Holmes Cay MHOBA South Africa

Intense, funky, and fruity – a rum adventure.

Unique and bold flavor profile
Fruity and estery aromas
Distinctive and wild character
RumX community voice

This cask-strength MHOBA rum offers bold flavors with tropical and funky notes. Its unique profile of overripe fruits and esters may not appeal to everyone.

0.00 €

Already purchased 26 times

Why shop with RumX?

Live auctions

This rum is currently being offered by one of our verified auction house partners. RumX helps you discover and bid on rare rums.

    How does this rum taste?

    Holmes Cay South Africa Rum, crafted by MHOBA distillery, is a unique expression distilled in 2017 from sugar cane juice using a pot still. Aged four years and bottled at a hefty 59% ABV cask strength, this limited release of 1026 bottles captivates with its overripe fruity aroma and complex tropical taste. Noted for its rich banana and ester flavor, it offers a blend of agricole notes and sweet rum. Users remark on its unusual, intense profile, characterized by vinegar and funk, and the intriguing influence of South African whisky barrels, though some find it youthfully abrasive. Originating from a bold and distinctive distillation approach, this rum resonates with aficionados of high ester and funky profiles, offering a delightful, albeit polarizing, tasting experience.

    Aroma

    Overripe Pineapple Vinegar Fruity

    Taste

    Banana Ester Tropical fruit Overripe

    How is this rum rated?

    8.4/10 26 reviews
    Top 20% South Africa
    Top 22% MHOBA

    From the very first Mhoba, I have loved this distillery with its very own rum profile. This one matured for the whole 4 years in a South African whisky cask - maybe Bains? Nose: clear Mhoba profile, fermented fruit with honey and yogurt. Overripe banana and papaya and slightly vegetal towards olive. There is also the typical funk, which is noticeable with fruit esters and vinegar. To be honest, I don't notice the whisky cask here. But, as always, good. 8.4 Palate: yes, now the whisky does stand out. The classic Mhoba seems a little more tannic, coarser. But the basis is again fermented fruit and honey with a slightly bitter-salty attack. Ester and banana. It does seem a little dry. Am I deceiving myself or is there a little soap in the finish? 8,0 I actually don't like the whisky cask that much, even though it adds a distinctly different note to the usual Mhoba flavor.

    Lots of youthful freshness, accentuated fruity notes with some sweetness on the nose. On the palate, there is a spicy, roasted aroma reminiscent of cigar smoke - heavy tobacco aromas combined with smoke. For me, it could have a little less of a roasted note, but that is a matter of taste. All in all, a good overall package.

    Phenomenal, how delicious! This is not for everyone, but if you like funky, almost gross smelling rum (if you know, you know) this is the thing. It smells like white dog and fights like a much younger distillate. Wonderful!

    I think this is my rum of the year from 2022. Just trying to drink the bottle as slow as I can. Delicious!

    Rate

    Expert reviews

    Details about this rum

    Distillery
    Bottler
    RumX ID
    RX11124
    ABV
    59%
    Category
    Pot Still Rum
    Vintage
    2017
    Cask number
    #48
    Made from
    Sugar cane juice
    Distillation
    Pot Still
    Age
    4 years
    No. of bottles
    1,026
    Bottle volume
    75cl
    Price range
    <250€
    Type of spirit
    Rum
    Holmes Cay • MHOBA 2017 &nbsp; 4yr &nbsp; 59% South Africa

    Community purchases

    The RumX community has already added 26 bottles to their collections:

    closed
    22
    opened
    3
    emptied
    1
    Open rate
    15%

    Digitize your rum collection and get exciting insights into the market value of your collection or individual bottles:

    You may also enjoy

    The identification of similar rums is based on the tasting notes of the community and the key data of the rum.

    RX2938
    Bottle of Strand 101

    Strand 101

    8.2 (47)
    63 €
    RX17376
    Bottle of Umbila Bourbon Cask (LMDW New Vibrations Collection)

    Umbila Bourbon Cask (LMDW New Vibrations Collection)

    8.0 (38)
    125 €
    RX17377
    Bottle of Indlovu Bourbon & Brandy Casks (LMDW New Vibrations Collection)

    Indlovu Bourbon & Brandy Casks (LMDW New Vibrations Collection)

    8.1 (39)
    125 €
    RX17378
    Bottle of Umganu Brandy Cask (LMDW New Vibrations Collection)

    Umganu Brandy Cask (LMDW New Vibrations Collection)

    7.7 (36)
    125 €
    RX1694
    Bottle of Franky‘s Pineapple

    Franky‘s Pineapple

    7.1 (49)
    43 €
    RX7602
    Bottle of Bushfire

    Bushfire

    7.8 (97)
    55 €
    RX15795
    Bottle of Select Reserve French Cask Rum

    Select Reserve French Cask Rum

    8.0 (13)
    104 €

    Want to discover more rums?

    Download the free RumX app:

    About the MHOBA distillery

    The MHOBA distillery is located in South Africa. Rums from MHOBA have been reviewed 1,961 times with an average of 8.2/10.

    Interactive Map

    This map requires your consent to load Google Maps content.

    RumX Team Photo

    By rum lovers, for rum lovers

    I'm Oliver – together with Jakob, Robert, and Lukas, we started RumX in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.

    What began as a digital tasting diary is now the world's most comprehensive platform for rum fans: over 24,000 bottlings, 250,000+ independent reviews, and an active community with 46,000 members. We combine the collective intelligence of our community with an integrated marketplace, allowing you to shop securely and manage your collection directly from the app.

    The goal? To offer you, the rum connoisseur, a place where you can choose with confidence—without paperwork, detours, or expert jargon.

    Learn more about us

    Get the most out of RumX

    Do you want to learn more about this rum, track the market value of your bottles, and share your rum with like-minded people? Download the RumX app for free now and discover the whole RumX universe!

    Download app on App Store Download app on Google Play