South Africa's treasure of a rum, Mhoba, has three special expressions for La Maison du Whisky's 2024 New Vibrations collection - meet Indlovu, Umganu and Umbila. Together these three expressions allow Mhoba to demonstrate the array of effects of two casks - Bourbon and Brandy, from one end to the other and even in between!

Mhoba Indlovu 3 Year Old, Bourbon & Brandy Casks - 58.5% ABV

"Indlovu" can be translated as elephant in siswati, and is the name given to Mhoba's new expression that has been aged for two years in an ex-Bourbon cask, followed by an 18 months finish in an ex-Brandy cask.

Official Tasting Notes

Aroma

Rich, powerful. Heady honeys (heather, lime blossom), chilli (Espelette pepper, Cayenne pepper) and turpentine aromas set the tone. Allowed to breathe, fruity (mango, guava), floral (mimosa, iris, hyacinth) and camphoric notes are released.

Taste

Full-bodied, dynamic. The attack’s powdery texture (cocoa, ginger) reveals chocolatey smoothness and delicious praline notes. The mid-palate is a wonderful invitation to contemplate fields of sugar cane.

Finish

Long, bright. At the start of the finish, verbena, white mint and sage infusions refresh the taste buds. The lemony and milky (coconut, almond) end of the palate is filled with mixed flavours of cane juice and cane sugar.

Mhoba Umganu 3 Year Old, Brandy Casks - 64.9% ABV

"Umganu" is translated as the marula fruit in siswati, which is indigenously found in South Africa. It is the name given to Mhoba's expression that is aged entirely in an ex-South African brandy cask, and is said to offer notes similar to mezcal.

Official Tasting Notes

Mhoba Umbila 3 Year Old, Bourbon Casks - 59.7% ABV

"Umbila" means corn in siswati, and is the name given to Mhoba 3 Year Old fully ex-Bourbon matured expression that was aged in a Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel.

Tasting Notes

Aroma

Full, deep. On the first nose, a fine layer of salted butter caramel covers the aroma palette. Soon, however, it becomes more empyreumatic (rubber), heady (iris, tuberose) and hot. Allowed to breathe, syrupy and oxidative flavours of cane sugar and juices stand out for their extroverted character.

Taste

Clean, lively. The fruity (pear, apple), lemony and vanilla attack is also infused (camomile). As the fruit becomes more exotic (pineapple, banana, coconut), the mid-palate also becomes profoundly mineral (schist, manganese).

Finish

Long, full. At the start of the finish, flavours of slightly burnt cane sugar, cinnamon and dried fruit and nuts (grilled walnut, date) rival the intensity of floral notes (iris butter, lily) that unmistakably evoke the first nose. The powdery end of the palate is divinely chocolatey and roasted (endive).

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team