Ola's ʻŌkolehao earns its seventh Double Gold as Hawaiʻi legislation moves to protect the historic spirit category

HILO, Hawaii, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a century after authentic ʻŌkolehao largely disappeared from commercial availability, Hawaiʻi's heritage distilled spirit is returning to the world stage — and winning. Ola's ʻŌkolehao has earned its seventh Double Gold medal, including a second consecutive Double Gold for its 4-Week Ocean Aged ʻŌkolehao at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The recognition adds to Ola's 78 international distilled spirits medals, helping position authentic Hawaiʻi-made ʻŌkolehao as one of the most-awarded emerging spirits in the world.

Inside the rollout

Why it matters

For industry operators, this is another data point in the structural change reshaping the beverage sector. Watch for follow-on moves from competitors and reactions from key channel partners in the coming quarters.

Ola's ʻŌkolehao earns its seventh Double Gold as Hawaiʻi legislation moves to protect the historic spirit category

HILO, Hawaii, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a century after authentic ʻŌkolehao largely disappeared from commercial availability, Hawaiʻi's heritage distilled spirit is returning to the world stage — and winning. Ola's ʻŌkolehao has earned its seventh Double Gold medal, including a second consecutive Double Gold for its 4-Week Ocean Aged ʻŌkolehao at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The recognition adds to Ola's 78 international distilled spirits medals, helping position authentic Hawaiʻi-made ʻŌkolehao as one of the most-awarded emerging spirits in the world.

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Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.