Oʻahu Distillery Tour & Tasting: One of the Best Things to Do on Oahu for Adults
You've planned the beaches, the hikes and the sunsets. Now add the stop most Hawaii vacation itineraries miss: a guided tour and tasting at Oʻahu's oldest distillery, led by the family that owns it. Walk the farm, get hands-on with the raw ingredients, stand beside the stills, and taste our island spirits, poured at the source.
- 45–60 minute guided tour
- Up to 6 guests online · larger groups by phone
- Full tasting included
- $25 per person
- 21+ only
Looking for Things to Do in Hawaii That Aren't on Every List?
Search "things to do in Hawaii" and you'll find the same handful of attractions on every page. They're wonderful, and they're crowded. If you want fun things to do on Oahu that feel personal, local and a little bit secret, this is it.
Island Distillers is Oʻahu's oldest distillery, and we are 100% family owned and operated. There's no hired tour script here. The owners give every tour themselves, which makes this one of the most unique Hawaii experiences you can add to a trip.
Why it belongs in your Oahu itinerary
- Made for grown-ups. A relaxed, 21+ setting, one of the best Oahu adult activities for couples, friends and solo travelers.
- Small and personal. Online bookings are capped at six guests, so there's time for every question.
- Truly local. A local craft distillery in Honolulu, in East Honolulu's Hawaiʻi Kai neighborhood, and one of the closest distilleries to Waikīkī.
- Easy to pair. Fits perfectly into an East Oʻahu day near Hanauma Bay, Koko Head and the Makapuʻu coastline, with great lunch spots right next door.
- You go home with something real. Souvenir bottles from the tasting room, straight from the source.
Inside One of the Best Honolulu Tours for Spirits Lovers
Under an hour, four senses, one unforgettable glass. Here's what your distillery tour on Oʻahu looks like.
Walk the Farm
Start where the flavor starts. We grow the kī (ti plant) for our Ōkolehao right here, along with the hibiscus and chili peppers that go into our infused vodkas. A farm-to-bottle story you can actually walk through.
The Raw Ingredients
Get up close with what flavors our infused vodkas: coconut, lilikoʻi, hibiscus and Hawaiian chili pepper. Breathe each one in before you taste what it becomes.
Meet the Stills
Stand beside our custom stills and hear how raw sugarcane and kī root become clear, bright spirit, told by the people who run them every day.
The Tasting Flight
Pull up to the bar for a guided farm-to-bottle vodka tasting and a Hawaiian Ōkolehao tasting, including spirits most visitors never get to try.
The Tasting: Island Spirits, Poured at the Source
Every tour includes a guided tasting. Here's what you'll taste.
Traditional 100-Proof Hawaiian Ōkolehao
Hawaiʻi's heritage spirit, distilled from kī root grown on our farm and sugarcane. Earthy, bold and unlike anything back home. Island Distillers commercially revived ōkolehao in 2012, and this is the place to taste it.
Barrel-Aged Ōkolehao
More of a whiskey or bourbon fan? Ask to taste our newest release: ōkolehao rested two years in bourbon barrels, with oak layered over that signature kī character. It isn't always on the tasting, so be sure to ask.
HAPA Lilikoʻi Vodka
Bright, tart passion fruit with a tropical finish that tastes like vacation in a glass. The pour guests talk about on the drive home.
HAPA Hawaiian Chili Pepper Vodka
Made with chili peppers from our farm. A slow, fiery build that turns a Bloody Mary into a story. Dare your travel partner.
HAPA Hibiscus Vodka
Infused with hibiscus from our own garden. Floral, gently tart and beautiful in the glass.
HAPA Coconut Vodka
Soft, creamy coconut that's made for tiki drinks and sunset pours on the lanai.
Two Years in Bourbon Barrels: Taste Our Barrel-Aged Ōkolehao
Most people visiting Hawaii have never heard of ōkolehao, let alone tasted one that's been aged. Our barrel-aged ōkolehao has spent two years resting in bourbon barrels, and the only way to taste it straight from the barrel room is to be here with us. For whiskey drinkers, spirits collectors and anyone hunting for truly unique Hawaii experiences, this is the pour to plan around.
Book a TastingA Local Craft Distillery in Honolulu, Run by Family
Island Distillers is more than stills and equipment. It's Oʻahu's oldest distillery, and with it comes the responsibility of keeping Hawaiian Ōkolehao alive.
Today we're 100% family owned and operated. We farm the kī, hibiscus, chili peppers, lilikoʻi and coconut. We run the stills. And when you book a tour, one of us is the person pouring your glass.
What makes it a must-do Hawaii activity
Plenty of Honolulu tours show you Hawaiʻi from a bus window. This one puts you in the room where something Hawaiian is being made, with the people making it. It's authentic, unhurried and personal: the kind of local Oahu experience travelers remember long after the tan fades.
It's also one of the easiest wins in a Hawaii vacation itinerary. At under an hour, it slots between a morning at the beach and dinner without rearranging your whole day.
