Aroma visualization from community tastings
Holmes Cay MHOBA South Africa 2017
Here's the twist: it drinks like an agricole and a Jamaican pot-still had a kid. Sharp cane-juice greenness, overripe banana and pineapple, plus a real ester funk running underneath — one taster nails it as "white dog" wildness. Four years in a South African whisky cask leaves it dry rather than sweet. At 59% it kicks, but a rest in the glass lets the fruit through. Wild, distinctive, and not an everyday pour.
The community says- Cane-juice funk
- Overripe banana
- But: Dry, bitter finish
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The look inside the bottle
How does Holmes Cay MHOBA South Africa 2017 taste?
Aggregated from 31 community reviews.
Wild cane-juice funk, agricole meets Jamaican Members keep landing on the same word — unusual — and mean it as praise. Fans of funky, cane-forward rum rate it highly; it's a treat, not a daily sipper.
funk chasers who love cane-juice pot still
beginners or anyone wanting sweet, easy rum
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
13 of 31 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is Holmes Cay MHOBA South Africa 2017 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.3 sits in the “Very good” band. 93% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
84% rate it 8 or higher. 13 selected write-ups from 31 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
Most helpful positive review
#6987 02.07.2026 Relaxing with a few samples after a checkup at the doctor. Listening to some EDM for a change on Spotify. A pretty good rum with a nice price tag in my mind. Intense and fruity with some spices, light rubber, mineral and light roasted wood.
Review by Jakob
Most helpful mixed review
Viel jugendliche Frische, an der Nase präsentieren sich akzentuierte Fruchtnoten mit etwas Süsse. Am Gaumen kommt eine würzig-röstige Aromatik dazu, die an Zigarrenrauch erinnert - schwere Tabakaromatik kombiniert mit Rauch. Für mich dürfte es etwas weniger Röstnote haben, das ist aber Geschmacksache. Insgesamt ein gutes Gesamtpaket.
Review by Frank
Vom ersten Mhoba an, liebe ich diese Destille, mit ihrem ganz eigenen Rum-Profil. Dieser hier reifte die gesamten 4 Jahre in einem südafrikanischem Whisky-Fass - vielleicht Bains? Nase: eindeutiges Mhoba-Profil, vergorene Früchte mit Honig und Joghurt. Überreife Banane und Papaya und leicht pflanzlich Richtung Olive. Auch dabei ist der typische Funk, der sich mit Frucht-Estern und Essig bemerkbar macht. Das Whisky-Fass bemerke ich hier ehrlich gesagt nicht. Aber, wie immer gut. 8,4 Gaumen: ja, jetzt zeichnet sich der Whisky doch ab. Der klassische Mhoba wirkt etwas gerstiger, gröber. Die Grundlage ist aber wieder vergorene Frucht und Honig mit leicht bitter-salzigem Antritt. Ester und Banane. Wirkt doch etwas trocken. Täuscht es mich oder kommt das im Abgang noch etwas Seife hinzu? 8,0 Tatsächlich gefällt mir das Whisky-Fass nicht so gut, auch wenn es dem üblichen Mhoba Geschmack eine deutlich andere Note hinzufügt.
Review by Jussi Piirainen
First of all, nothing but love to Trailer Happiness bar, i absolutely loved my visit down there. They had a few Holmes Cay releases on the back shelve, so i chosed this one because i have really liked Mhoba's releases so far. On the nose: Esters, overripe tropical fruits like banana, pineapple and little bit of papaya. Light citrus notes in the background. The ester level is "mid-range" range, not a ester bomb. You can tell that this is a young rum. Taste: Esters, tropical fruits like banana and pineapple. Light glue notes in the background. Finish: Warm and light tropical fruits at first. Then palate gets dry, slightly bitter and fermented. Medium finish. This rum gives quite typical tropical fruit notes with nice "easy to aproach" mid-range ester levels that unfortunately gets lost at the finish.
Review by rbfsnow
Maybe my favorit 2017 Mhoba 🫣 a little "whisky" but not smoky😅 funky, pineapple & walnut barbecue with bananas flambées 😋😋😋😋😋😋
Review by Kayla Roy
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!
Review by Anton Krioukov
Will blow your socks off! Just wow! If you like high ester rum, this is for you. Intense, fruity, and exciting.
Review by ChrisPro
I think this is my rum of the year from 2022. Just trying to drink the bottle as slow as I can. Delicious!
Review by Kieron Wood
Tasting 23-03-2023 The nosing on this is quite weird as it's really heavy ina butterscotch grass note which confuses the brain . The tasting is just as insane that's a beautiful blend of agricole notes with a sweet rum .. This is an excellent bottling from Eric that's so unusual it blows the mind
Review by Abrahan Reyes
I was given a sampler for this to try. The color is very clear and that may be because is aged for only four years. Nose: Sugarcane, pineapple, very pleasant. Taste: The first impression is that kicks hard, that's because is bottled at 59% ABV. After letting rest you can get more from it. Banana, coconut, sugarcane. The aftertaste is prolonged and pleasant. Very good indeed will probably be better with some extra time in the barrel. Will I buy it, not so sure the price is a bit stiff for me, and in that price range I can get some excellent rums.
Review by Peter Bosel
very unique and wild. This is a fun one! It's great, but not something you can drink casually every day.
Review by Moss Cail
I don't think the finish is doing it any favors. It's a little clashy, still really good.
Review by Henry Davies
Unusual and very distinctive nose - really great strawberry and overripe pineapple. A bit of heat on the tongue but nothing crazy given the age profile, tropical fruit, Indian spices, treacle and caramel. Light slightly flat finish with a bit of pepper and green hay. It’s different, interesting and an exciting early release - keen to try more from Mhoba
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Details about Holmes Cay MHOBA South Africa 2017
A Pot Still Rum from South Africa, bottled by Holmes Cay, at 59%.
Community purchases
26 bottles logged by 20 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
15% opened, 1 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Holmes Cay MHOBA South Africa 2017?
Community paid 87–110 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
26 purchased · 32 tasted · 14 wishlist · as of
About the MHOBA distillery
The MHOBA distillery is located in South Africa. Rums from MHOBA have been reviewed 2,493 times with an average of 8.2/10.
To MHOBA →Read on in the RumX Guide
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