Take a Sip of Maui with Pilina’s Mauka Cocktail

Welcome to the embodiment of Hawaii’s famous aloha spirit.

One of the most iconic hotels on the tropical island of Maui, the Fairmont Kea Lani recently underwent a massive renovation. Located on the shores of idyllic Wailea, it’s a breezy, eye-popping gateway. Wake up early with a cup of coffee and feast your eyes on a luscious sunrise, wade in one of their Instagram-worthy pools, take a canoe out for a guided tour, and end the day with a sunset so spectacular, it regularly spurs applause from gawkers on the beach.

Aside from a massive airy lobby and sunny, modernized rooms (many with views of the beach), the Kea Lani recently opened Pilina. An instant gamechanger for the Hawaiian cocktail scene, it’s the grand creation of Cameron Hall, the bar’s General Manager. Hall, who’s worked at Fairmont properties in Bermuda to Whistler, Canada, built its program from the ground up. Along the way, he infused that aloha spirit into the heart of the entire operation.

What makes Pilina special?

The opportunity to create a space that offers not only exceptional views and ambiance but showcases Hawaii’s local farmers, ranchers, fishermen, distillers, and brewers is a Kuleana (responsibility) that I am grateful to accept. Our hope is for Pilina to provide more than just a culinary experience, but a sensory escape to paradise, where every sip and bite is a celebration of the breathtaking beauty that surrounds us.

We know many ingredients are locally sourced. Why was that important for you?

We chose to prioritize authentically showcasing our ‘sense of place’ through our food and beverage program. By highlighting Hawaiian ingredients, we not only support local farmers and producers but also offer our guests a genuine taste of the region’s rich culinary heritage. We wanted to highlight unique ingredients which you don’t see on other beverage menus in hope that our guests walk away with new knowledge or learning a new ingredient. If just one person learns something new about Hawaiian ingredients while dining in Pilina, then I feel like we have accomplished something.

What are some of Pilina’s stand-out concoctions?

We partnered with Kuleana Rum works to create our very own bespoke rum blend specifically for Pilina. We chose to combine this with local Mai’a (bananas), Kona Coffee Beans, La’ie Vanilla beans (from Oahu), Campari, and Sweet Vermouth for our Pilina twist on the Kingston Negroni. It has become a crowd favorite for negroni drinkers like myself.

For the Pilina Mai Tai, we chose to use Hawaiian Agricole Rum from Ko Hana for the base of our Mai Tai and mix it with a unique take on orgeat. We make our orgeat with Big Island Macadamia Nuts and Kukui Nuts. I have not seen kukui nuts used in a cocktail program before, so it gives me a good feeling that we are able to showcase an ingredient with such a big impact in the history of Hawaiian Culture. In this cocktail, we also use Maui Gold Pineapple to make a shrub and finish it with a topping of Ko Hana Kokoleka, an agricole rum which is aged in a barrel with local cacao and honey.

Make Hall’s favorite cocktail on his menu, the Mauka:

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