Souvenir Bottles on Oahu, Straight from the Still
Skip the airport keychains. The best Hawaii souvenirs to bring home are the ones with a story, and nothing tells it like a bottle you tasted, chose and carried out of the distillery yourself.
After your tasting, browse the tasting room and pick out made-in-Hawaii gifts for the friends who watched your house, the boss who approved your PTO, or yourself.
Guest favorites to bring home
- HAPA Lilikoʻi Vodka for the cocktail lover
- HAPA Hawaiian Chili Pepper Vodka for the one who likes it spicy
- Traditional Hawaiian Ōkolehao for the spirits collector
- HAPA Coconut or Hibiscus for tiki nights back home
Adults-Only Things to Do on Oahu, for Every Kind of Trip
Couples & honeymooners
Looking for romantic things to do in Honolulu or a date idea that isn't another dinner? A private-feeling tasting for two makes an easy anniversary or honeymoon activity on Oʻahu.
Friends' trips & celebrations
Bachelorette parties, girls' trips, guys' trips and milestone birthdays. Book up to six online, or call us to bring a bigger crew.
Spirits & cocktail fans
If you seek out distilleries wherever you travel, this is the Oahu distillery tour for you. Ask about fermentation, distillation, infusion and barrel aging. Nothing is off the table.
Return visitors
Been to Hawaii before and done the classics? Here's something new for your Oahu bucket list: a hidden gem in East Honolulu that most visitors drive right past.
Add It to Your Hawaii Vacation Itinerary
We're in Hawaiʻi Kai on the east side of Oʻahu, a natural stop on the scenic drive past Hanauma Bay, Koko Head and the Makapuʻu coastline. We're officially in Honolulu and one of the closest distilleries to Waikīkī, so it's an easy trip from your hotel.
We're also right next to some great lunch spots. Book a morning snorkel or hike, grab lunch, then wind down with a tasting.
Tours are by reservation only and fill quickly with small groups, so book ahead.
Check Available Times- Address
- Island Distillers, 577 Pakala St, Honolulu (Hawaiʻi Kai), HI 96825 (opens Google Maps)
- Tour days & times
- Tuesday & Wednesday: 11am – 4pm
Thursday: 11am – 3pm
Saturday: 11am – 5pm - Duration & group size
- 45–60 minutes · up to 6 guests online. Bigger groups can be arranged by phone (see the FAQ below).
- Booking
- Book online at least 3 hours in advance.
- Cancellations
- Full refund with 24+ hours' notice. No refunds within 24 hours or for no-shows.
- Parking
- Parking is available in the marked spots in front of the warehouse.
- Age requirement
- 21+ only. Guests who appear young will be asked for a valid photo ID.
Oahu Distillery Tour FAQ
Is the distillery tour 21+ only?
Yes. Our tour and tasting is an adults-only experience for guests 21 and over, which makes it one of the more relaxed Oahu adult activities you can book.
What is ōkolehao?
Ōkolehao is Hawaiʻi's heritage spirit, made from the root of the kī (ti) plant. Ours is distilled from kī root grown on our farm and sugarcane. A Hawaiian ōkolehao tasting is the best way to understand it. Our traditional 100-proof is on every tasting, and you can ask about our barrel-aged version.
How long is the tour, and what's included?
About 45–60 minutes, including a walk through the farm, the distillery and stills, and the bottling room, followed by a guided tasting.
Which spirits are in the tasting?
Traditional 100-Proof Hawaiian Ōkolehao, plus HAPA Lilikoʻi, Hawaiian Chili Pepper, Hibiscus and Coconut vodkas. More of a whiskey or bourbon fan? Ask to taste our Barrel-Aged Ōkolehao. It isn't always offered.
Who gives the tours?
We're 100% family owned and operated, and the owners lead the tours themselves.
Can I buy bottles to take home?
Yes. After your tasting you can pick up souvenir bottles in our tasting room, a perfect made-in-Hawaii gift.
Can I book the same day?
Yes, as long as you book at least 3 hours before your tour time and a slot is available.
Can I book for a group larger than six?
Online booking is for up to 6 guests. For bigger groups, such as bachelorette parties, birthdays and work outings, give us a call at (808) 517-2124 and we'll schedule it.
How close are you to Waikīkī?
We're one of the closest distilleries to Waikīkī. We're officially in Honolulu, in the Hawaiʻi Kai area of East Honolulu, so it's an easy add to any Oahu itinerary.
Where are you located?
577 Pakala St in Hawaiʻi Kai, East Honolulu, near Hanauma Bay and Koko Head, and right next to some great lunch spots.
Book Your Tour & Tasting
Small groups, owner-led tours and island spirits poured at the source. Book the Oʻahu distillery tour and tasting that turns a great vacation into a story worth retelling.
Pick your date and time below. ↓
21+ only. Please drink responsibly and plan a safe ride.
