“Grass to Glass” // Summit 1.2, Libations

Over the course of eight issues of Summit magazine, I got to work with the amazing Randy Wong on a series of cocktail- and mixology-themed pieces in the ʻĀnuenue section of the magazine, which represented our take on lifestyle and entertainment in Hawaiʻi. These pieces generally fell under the column “Libations,” though we also put together a few special guide sections, including a super ambitious “best bars around the world” guide which as only possible because both Randy and James Charisma are big travelers and big bar hoppers.

Randy’s column may have always involved cocktails, but each one was very different from the other in terms of format and focus, which made it a lot of fun to tag along and shoot photos.

In the third issue of Summit, Randy and I drove out to Kunia, a dry part of central Oʻahu which still echos with the vestiges of plantation-era agriculture. Which is a big part of why Manulele Distillers located there—the distillers produce Hawaiian “agricole” rum using 50 different varietals of sugar cane which they grow on site. The rum they produce is some of the most distinct and interesting you’ll find.

Photographed: July, 2015

Location: Manulele Distillery, Kunia, Oʻahu