1st true Hawaiian vodka debuts

For as long as the underwater mountains that are Hawaii have kept their heads above water, the island have had no native vodka. Suddenly, they have two. Sort of.

Ocean Vodka, which hit the market barely two years ago, was the first, distilled in Idaho from organic grains then shipped to Maui where it is blended with desalinated deep ocean water from the Big Island.

Now, Pau Trading Co. has unveiled Pau Maui Vodka, an 80-proof liquid that uses Maui Gold pineapple juice as its base. Of the two vodkas, it is the only one that undergoes the entire creation process in the state.

The pineapple flavor disappears during the distillation and filtration processes.

Master distiller Mark Nigbur, in an interview with local reporters, insisted “There is no hint of pineapple in the taste. What the pineapple juice does is make a nice, clean mash.”

Paui Maui currently is available only in Hawaii. Paui Maui vodkaion to bottling—exclusively in Hawaii. Nigbur says only lab-grade glass stills are used to ensure purity of the product. “We wanted to make the Rolls Royce of vodka,” says Nigbur.

Currently, Pau Maui Vodka is available in select locations in Hawaii. Further details: 808 / 214-8801.

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