Mhoba Kigelia Rum 3 Year Old Bourbon Cask WRD 1 Foundations (70cl, 60.9%)

A three-year-old sugar cane juice rum from Mhoba, distilled in 2021 and bottled in 2024 at 60.9% vol. It matured in bourbon cask WRD-1 for the Foundations selection, and 278 bottles came from that single cask. The rum is non-chill-filtered, has no colouring and is supplied in a wooden box. Mhoba works with the local Nkomazi cane, harvested by hand, with fermentation that can last up to three weeks. Kigelia combines tropical fruit and citrus with flowers, herbs and spices, alongside the more mature impressions of bourbon cask ageing. The nose shows tiger balm and flambéed banana, then acacia honey, lemon and vanilla. The palate is firm and dynamic, with pepper, juicy pear and apple, fresh cane, geranium and hibiscus, then milk tart, lime tart, verbena and chamomile. The long finish has lively acidity, anise, star anise, clove, lemon and vanilla.