
Order this Mainland California single cask from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — Hawaiian molasses by way of California.