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.

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).